Meet the Designers: Joshua Rose & Rafael Kalichstein of FORM Interior Design (Part 3)

Rafael Kalichstein and Joshua Rose of FORM Interior Design shared with us a little about the folks who helped them along the way and now they share what they've been up to recently and about one of the craziest projects they've ever worked on.

GDG: What are a few things you’re busy with now?

RK+JR: We are always busy! Currently, we're working to develop two licensing agreements with two absolutely wonderful designers. One will be for lighting and the other for rugs. It's all very hush-hush at the moment, but trust me, we will be loud about it at the right time! We are very excited about all of those things. We are also in the process of developing a television show, but we can't indulge yet!

All of this is, of course, separate from our full load of residential and commercial projects. We are particularly looking forward to a project in Greenwich, CT. It's a beautiful traditional Colonial on about nine spectacular acres--it's going to be tremendous fun!

GDG: What is the craziest project you've ever worked on?

RK+JR: Recently, one of our clients hired a contractor who stole all of their interior doors as well as their electrical panel. That was pretty wild!

From a design perspective, our current Newport Beach project fits the 'crazy project' bill. Our client has a wonderful sense of adventure and says 'yes' to things that many people would not even entertain. I won't give away too many secrets just yet because the project isn't done, but his is the only house in CA with fingerprinted door handles! There is a stunning 1960's Barovier and Toso Murano chandelier that we brought in from Florence and we've done some spectacular custom work there—and his house has huge custom knockers!

GDG: Can you share a fun fact that most people don't know about you?

RK+JR: We are a little bit rogue!  Beyond that, we believe that spaces speak. In order for a design to be successful, it is imperative that a designer listen to what it's saying. Oh, and we collect great socks. And underwear!

Visit FORM Interior Design to see more of Rafael and Joshua's work.

Meet the Designers: Joshua Rose & Rafael Kalichstein of FORM Interior Design (Part 2)

Rafael Kalichstein and Joshua Rose of FORM Interior Design shared with us a little about their work and how they each got started and now they tell us how they honed their design skills and a few folks who helped them along the way.

GDG: How did you each gain the skills necessary for design, having just fallen into it?

RK: What I think has honed my skills quickly is none other than the old adage: sink or swim. We jumped head first into a world in which we had no experience and were able to tackle some pretty major projects early on. There's no substitute for experience, right?

JR: As with all of my careers, I learned by doing. I have never gone to school for ANY of my trades. I have always learned on the job and found that doing so is what works best for me while also being the fastest way for me to find my own voice in whatever creative endeavor I am doing.

GDG: Did either of you have anyone who really helped you along the way?

RK: I think we have had so much help and influence, including people who pretended not to notice that we were green with envy when, we now look back and see, we were REALLY green. It's funny when you find out that people were just pretending with you and you weren't really fooling any one! In particular, there are a few architects whose thoughts really stick with us, including Steven Harris and John Hadley, Jr. There are, of course, a lot of people to whom I am grateful.

JR: The person who was the most profound help for our business was our late and dear friend and real estate broker Michael Slater.  Michael saw the work we did on our home and encouraged us to start our business and was responsible for probably the first 10 or 15 projects of ours. It's always amazing to have someone believe in you so deeply. We miss him everyday.

GDG: What are your favorite rooms to design in a home?

RK: Gosh, each is only a favorite until you get to the next!

JR: Kitchens, powder rooms and master bedrooms!

Don't miss more from Rafael and Joshua on GoDesignGo to hear what exciting and hush-hush things they are currently up to and a few fun facts about them.

Meet the Designers: Joshua Rose & Rafael Kalichstein of FORM Interior Design (Part 1)

Rafael Kalichstein and Joshua Rose of FORM Interior Design were among the all-stars selected at the designer portfolio review hosted by The Editor at Large at Studio Baccarat’s Limited Engagement showroom during WESTWEEK.

We decided to learn a bit more about Joshua and Rafael's work and how they each got started.

GDG: Rafi, how did you get started in the interior design world?

RK: My interests are diverse and my educational background, similarly, is varied. I have an Associates degree in Eastern philosophy and a B.F.A. in acting from NYU's TISCH School of the Arts. Having studied Chinese medical basics as a child, I went back to school on a grant to the American University of Complimentary Medicine and somewhere in between, I modeled in Milan, worked off-Broadway, and had other small successes in an acting career!

Shortly after meeting Josh, he and I bought a house together in a beautiful location, but it was in dire need of repair. With six different flooring surfaces in its modest 1100 square feet, it was the model of disgrace! It was in the rehab that we gave the cottage that we formed FORM!

GDG: Josh, did you also find yourself in the interior design world in a roundabout way?

JR: Absolutely! When I was 16 years old, my father and I started a visual FX company and eventually dropped out of film school to run the company. When I took over the company we had eight employees and by the time I left, we had grown to over 125 employees, won two Emmys (I won one myself for my work on Star Trek Voyager!), had our work Oscar recognized on Independence Day and worked on numerous other films. After leaving, I went onto pursue writing, directing and conceptualizing.

I met Rafi while writing and directing and we had a whirlwind romance that led to a home purchase and a major budget renovation. Growing up my father was a builder and a developer and I started helping him renovate kitchens, build a deck and vault our ceilings at a young age, so the work felt very natural to me, as did working creatively with Rafi—something unexpected as I was used to being the primary creative voice! The renovation literally opened the door to us starting our own design company and FORM was born!

GDG: What has made each of you love interior design?

RK: It goes back to my childhood love of invention and building. That I can sit down with paper and pencil (or at the computer) to design a table, cabinetry, or lighting and then, through collaboration and hard work actually realize that idea... that is magic! To watch the incarnation of my thoughts and the fabrication of imagination is something truly spectacular.

JR: I love that I learn something new everyday. You touch people on such an emotional and visceral level with this work. An elderly neighbor used to shout from her window when she saw us leaving for work, ‘Go make the world a more beautiful place!’ It has always stuck with me as a great challenge, but I think we do!

Stay tuned to GoDesignGo to hear more about Rafael and Joshua of FORM Interior Design. They'll share more about who helped them along the way and which rooms they love to design most.

Meet the Designer: Heather Hilliard of San Francisco (Part 3 of 3)

Heather Hilliard of Heather Hilliard Design was one of the three top picks of the designer portfolio review How to Catch an Editor's Eye, hosted by The Editor at Large at Studio Baccarat’s Limited Engagement showroom. Heather tells us what her favorite room to design in a home is and a few things we never knew about her.

GDG: What is your favorite room to design in a home?

HH: I love rooms that get a lot of use like living rooms, family rooms, bedrooms, etc. I love to see the mark of the people who live in the spaces. It's a great sign when I stop by a client's house—post install—and see pillows tossed on the floor or slightly askew on the sofa, bunched up throws at the bottom of a sofa, or a dog curled up in a club chair. My clients are always embarrassed for me to see the space a bit messy but it gives me a sense of complete satisfaction when I see that clients feel comfortable in their rooms.

GDG: Can you share a fun fact that most people don't know about you?

HH: My favorite public interior is the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial at the Yerba Buena Gardens. The memorial sits behind a huge waterfall that flows over huge chunks of Sierra granite. Visitors are led under the waterfall and along a path where there are tall glass panels set in stone, inscribed with many of Dr. King’s thoughtful quotes.  While on the path, under the waterfall, the sounds of the city fade away and the only sound is that of the loud, crashing sound of the water as it flows over the granite and into the pool. The artist and architect of the memorial use the white noise of the waterfall, together with the wall of water, to create an amazing intimate interior space outside.

Also, my husband and I live in San Francisco and we’re continually exposed to the city’s landscape and views, which help to reinforce my design intent and concepts.  There is so much natural beauty in and surrounding the city.  We live just a few steps away from the Presidio and I’m always refreshed and inspired when I take walks on the paths!

Stay posted to GoDesignGo to meet the duo who make up top-pick FORM Interior Design, from the designer portfolio review, How to Catch an Editor's Eye.