Christina Z. Antonio
“I think furniture should be seductive in its form, and I try to achieve that by using exotic materials and putting hours of hand-labor into each piece.”
The London-born, New York-based designer recently debuted, Helios Collection, a foray into lighting featuring handblown glass. In addition, Antonio’s portfolio includes limited edition furniture, installations, and design objects with precious materials for residential and commercial interiors including The Greenwich, The Standard, and The Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City, The Rosewood Hotel in London, and designer Tom Ford.
“I think furniture should be seductive in its form, and I try to achieve that by using exotic materials and putting hours of hand-labor into each piece.”
What was your favorite part of the design process for Helios Collection? While investigating electron wave functions in a hydrogen atom, I created a body of glasswork that brings to life the alluring forms found in quantum mechanics illustrations. I remember drawing this pattern out with chalk on the floor of the glass hot shop. Finally seeing the work completed, assembled and illuminated was euphoric. The experience itself was meditative and transcendent.
What can’t you live or work without? I come from a family of leather artisans, and one of my favorite sets of tools includes bone folders carved from agate, as well as a stitch wheel I bought in Paris. It’s used for saddlery to space out stitch holes. I met a saddle maker a few years ago who worked for Hermès who introduced this tool to me. It’s a must-have for leather artisans.
Do you have any pets? Yes! Nico is my ‘office pet.’ He’s a miniature Pinscher. He loves to lounge around on the bouclé, sofa and greet clients. He’s very regal… and often appears to be listening to our conversations.
Do you listen to music while you work? If so, what is currently on rotation? Yes, music can set the tone for the day and can help me focus. Right now I am listening to Brandi Carlile and The Secret Sisters. I’m always going back to vintage tracks. I love the element of nostalgia.
What inspires you? Do you have a mood board? I actually have inspiration trays where I place pieces of leather, shagreen, crystals, geodes, and other beautiful materials to create mood boards for my projects. These mood-trays function as decor for the space as well. I find that my materials feel a bit like design objects – I like the look of my rolled leather stacked high, and mood trays on the surfaces. I also have stones, gemstones, books, vessels from flea markets, and antique tools, that double as decor and inspiration.
What is a typical workday look like? My day is pretty regimented. I focus on emails and communication first thing in the morning to get that out of the way, and then meetings, and finally, I join my team around lunchtime to work on our projects.
What is your creative process? My projects are often one-of-a-kind commissions so it’s often-changing based on what processes I’m using. If I’m blowing glass, that’s offsite with a completely different team. The order of my process is 1. Sketch Design Concepts, 2. Research Materials, 3. Selection, and 4. Creation.
How were you first drawn to "the healing powers of light? Light has always played a central role in my meditation practice. When I am able to visualize light, it becomes one of the most powerful modalities in healing. It led me to think about what human charging stations would like- they would have to include light in some way. That conversation about light, gradients, and vibration continues throughout my glasswork. This conversation has become even more relevant given the pandemic.
Why lighting and chairs for this particular collection? I never imagined them together originally, but as I was creating a space where they coexist, they seemed to relate so well together. They also straddle the same themes. In essence, they are experiential pieces.
You work with luxury hotels and London designers, tell us about one of your favorite collaborations. Rosewood Hotels was a great project to work on. We collaborated with Tony Chi to create pieces in two of the most exclusive hotel suites in London.
What are some exciting projects on the horizon? I was part of a Design Television Show, which airs in the spring on HBO. You can expect to see more sculptural lighting. I am also developing a new capsule collection with interchangeable materials to make it more personalized for clients, including an easy online ordering process. I’ve always offered a quite personal ‘by appointment only’ service, but things have changed so rapidly in the last year, and I am adapting to that and embracing the change too.
Text: Caroline Williamson for Design Milk Photos: Andrew Frasz Follow: @christinazantonio