Meet Juan Montoya

It’s hard to catch a man like Juan Montoya. The prolific interior designer keeps an active schedule. Today he’s designing new pieces of furniture and accessories for Century Furniture, tomorrow he’s heading to the city of lights for the inaugural celebrations at one of his latest projects, Galerie Agnès Monplaisir, located at 8 bis rue Jacques Callot. I had the good fortune of catching up with him late last month at his upper east side office.

Juan Montoya: I’ve known Agnès for the past 10 years. She is a spirited individual, with a gallery that specializes mainly in fine prints, as well as art deco, and contemporary art.

The gallery was originally designed by Jean Michel Wilmotte for Jean-Gabriel Mitterand. Agnès didn’t want a cold and calculating space, so I’ve designed a space that is warm and inviting. All the flooring is wood instead of cement. I’ve chosen a series of mobile panels that would divide the spaces, and offer a complete flexibility to any of her future exhibitions. The gallery is comprised of 3 floors. The basement is designed with a view to entertain. For examples: diners and special events. The 1st floor has the capacity to hold several major exhibitions. And finally, the 2nd floor will be used as a media room/office.

JM: Some of my clients already have accumulated pieces which were inherited from their families. Others have no art, but wants to invest. The question is what is a good investment? My answer is: Collect What You Love – first. That is my best answer to anyone who wants to acquire art. Do not buy art because it’s trendy, or it’s from a blue chip artist. The important thing, in terms of looking at art versus design, is the essence of how restful and at peace you are when your eyes are drawn to it. Art is not wallpaper. It definitely plays a larger role in the design process. Having said that, there’s another theory which suggests that art belongs in museums. That is the theory behind Giorgio Armani’s designs. His thinking is: art should be in a museum, it should not have a presence within his homes. I do not necessarily agree,  nor do I disagree with that. It is possible to have an amazing textured walls with so much character that it substitute for art. At the same time, a genuine and powerful drawing can create some deep emotions, and that is what I love. I’m all about textures, a beautiful sense of color, and the creative process that various types of materials can bring.

JM: There’s three icons as you know. Oscar de la Renta was the first. Then I was ask to come along in the Spring of 2011, and now Charlotte Moss has joined our ranks. The Icons of Design Collection is made up of 33 pieces, and it’s growing fast. Every six month, we add another piece to the collection which is a combination of chairs, tables, beds, ottomans, etc. Century currently owns 12 showrooms, and 20 subsidiaries around the country. The entire collection is available to the trade and the public.

JM: The collection started with the idea that when you buy a space, say an apartment for example, you can never find the right proportional furniture to live with. The space may be too big, too small, or the scale is wrong. As an interior designer, everything I design is functional. Thus the pieces that I created for Century are right on scale, they’re quite durable, unique, and non trendy. My clients sometimes have specific needs, and my job as a designer is to create for them bespoke interiors.

JM: There’s many reasons behind me designing a show house. A: The year. B: The house itself C: Designing it for a specific purpose. It’s not every year that you found me designing a show house. I do it when the moment is right. I make it happen, and it feels great.

JM: Traveling is the best way to learn for a visual person such as myself. Foreign lands bring a nourishing, and visual energy to my work. When I see people going about their everyday business of life, working, horseback riding, socializing in the streets with their friends… I utilize the relationship between the clothes, the surroundings, essentially the background, all these elements inspire me. You know, it’s the little things that you sometimes gained from a great deal. Finding all these elements make life more interesting, and when I combine all these visual effects along with my expertise, my designs happen naturally, and beautifully.

JM: I would like to be able to find the time to draw, and paint. When I was 5 years old, I began painting, and in fact held an exhibition at Edgartown in Martha’s Vineyard when I was a young adult. I’d love to be able to travel more, and bring more to the table for my clients. I’d like to inspire and be inspired by exceptional design. I’m not interested in creating a formula and be stagnant. I want to be known because of my work. For me, this is not only work, it’s my lifestyle, it’s my way of being.

NOTE: More photos of Juan Montoya’s furniture line can be found at www.facebook.com/highendweekly.