Architect and decorator Daniel Romualdez designs Manhattan penthouses and Aspen chalets for the likes of Aerin Lauder and Eric Zinterhofer, Renee and Mark Rockefeller, and Gigi and Averell Mortimer—the ne plus ultra of American high society. It might seem unusual, then, to see him paired with a 33-year-old client whose budget, as Romualdez so candidly put it, “was a fraction of what we typically spend on a single room.” Yet the idea of stepping outside of his studio’s norm, not just in terms of demographic but also in terms of style, was highly appealing. “It’s important for me to work with young people; it keeps me fresh,” he says. “And I enjoyed the challenge of editing myself.”
The young client in question is Will Bennett, a real estate developer who met Romualdez five years ago while they were both working on 70 Vestry Street , a residential project in Tribeca. Not long afterwards, Bennett moved to Los Angeles and spent more than a year searching for his ideal home: a 1920s Spanish colonial property in the Hollywood Hills, with views of the city and a lush garden. “When I finally bought my new house, I jokingly asked Daniel if he wanted to work on it,” he says. “I’m so thankful that he actually said yes and kept to the budget—I think he even got excited about that!”
A corner of the eat-in kitchen was outfitted with a built-in banquette upholstered in Perennial ’s “raffia” fabric, paired with an antique wine-tasting table from France and Charlotte Perriand dining chairs. “He entertains a lot,” says Romualdez of his client. “The house reflects his character and his lifestyle.”
Indeed, Romualdez was enthusiastic about choosing affordable yet sophisticated pieces, such as Jean Michel Frank sofas and chairs, which he combined with a handful of prized originals, including a set of Frank Lloyd Wright side tables and a series of Carlo Scarpa dining chairs. These furnishings, together with an off-white color palette and the generous use of natural fabrics, help set a modern, earthy atmosphere throughout the 3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom property. “I was inspired by the fact that we're in California, but he's from New England,” says Romualdez. “I kept thinking about what a New Yorker’s fantasy home in L.A. should look like.”
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While Romualdez is better known for creating richly layered interiors filled with objets d’art, he clearly possesses the kind of versatility that befits a long-established and celebrated designer. “I've been to his homes and have seen his range, which gave me a lot of confidence,” says Bennett, adding that he and Romualdez have forged a warm friendship. “He made this house really feel like a home—and that’s one of the nicest things anyone can do for you.”
