GC Magazine – Best Interior Designers in New York City 2023

General Contractors Magazine - Best Interior Designers in New York, New York - Glenn Gissler Design

Glenn Gissler Design was selected by General Contractor Magazine as one of the “Best Interior Designers in New York City” for 2023.

 

General Contractor Magazine – Best Interior Designers in New York, New York

New York, New York, the city that never sleeps, is a vibrant hub of creativity, culture, and style. Known for its iconic architecture, world-class museums, and trend-setting fashion, New York is a city that exudes sophistication and innovation. In this dynamic metropolis, the interior design scene is no exception.

 

If you seek the expertise of top-notch interior designers in New York, look no further. The list below features the best interior designers in the city, carefully curated by our team. These designers have a profound understanding of space, color, and aesthetics and a proven track record of transforming ordinary spaces into extraordinary havens. Whether envisioning a sleek, modern loft or a classic, elegant brownstone, these designers will bring your dreams to life.

Glenn Gissler Design is a distinguished New York interior design firm well-known for its award-winning work and extensive recognition in the industry. With a focus on creating elegant, livable spaces and a deep understanding of the decorative arts, Glenn Gissler Design has become synonymous with exceptional interior design in New York. From transforming SoHo lofts to reviving classic Upper East Side “Classic Six” apartments to designing tranquil rural retreats and stunning seaside getaways, Glenn Gissler Design is known for crafting interiors that are spacious, filled with natural light and, above all, visually captivating.

 

 

The firm’s accolades include the 2019 American Society of Interior Designers New York Metro Design Excellence Awards for Outdoor Space and recognition as an honoree at the Brownstone RADD Awards in the same year. And Glenn Gissler Design continues to receive high praise and acclaim for its outstanding work. Highlighted in prestigious publications such as The New York Times, Town & Country, LUXE, and Elle Decor, Glenn Gissler Design’s unique design philosophy and commitment to creating captivating and comfortable interiors have firmly established the firm as a leading firm in the field.

 

GC Magazine

Quality, Visual Interest, and Editing

In the apartment’s entryway, an arresting painted-wood Lanna Thai Buddhist manuscript holder, which once held contemplative texts, now provides a surface to display an ever-changing montage of books, flowers, and object d’art. The ink-on-newspaper drawing above is by the Vietnamese artist Dinh Y Nhi.

In the entryway to a collector’s apartment we designed, an arresting painted-wood Lanna Thai Buddhist manuscript holder, which once held contemplative texts, was part of the homeowner’s collection. It now provides a surface to display an ever-changing montage of books, flowers, and object d’art. The ink-on-newspaper drawing above is by the Vietnamese artist Dinh Y Nhi.

Photos by Gross & Daley

When potential clients approach us, they have ideas about how they want to live in their new (or newly renovated) home. In a series of phone calls and meetings, we work to understand that vision, paying close attention to detail. 

Next, we work to discover deeper information such as specific color preferences, how they imagine entertaining guests–and how often, and their relationship with the art they already own.

This interview process is vital for understanding a client’s needs and aspirations long before we consider any structural changes to their space, furniture plans, textiles, or lighting. 

Occasionally we are approached by clients who have collected furnishings, object d’art, and decorative artifacts from traveling, as was the case with our Bachelor’s Apartment. The homeowner has spent decades traversing the globe–zealously discovering and collecting from newly explored cultures. He asked that we incorporate some of his collection into our new design.

“We want to give clients a new home with carefully edited pieces that reflect their lives in a way that brings joy.”

– Glenn Gissler

For some decorators, this creates a challenge because they strive to control the entire creative process; wherever possible, we take a more relaxed approach.

But we have been hired to give them a “new” home, not just a rearrangement of their existing furnishings, which means change. So we study existing pieces, focusing on their quality and visual interest to see where they can enhance a new scheme. We want to give clients a new home with carefully edited pieces that reflect their lives in a way that brings joy.

A Chinese scroll painted by Shanghai-born, Singapore-based artist Hong Zhu takes pride of place above an expansive four-seat sofa in the style of Jean Michel Frank, which is upholstered in lush velvet.  Framed and hung in landscape format, the work creates a horizon, establishing a dialogue with the striped club chair seen to the left. The small Isamu Noguchi lamp enhances the linear motif. The Choros Chandelier, designed by Barry Goralnick, strikes a serpentine counterpoint.

A Chinese scroll painted by Shanghai-born, Singapore-based artist Hong Zhu takes pride of place above an expansive four-seat sofa in the style of Jean Michel Frank, which is upholstered in lush velvet.  Framed and hung in landscape format, the work creates a horizon, establishing a dialogue with the striped club chair seen to the left. The small Isamu Noguchi lamp enhances the linear motif. The Choros Chandelier, designed by Barry Goralnick, strikes a serpentine counterpoint.

Another critical consideration is the sentimentality connected to belongings. We try to be particularly sensitive to deeply personal pieces–like an object handed down through generations. 

In Carl Dellatore’s book, Interior Design Master Class, I wrote about my views on design alchemy, “Alchemists have existed in every major civilization—along with great artists and artisans— all engaged in an attempt to transform base metals into gold. Similarly, a good designer possesses a knowledge of elements that, when amalgamated, create magic in an interior.”

So when a client brings objects to the table, we study them to see where we can create an alchemical spark by mixing them with newly acquired pieces–establishing a moment of excitement larger than the sum of a room’s parts.

A pair of Korean blanket chests, one taller than the other, serve as bedside tables in the master bedroom. The walls are sheathed in muted sapphire and are complemented by the terracotta-toned pic-stitched bed cover. A seagrass area rug and a canvas by Southeast Asian artist Eric Chan anchor the room.

A pair of Korean blanket chests, one taller than the other, serve as bedside tables in the primary bedroom. The walls are sheathed in muted sapphire and are complemented by the terracotta-toned pic-stitched bed cover. A seagrass area rug and a canvas by Southeast Asian artist Eric Chan anchor the room.

 

One final advantage to incorporating vintage and antique furnishings in a new design is that they lend a historical narrative. That has immense value because successful rooms appear collected over a lifetime of experience and adventure versus spaces that feel “placed” there on the installation day. 

The intricately painted surface of a table purchased on vacation to Thailand, several toss pillows fashioned from a centuries-old Persian Suzani, or a pair of Chinese urns repurposed as lamps: these historical notes that you won’t find in a space principally populated with newly manufactured pieces.



Thank You NYC&G

Glenn Gissler - Blog - 2018 - NYCG-copy

The May/June issue of NYC&G features a double page spread on the dual buildings – The Townsend at 1123 and The Saint James at 1133 Broadway, and the numerous interior design professionals who call them home.

Very exciting for Glenn Gissler Design to be included in this amazing group of designers, including Robert Stilin, Greg Tankersley, Ray Booth, Barry Goralnick, Kevin Isbell, and Young Huh.

Broadway in the 20’s continues it’s emergence as an interior design destination!

East 42nd Street: Walking Tour of Beautiful Spaces

Glenn Gissler - Blog - 2015 - Times_Square-650x433

Chances are if someone mentions ’42nd Street’ you will think Times Square.

Unlike many New Yorkers, I really do like Times Square – not the tourists, not the shops, or the restaurants; I am not even a huge fan of big Broadway shows – I just LOVE the spectacle of the space, the lights, and the energy of it all.

But this post is NOT about Times Square…

As a follow up to my recent post about historical preservation in the city, I want to share a ‘self-invented self-guided walking tour’ I took when I was still an architecture student in he early 1980’s of some magnificent spaces on the much less frenetic EAST 42nd Street…

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