Private Air New York Magazine
Issue link: https://privateair.uberflip.com/i/1197357
www.privateairny.com Private Air | Winter 2019/2020 66 In addition to holding a PhD in piano performance, Stef-Albert is a painter with works in major private and corporate collections. Born and raised in South Africa, he has residencies in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and in Provence, France. His interior design clientele includes heads of state, Forbes 100 members and other members of the international elite. Based in Manhattan, Stef-Albert Studios has completed projects in France, Morocco, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. "e primary function of design is to make itself invisible while conveying the taste, and, above all, the lifestyle of the client," Stef-Albert says when asked about his design philosophy. "My role as designer is to enrich the perspective and experience of the client, and to assist in establishing his or her own individual standards." He stresses that the three main elements of his work are balance, beauty, and rhythm as opposed to trend, force, or pretense. "Rooms are often impressive at first glance, but only those in which one wants to linger have lasting appeal," he explains. Stef-Albert is selective about the work he takes on, saying, "I will turn down a project if it does not offer creative potential or creative reward." "I approach each design as a composer would in outlining the form of a symphony. Layers are built within classical proportions, while artistic liberties create one-of-a-kind originality. My design process is therefore not selecting beautiful objects to fill a space, but rather the skillful orchestration of proportion and combination." "A successful room is measured by how one feels in the space," he continues. "For me, a room must not merely look good, it must feel good... When I am choosing pieces, I ask, 'Can you place yourself in that chair for more than five minutes? Can you imagine having a cup of tea in the chair?'" "My goal with my work is to create beautiful comfortable living space that people want to live in." DESIGN