For any of you that have been to the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles you know that it is a behemoth. You could get lost for days because of the sheer volume of things to see. That’s why, after all these years in business, I have distilled my browsing to just a few showrooms. A perennial go-to is Donghia. They represent such venerated lines as Rubelli and Armani, in addition to their own Donghia textiles. Their furniture and lighting is a distillation of the creative genius of its founder, Angelo Donghia.
Angelo Donghia was born in Vandergrift, Pennsylvania. His father was a tailor and at 18, Donghia left home for New York to attend the prestigious Parsons School of Design. After graduation he went to work for the renowned antique dealer Yale Burge, where he eventually became a partner. His first major commission was the Opera Club at the Metropolitan Opera House. He never looked back.
Donghia was the first designer to recognize branding. He expanded his design firm into furnishings, lighting, and fabrics. His signature look of silver-foiled ceilings, generously proportioned furniture, and bleached floors exuded the kind of urbane luxe that won him loyal followers such as Barbara Walters, Halston, Ralph Lauren, and even Donald and Ivana Trump. Donghia now has showrooms in every major city across the country.
On Madison has put together a collage of our favorite Donghia interiors to inspire and remind us what creative genius is all about. All photos and sources can be found here.
