Michael Smith – also known as Obama’s White House decorator – is one of the most respected and original talents in the industry. Born in California, Michael studied interior design at Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles. In 1984, he continued his studies at The Victoria and Albert Museum in London, then returned to the U.S. to work under the tutelage of legendary antiques dealer Gep Durenberger. His design firm, Michael S Smith Inc, was launched in 1990, expanding from projects solely for private clients to his line of fine furniture and fabrics (“Jasper”).
With an international profile of residential, hospitality and commercial clients, Smith’s style is a seamless blend of European classicism and American modernism—always fresh, always evolving, always underscored by the belief that everyone should live with things they love. Thanks to studies at the Victoria and Albert Museum and extensive work in the antique business Michael gained a curator knowledge about the past. We can therefore see a great respect for tradition in all his work both interior and product design.
Michael Smith has received many prestigious awards: three times to Architectural Digest’s “The AD 100”, Pacific Design Center’s West Week “Stars of Design”, Designer of the Year and A-List by Elle. In 2010, Michael Smith was appointed by President Obama to the Committee for the Preservation of the White House.
Michael Smith’s designs have been featured in major publications, such as Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, Town and Country, Domino, Metropolitan Home, Interior Design, Tatler, W and the Wall St. Journal. We can also find his work in three beautiful volumes from Rizzoli Publishing: Elements of Style (2007), Houses (2008), Kitchens and Baths (2011) and Building Beauty (2013).
