Getting Comfortable with Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams

By Marni Elyse Katz
January 21, 2010

Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams’ eponymous company is best known for versatile, clean-lined sofas that look as at-home on Park Avenue as they do in a Soho loft. Though the design duo’s favorite word is clearly “comfort,” they are unwilling to sacrifice style to achieve it. In fact, their upholstered pieces, as well as their tables, chairs, lighting and accessories have met the cut for featured roles (at least as far as set design goes) in multiple movies and trendsetting TV shows like Friends and Sex and the City. They also make appearances in top furniture showrooms all over the country.

As the authors of two design books, Gold and Williams are determined to preach the gospel of fashion meets function. In their first book, Let’s Get Comfortable: How To Furnish and Decorate a Welcoming Home, they take a pragmatic approach to the creative process, teaching readers how to design rooms that are as user-friendly as they are urbane. Their new book, The Comfortable Home: How To Invest In Your Nest and Live Well For Less (Clarkson Potter/Melcher Media, October 2009) brings us on a journey of comfortable homes (including their New York City apartment), room by room, piece by piece. This time around, they’ve added more step-by-step guides for building well-balanced rooms, including useful tips, formulas, and floor plans.

We caught up with the pair at their Boston showroom for a book signing, where we had the opportunity to ask them about the methodology for nailing their quintessential style.

The Inside Source:
What’s your signature style?

Bob Williams: Comfortable in every sense of the word—the look, the sit and the price. A room has to look and feel comfortable. We want to create a true haven from the busy outside world, one in which the furnishings are placed so a room feels balanced, colors are soft and don’t have too much contrast, and accessories are carefully chosen and displayed to add interest without adding clutter.

TIS: Is there a formula for creating a great room?

Mitchell Gold: Actually, there is, and we talk about it in our book. To make a room calm and comforting, we keep the number of colors to three or four, one or two of those being accents. We use mostly soft yet rich solid hues (not primaries), layer on different textures, and introduce only a little pattern, via smaller pieces like a rug, chair, art, or pillows. This lets you update a room more easily and affordably by changing out the patterned pieces for a whole new look. It also lets you move pieces from room to room, which is another affordable way to update. This also minimizes distractions, making the room a good showcase for art and collections.

TIS: Are you a fan of mixing styles?

MG: Yes, we’re all about the mix. We love mid-century modern style furniture as the core pieces in a room—the clean lines complement so many styles and really show off the richness of wood—and then we add a mix of accessories and collectibles from different eras to make a room feel personal and timeless. We often like to mix in a distinctly traditional or primitive antique to add snap.

TIS: What color combinations are we most likely to find in your rooms?

BW: We enjoy accenting soft, subtle neutrals with a single bright hue, like orange, raspberry, or sky blue—colors that make you feel good just looking at them. We use them on lamp bases, ceramics, or pillows. We’re also loving charcoal with either kiwi, spice or a yellow we call “sunshine”. Our new bedding collection, Modern Linens, features these combinations in solids and stripes. Note, too, that when we say “neutrals,” we don’t necessarily mean beige—sometimes we use soft, subtle blues or greens to achieve the same serene effect.

TIS: Do you have any favorite artists at the moment?

MG: I’m a big fan of Outsider art—art by self-taught artists who have had little contact with the mainstream art world—and have some great pieces in my North Carolina home. We both love photography. We started collecting black and white and now collect color as well. Our line???? includes a photography collection by Tipper Gore. Tipper has had the opportunity to wonderful shots in her travels.

TIS: What are your favorite hunting grounds for treasures?

BW: I started going to antique shops and flea markets with my mom as a kid and have never stopped. Mitchell and I have visited some of the world’s best, including Les Puces de Saint-Ouen in Paris, where we first found prototypes for our leather club chairs that have become icons at some of the national home-furnishings stores we sell to. And I never miss the great flea markets near home in North Carolina, especially Metrolina in Charlotte. In recent years, however, I’ve also done some shopping—or at least some looking—online. It’s amazing how much you can see without ever leaving your sofa. I’ve enjoyed checking out the “Antiques” section on eBay for one-of-a-kind vintage finds that can provide inspiration at work and at home.

TIS: What's your latest project? Where are you finding inspiration for it?

BW: My house in North Carolina. It’s a traditional Georgian style, and I’ve been working on furnishing it in a modern way that combines new pieces with things I’ve collected over the years. I’ve got several inspiration baskets on my coffee table and more stuff bookmarked on my computer. I’m constantly pulling pages from magazines, snapping photos in my travels, and looking at websites—not only to spark future Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams collections, but as inspiration for my own home! In our book, we recommend that people always do that. But don’t only look at photos—you might find inspiration in a hotel lobby, a restaurant, or a friend’s home. Keeping notes and a file over time and then looking back at them will give you a sense of what you consistently like and could probably live with for a long time.

TIS: Is there a particular place you'd love to re-decorate?

MG: The White House. We actually have some pieces there already, but I’d like to bring our truly comfortable style to the place. How a home is furnished and decorated has such an effect on people—how they feel, how they think. Imagine the effect on world leaders if they visited a White House filled with truly comfortable modern furnishings reflective of the way we live today. Imagine them all seated together in one of our sectionals, which are just made for conversation.

Re-Creating a Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Look

This living room, pictured in the new book as an example of a space that is beautiful to begin with but can easily be added to or modified over time, caught our eye. We asked the pair to shop eBay for pieces to re-create the look. Here’s what they turned up:

eBay Finds

Roll over items for details

Danish Modern 9-Drawer Dresser/Buffet

MG+BW: This is the ideal piece for a living room; it has plenty of storage and would even look great with a flat-screen TV mounted above it. We love its simple lines and rich wood, which would mix well with many different types of upholstery.

(buy it now price, $345)

Starburst Clock by Robert Shaw

MG+BW: This mid-century clock would make an appealing focal point in a room, either hung solo or as part of an arrangement of wall art and mirrors.

(buy it now price, $29)

1960s Swivel Chairs by Monteverdi & Young

MG+BW: We love the cozy way tub chairs hug your back. The shape introduces curves to a room that has mainly straight lines. The swivel bases are perfect for a family room, allowing you to turn to face the TV or a conversation area.

(buy it now price, $7,000)

Atomic Ball Brass-Plated Steel Wire Lamp Bases with Crystal Ball

MG+BW: The wire bases would add a graphic element to the room, and the crystal ball [would provide] additional texture. Simple shades are all that’s needed.

(current bid, $47.99)

Rosewood Bookcase with Chrome Legs

MG+BW: This rosewood bookcase has a beautiful wood grain and provides storage galore. It would make a great simple showcase for books, artwork, and a collection.

((buy it now price, $1,560))

Laurel Mushroom Lamp

MG+BW: This mid-century modern lamp is a simple classic in white.

(buy it now price, $375)

Armless 1960s Modern Sofa with Tufted Back and Metal Legs

MG+BW: Honestly, for comfort’s sake, we’d rather buy a new one, but we love the style. The size is great for small spaces and the upright position is perfect for conversation. Add soft throw pillows and you’ve got sleekness and comfort.”

(starting bid, $800)

Vintage Copper Frame Mirror

MG+BW: This piece is made with an old window frame of a demolished Madison Avenue office building. The copper, which has a fabulous patina, adds another material to the mix.

(buy it now price, $160)

1960s George Nelson Walnut Side Tables

MG+BW: Sometimes simple is best. These are a good size and can be paired with anything. And, whatever accessories you place on them will be beautifully showcased.

((buy it now price, $525))