“Spend the Most Money on the Small Pieces”: How to Live Like Ryan Korban, New York’s Most Fashionable Interior Designer

The man behind the new Aquazzura store and James Franco’s apartment gives us a glimpse into his eclectic style

Words Molly Flatt

If you’ve been into the new Aquazurra store on Madison Avenue, you’ll already have a good idea of the kind of aesthetic that interior designer Ryan Korban specialises in. Think Florentine design with a Manhattan aesthetic: pink marble and suede set against monochromatic archways and bold gold fixtures. This is eclectic, exotic glamour at its luxurious best (which, incidentally, won Best Retail Interior’ at the International Property Awards 2016); not bad for a man without any formal training, whose exuberant talent has seen him welcomed into the homes and hearts of the New York A-list over the past ten years.

Korban’s use of exotic skins, textural fabrics and sleek surfaces has won him retail projects for the likes of Alexander Wang, Altuzarra and Balenciaga, but he’s also designed the homes of film and music stars such as James Franco and Debra Messing. In 2014 he released a book, Luxury Redefined, and this year he has been honoured in Architectural Digest’s prestigious AD100 2017.

So what really goes on in the head of someone who works in a world most of us can only dream of? Is it all cocktails at brunch and lounging on leopard-skin rugs, storyboarding the next super-chic penthouse?

What was your greatest challenge in designing the Aquazzura space?
How to make the Aquazzura space feel international and unique. So we looked at different places around the world, put it through my filter and saw what came out.

What one thing do you love most about the result?
Aquazzura has so much excitement and so much sexiness and modernity to it. To create a space for a brand with all these characteristics was an incredible experience. My favourite part of the process was working with Edgardo [Osorio] when designing the store. I love the relationship between designer and interior designer and he pushed me to go into another direction that may have been a departure from what I normally do.

You didn’t have any formal training – how did you break into the industry?
In a city like New York, confidence and professionalism are everything. It’s important to just keep moving forward. I am always looking for the next thing and not relishing in the moment.

Have you had any mentors?
Yes so many, most importantly my architect Paul Bennett and my lighting designer Bill Schwinghamer and finally my manager David Codikow. Key creative influences have been Jean-Michel Frank, Eileen Gray and Andrew Putman.

I think people have the misconception that they need to spend the most money on the big pieces in a home, but I’ve always believed in spending the most money on the small pieces.

One piece of advice on how to create a luxurious home on a non-luxurious budget?
I’m a huge believer in the home accessory, and I think that’s what tells a story and gives a space heritage. I think people have the misconception that they need to spend the most money on the big pieces in a home, but I’ve always believed in spending the most money on the small pieces.

Which project are you most proud of so far?
My own apartment has been the most exciting project for me because it has been an ever-changing process and I’ve taken something from every client I have worked with. They are all represented in my own home. That’s what I love most about my job: you can’t walk away from a project without taking some of it away with you.

What’s coming up next, work-wise?
I have been really focused on residential right now and have some amazing projects completing in the spring. I am also working on a second monograph with Rizzoli.

That’s what I love most about my job: you can’t walk away from a project without taking some of it away with you.

Does New York feel different with a new president installed?
Yes, very different. NYC is definitely in a holding pattern. It’s been very difficult for our city, but we are strong.

(How) is the current political climate affecting your work?
As my work is largely retail focused, there has been an effect. I am focused on the positive and how exciting it is to be working in a time where industries like retail are changing right before our eyes. To help brands create omni-channel businesses through good design is very exciting.

What’s your favourite place in Manhattan?
I spend so much time in the Strand’s third-floor rare-book section. It’s my favourite space in the city.

Last brilliant book you read?
I absolutely cannot live without a first edition of Colette’s Chéri.