Interior Designer Roric Tobin Debuts His Luxury, Made-To-Order Furniture Line
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presents |
A Pop Up Exhibition of Our Luxury Made-To-Order Furniture Line October 24th through October 27th 10 am – 6 pm 4 West 43rd Street, just off Fifth Avenue New York City, NY 10036 Appointments highly encouraged 631-902-5499 |
“...my pieces are functional luxury. The beds should be slept in, the cabinets should hold your china and with the quality we provide, you will be able to continue using these pieces for a lifetime.” |
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Roric Tobin |
Roric Tobin is a renowned interior designer who is known for his sophistication, impeccable taste and discerning eye for design, décor and art. His career began after graduating from Yale University, where he studied both political science and art history, and trained his eye for creating visually compelling spaces as a set designer for plays produced by the Yale student body. Landing an entry-level job with renowned designer Geoffrey Bradfield, the ensuing 16 years saw him grow into a designer, then company Vice President. In 2014 he became partners with Bradfield, rebranding as B & T Global to reflect a growing roster of major international clients. Their client list includes some of the most prominent individuals and families around the world. B&T Global are pioneers in bringing international design into Asia, with palatial projects of magnificent scale in Japan, China and Indonesia.
In addition to his demanding career as partner of B & T Global, Tobin has now launched his own brand of contemporary, made-to-order furniture using rich, visual textures in exotic woods and natural stones. The line reinterprets the genre with beautiful pieces that go beyond function to create a truly custom experience meant to be showcased - elevating the entire tone of an interior.
The pieces can be purchased on both the Roric Tobin Design website and on InCollect.com. We caught up with Roric to learn about his inspiration, the process and what’s unique about his custom designs.
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What was the inspiration for the Roric Tobin Designs furniture line?
Designing a furniture line has always been a goal of mine. I find inspiration everywhere. Traveling the world for my clients gives me the opportunity to see new materials and methods. It also takes me to places of beauty to draw inspiration from — a floor inlay in Siena, a sculpture at Art Basel Hong Kong, an Incan ruin…. the materials are exotic, coming from quarries and tree farms throughout the planet. Roric Tobin Designs takes these rich visual textures and interprets them into showcase pieces. They are meant to stand out as exceptional, but still complement a well-appointed space. This line is something a client can customize and make their own. It’s something contemporary, it’s now, but also timeless. With the richness of the materials I’ve chosen, from the different wood and marble to the beautiful organic finishes, my line really stands out. The models can be purchased in a variety of finishes the buyer selects, or they can be the starting point to something entirely custom.
“Each piece is a starting point and we can customize it as far as you desire”
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The Agata Rug 1 |
Why now?
In terms of the stage in my career and the changes in the marketplace, now is the perfect time. High-end furniture buyers are more sophisticated and have a keen eye for design than ever before. I think people want interiors that are more than just a collection of tasteful things — at this level of the market, the pieces should be items you are proud to call your own. We’re going to offer them that experience. From a business standpoint, I realized that customers truly were purchasing high end pieces online. Beyond the purely internet buyer, we do have prototypes which will be shown at our launch and at future pop-ups. That way, a potential buyer can see the pieces in person, get a sense of the quality and the beauty. Even if I find something online, I usually try to see it in person. And for like-minded buyers, we offer that opportunity. Launching this line is obviously a huge undertaking and by no means easy, but it’s something I’m also very excited and passionate about. It’s a way to make my own mark and take the next step in my career.
Who is the target audience for Roric Tobin Designs?
A sophisticated, high-end consumer with a keen eye. Those who recognize good design and want to express their point of view in their homes. I see my customers as people following design-focused accounts on Instagram, reading interior design magazines, maintaining Pinterest board and wanting to be involved in the process; they have a definite point of view. I see our core market as those who have reached a certain level of career achievement and they’re ready to take their interiors beyond what’s available in the five stores all of their contemporaries have filled their homes with. They might not be ready to take on a fully custom interior, but they’re stepping up their game. I would like to be a direct resource for the consumer as well as for other designers to call on my line for their needs. Each piece is a starting point and we can customize it as far as you desire.
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Do you see your line more as furniture or as art?
Definitely furniture. Art is a massive influence and a critical part of my design world. From studying art history at Yale, to becoming one of the regulars on the global art fair/gallery circuit, it is an inspirational highlight for me. There are some extremely talented and tremendously creative artists out there creating gallery pieces. We purchase them extensively for clients and love being able to support that market. But my pieces are functional luxury. The beds should be slept in, the cabinets should hold your china, etc. And with the quality we provide, they will be able to continue using these pieces for a lifetime.
How do you plan on changing things in the industry?
I want to change the way that people order high-end furniture. Right now, at many places, you will order a piece of furniture and it goes into a vortex. You may get it in one month, three months, or it may never show up. Having our workrooms here in New York—where my interior design studio is located—we can give clear answers quickly and easily. I’m hoping that consumers and designers will find this a welcome relief from sourcing materials where they have no control over delivery. We’re also immune from any tariff wars, dock worker strikes, and the many other issues that plague furniture coming from overseas. We have complete control over the process, control over the product, and know exactly what’s going on at all times. Lastly, because it’s coming from across a bridge and not across an ocean, our lead times will be the same as a Crate & Barrel sofa! It is also a wonderful opportunity for me to support the local artisans that I’ve had the privilege of working with over the years. Many aspects of the custom furniture business in this country are falling by the wayside. There are fewer and fewer craftspeople capable of achieving the level of quality that we demand. If we can be a small part in sustaining this industry, it would make me very proud.
