208 pages
10 x 12 inches
200 color illustrations
ISBN 978-1-58093-200-4
$60 hardcover
($69 Canada)
World rights
Naomi Leff
Interior Design
Kimberly Williams
Preface by Paige Rense
One of the most influential American interior designers of the twentieth century, Naomi Leff created a sophisticated body of work reinterpreting established design principles to suit contemporary tastes. She produced interiors of understated luxury and serenity not only by employing her extraordinary intellect and creative passion but also by applying her practical skills to every aspect of interior design, from architecture to accessory. A cross-section of this important designer's vast portfolio, Naomi Leff: Interior Design showcases for the first time twenty-one commercial and residential projects.
Born and bred in New York City, Leff launched her namesake design firm in 1980. Just six years later, she converted the landmark Rhinelander Mansion—by then only a shell of its former self—into Ralph Lauren's flagship New York Polo store. More a re-creation than a restoration, this singular blend of architectural form, feminine grace, and patrician elegance established the brand image for Polo Ralph Lauren. The celebrated commission paved the way for retail designs for Giorgio Armani and many others. Leff was also known for her high-profile residential interiors, inspired by genres from the American West to French Art Deco. Leff centered her creative process on meticulous research. Distinctive spaces characterized by clear geometry and luxurious materials, the houses, apartments, yachts, and jets she designed were glamorous settings for a clientele of film stars and powerful executives.
Inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame in 1991, honored with the Legends award from the Pratt Institute in 2000, named an Architectural Digest Dean of Design in 2005, Leff was celebrated and respected throughout the profession. Author Kimberly Williams, an interior designer who worked for Naomi Leff & Associates, describes in detail Leff's entire process and presents her keynote projects in beautiful color photography.
Kimberly Williams is owner-principal of design practice Lila-Lou London. She worked as interior design and project manager for Naomi Leff & Associates.
Paige Rense is the editor in chief of Architectural Digest. She is the editor of Private Views: Inside the World's Greatest Homes and other books.