A flair for the understated

MANILA, Philippines - The American writer Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once wrote, “In character, manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.” You would likely agree with Longfellow as you browse through the pages of The Tailored Interior, a collection of photographs and essays on the homes designed by Thad Hayes. Hayes is reputedly one of the most sought-after interior designers today. His work is often featured in House and Garden and Architectural Digest, where he is regularly counted among the AD100, the magazine’s list of top international architects and designers. Whether designing an apartment in the city, a summerhouse or an oceanfront residence, Hayes is masterful at creating subdued interiors that exude a quiet elegance. He begins with a palette of soft beige and earth tones, natural blues and greens. The spaces are then enhanced with wide-bodied sofas and armchairs covered in solid or textured neutrals. Hayes subtly introduces the decorative touches, mixing traditional, modern and period pieces to give each home a character of its own.

Hayes’s clients tend to be corporate executives, art collectors or socially prominent couples who seek refined yet functional interiors. All of the 21 residences featured here vary in theme and tone to reflect the lifestyle and taste of each client. The common aspects are the designer’s use of clean lines and muted tones.

What really sets Hayes apart is an unerring eye for bringing various elements together to create a seamless setting. For an apartment with views toward Central Park, Hayes chose off-white tones to set off modern artworks and period pieces collected by his clients. A black metal Alexander Calder sculpture and an abstract by Mark Rothko in black and orange tones are strong accent pieces that create a polished and sophisticated contrast in the living room. In the master’s bedroom a play of light and dark elements comes from a pair of cherry-red glass lamps by Venini, indigo blue walls set against a white ceiling and a custom-made bronze bed frame. The contrast of decorative elements continues in the dining room where a 19th-century Russian chandelier and an English mahogany dining table serve as a counterpoint to modern pieces such as a large abstract expressionist painting by William Baziotes from 1955, flanked on both sides by fluted columns designed by decorator Billy Haines. Even with the juxtaposition of elements, Hayes is adept at creating well-edited and harmonious living spaces. In the January 2010 issue of Architectural Digest, Hayes is counted again among those in the magazine’s AD100 directory of top designers and architects. Describing his design philosophy, he says, “My work is not about a look or style, and it isn’t about fashion, but rather an overall sense of calm, serenity and simplicity.”

For an art collector’s pied-a–terre in New York, Hayes was asked to create a simple shell from which to showcase the extensive art collection of his client. The client and her late husband had been collecting art from very diverse periods. The collection consisted of Greek and Roman antiquities, minimalist and abstract works from the 1950s and ’60s, old master’s drawings and works on paper. In the living room, custom-designed sofas in olive tones and twin walnut coffee tables keep the space pared down while bringing focus to a 19th-century African sculpture and a vibrant painting by Kenneth Noland from the 1960s. In the entrance hall, Swedish stoneware vases and African and Native American sculpture are set atop a console table. Unlikely pairings are brought together here but work well to achieve a warm setting. It proves that even when one owns museum-quality pieces, their home can be a haven of intimacy and charm. When size is a consideration, as in this apartment, an area intended as a library and office space can also serve as a venue for holding small gatherings. Hayes set an English oak library table in the center of the room that may be used for writing as well as entertaining. The area opens into the living room, creating a nicely integrated space.

For their Upper West Side apartment in Manhattan, a young couple chose a serene and modern setting. Both were well traveled and had an appreciation for the fine arts. Both worked in finance and wanted to come home to a relaxed yet refined setting after a hectic day at work. Hayes created an interior with “strong lines, elegant curves and a clear palette,” but took care to create a tone that was “non-gender specific.” Deep-brown furnishings and cream-colored walls dominate the living room where a round center table in faux tortoise, gold leaf and black lacquer recalls 1950s Asian motif and makes an interesting conversation piece.

In the dining area, a set of 1940s walnut and cane chairs surrounds a mahogany dining table, while a 1960s chandelier of French design adds a whimsical touch. In the adjacent sitting room, thick rosewood shelves and suede barrel-back chairs with a silk fringe detail give the room an elegant and inviting appeal. Here, Hayes shows that a refined modern setting comes from blending strong elements with gracious accents, while exploring the tonal and textural qualities of neutral colors.

Our homes often speak volumes about who we are and the things we cherish. For Thad Hayes it’s all about simple elegance. In a setting of soft gray walls and accents pieces in wood, the main room is anchored by a long table made from the trunk of an American elm tree. The same tree provides the wood for the 12-foot-long dining table where an Isamu Noguchi paper lantern hangs above. Two large Chinese scholar’s rocks sit on the living-room coffee table as the lone accent pieces. The Asian-inspired floor carpets in the living room are used in the dining room and bedroom to create unity throughout this Greenwich Village townhouse. The spare interiors reflect Hayes’s fondness for Japanese architectural concepts that for him have “a quality of meditative quietness.”

The exception to the subdued and nuanced interiors featured in this volume is the home of Leonard and Evelyn Lauder in Palm Beach, Florida. The Lauder residence is rich in vivid colors and patterns that are associated with the grand homes of Palm Beach. The colonial revival-style residence with its Mediterranean elements was restored and updated by Hayes in 1998. Upon the request of the Lauders, Hayes remained faithful to the original style as it was built in 1938, and designed by Marion Sims Wyeth. Evelyn Lauder writes a glowing introduction to the work of Thad Hayes, particularly his ability to make a client’s personality come across in every project. Looking at the homes featured here, what strikes you is that no two homes are alike. Hayes has clearly mastered the art of leaving a client’s stamp on the project. And since these homes are very personal statements, you can well imagine them being around for years to come.

Through the wonderful homes seen in these pages, Thad Hayes shows us that an elegant home need not be over-embellished. Subtlety, nuance, and simplicity are the qualities that Hayes brings to each project, making each a beautiful and livable space. Often the most memorable homes are not designer showplaces but those that reveal something of a person’s style or about the many facets of their lives. This, after all, is what a home is about. In this compendium of interiors, Thad Hayes shares some of those styles and stories with us.