532 West 20th Street
frenchCALIFORNIA unveils a new design project within 532 W 20th Street in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood by DDG
What We Did:
Interior Design / Staging Concept
FF&E Selection
Art Curation
Model Residence Activation
With an expansive and diverse network in the design industry, frenchCALIFORNIA is noted for curating collectible design exhibitions within luxury model residences. For 532 W 20 th Street, frenchCALIFORNIA partnered with Magen H Gallery, a gallery that has championed innovative designers in the decorative arts, sculpture, architecture and ceramics since 1997.
Curating an exhibition of international Midcentury and Modern collectible design pieces — with a particular focus on French post-war design — frenchCALIFORNIA outfitted the space with rare works by Guillerme et Chambron, Pierre Chapo, Max Ingrand, Jacques Adnet, André-Aleth Masson and many more.
frenchCALIFORNIA utilized a neutral color palette, natural materials, soft textures and warm wood accents that juxtapose the hard concrete of the building’s exterior. The full floor, open-space plan provided an opportunity to choose a variety of works ranging from small ceramics to large sideboard and daybeds. frenchCALIFORNIA catered to the loft-like features of the space while curating a specific type of luxury that a potential buyer of this caliber would expect, complete with coveted design and art pieces that they are looking to collect.
“For the design of the 532 W 20th Street space, we wanted to bring in works from renowned European designers, leaning into Magen H’s masterful collection of French post-war design,” says Guillaume Coutheillas, founder of frenchCALIFORNIA.”
“Our goal was to add a sense of history and place to the unit, bringing in pieces that tell a story and add character to the ultra-modern design and architecture of the new building. It was an overall incredible experience working with DDG’s CEO and Chairman Joe McMilan to design one of his units, as he is a personal mentor of mine and an industry leader.
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For 532 West 20th Street, Joe McMillan's DDG tapped frenchCALIFORNIA, who partnered with Magen H Gallery to curate an exhibition titled "The Collector: Le Gout Francais." FrenchCALIFORNIA outfitted the space with international mid-century and modern collectible design pieces with a particular focus on French post-war design, including pieces by Guillerme et Chambron, Pierre Chapo, Max Ingrand, Jacques Adnet, André-Aleth Masson and more.”