A space for the world-renowned designers behind the Standard Highline, Boom Boom Room, Lafayette and other memorable and striking interiors of New York to sell their original furniture and lighting creations would be a welcome addition to the streets of Soho.
But that’s not what this is.
This is that—plus a charming French café for pastries in the morning and cocktails in the evening, a nook full of wildly beautiful floral compositions for sale, a selection of found vintage treasures, a basement full of art books to flip through or take home, and more…
This is Roman and Williams Guild New York: a truly stunning two-floor space a decade in the making, now open on Howard and Mercer. We imagine you’re already sold, so feel free to check out some photos and head down there to experience it. But we’ll include a bit more information on all of the above, below, just in case.
The Café
You’ll pass through a facade draped with Christmas-appropriate greenery (all seasonal, of course), through heavy, navy-painted doors into La Mercerie: it’s an all-day café run by chef Marie-Aude Rose, and it’s the perfect spot for a morning coffee and brioche or glass of wine in the evening. (Her husband’s the chef at nearby Le Coucou, which was also designed by the duo of the hour. Keeping it in the family.) Oh, and all the gorgeous dishes, tableware and glassware on the table are for sale. That’s kind of the idea here—enjoy, then maybe take [insert highly desirable, beautifully designed thing here] home.
The Flowers
To your immediate left upon entry is a perfectly chaotic space full of branches, vases, greenery and the season’s flowers crafted into a range of simple to intricate floral arrangements.Â
The Treasures for Acquiring
Straight past the café, there’s an enormous space that looks like a cross between a furniture shop and the most well-designed living room imaginable. That’s what it is, sort of. Have a glass of wine and lounge on a cashmere silk velvet-upholstered Davenport couch. Check out the cases of stunning glassware, vintage sculptures and ceramics from around the world. Discuss getting that chair over there custom-made with a different fabric. Downstairs is home to a library full of books by art publisher Phaidon.
We’ve just about hit our limit of finding synonyms for “good-looking,” so we’ll stop there. Go explore for yourself sometime.