Making It Fabulous ― The Architecture and Designs of William T. Georgis

Sumptuous and scrupulous in equal measure, the work of William T. Georgis is a glamorous blend of high-style architecture and expressive, innovative applications of the traditions of the decorative arts. In the twenty years since he founded his namesake firm, Georgis has created a dazzling portfolio consisting primarily of houses and apartments; other projects include restaurants, commercial interiors, and galleries. Georgis melds elegant architecture, imaginative furniture and fixtures (often custom-designed), and a layered assembly of art and objects with what he terms "a bit of magic." A thoughtful eclecticism, informed by an extensive knowledge of art, architecture, and the decorative arts, characterizes all his work.

The first monograph on Georgis, Make It Fabulous presents sixteen houses and apartments in New York City, Long Island, Florida, Montana, and California. All the residences were designed around important art collections and often include specially commisioned pieces. Among the projects showcased are Georgis's own homes, a smoked-glass townhouse in New York and a vacation house that hangs over the bay in La Jolla, California. Also included in the volume are Chinatown Brasserie, a theatrical eatery in lower Manhattan, and the interiors of historic Lever House, a respectful restoration of a modern masterpiece.

Along with lavish, large-scale photography, each project features the architect's trenchant commentary on the architecture, the decoration, and the process. Perceptive essays by design historians Donald Albrecht and Natalie Shivers illuminate Georgis's relationships with his clients, or "patrons," and the creation of narratives in his work. Multifaceted and multilayered, just like the work, this inventive volume is a virtuoso tutorial in the world of fabulous.

William T. Georgis established his New York-based architecture and interior design firm in 1992. He has designed numerous residential projects, including townhouses, apartments, vacation houses, and a private jet. He has also designed the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Gallery at the Museum of the City of New York, restaurants, condominiums, and commercial projects.

Donald Albrecht is the curator of architecture and design at the Museum of the City of New York and a leading expert on twentieth-century architecture and design. He is the editor of Paris/New York: Design/Fashion/Culture 1925-1940, author of Cecil Beaton: The New York Years, and co-editor of Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future.

Natalie Shivers is associate university architect at Princeton University. She has served as an editor for books and exhibitions on architecture and design at major museums around the country, and she is the co-author of L.A.'s Early Moderns: Art, Architecture, Photography.