DESIGN DIALOGUE WITH CROSTA SMITH

Good design has a way of crossing borders.

In the 1920s and ’30s, France and Sweden were developing their own ideas of modernity. In Paris, designers such as Pierre Chareau and Jean-Michel Frank experimented with material, geometry and craftsmanship. In Stockholm, Gunnar Asplund and his contemporaries balanced classical ideals with an emerging Scandinavian simplicity.

Different in temperament, perhaps, but not always in principle. At Crosta Smith Gallery, we look at the distance – and surprising proximity – between them.

Tell us about Crosta Smith Gallery — what inspired it, and how did the gallery take shape?

Crosta Smith Gallery came about when Danny and I first moved in together and discovered how much we both liked “things”. It really started with joining forces to build a home, and then a collection. Over time, what began as a shared interest became more focused, and eventually developed into the gallery.

From the very beginning, what drew you to French Art Deco and Modernism?

I’m French and grew up in France, so I suppose it’s part of my DNA. It feels natural to gravitate towards things you know, or things that are somehow already etched in your memory.

Danny and I travelled and read a lot together, and while we explored other eras, countries and styles of design, we always found ourselves coming back to French design from the first half of the 20th century. There’s something about that period that has always felt very natural to us.

Are there any particular designers or periods that have influenced your style and taste?

The obvious answer would be the designers and makers we’re proud to present at the gallery – Jean-Michel Frank, Pierre Chareau, Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann and André Groult, among others.

It’s one thing to covet a piece you’ve discovered in a book or through archive documentation, and another to experience it in person. You can study how it’s made, the materials and details, and how it actually sits within a room. Being surrounded by these pieces has naturally influenced our own taste over time. We’re still mesmerised by them today.

What design aspects do you look for when choosing an object for the gallery?

Quality and purity of form. We tend to look for pieces that are beautifully made and where the design feels considered and resolved. The quality of the materials and execution is important, but ultimately there also needs to be something about the object that draws us in.

Do you see any design parallels between French Art Deco and Swedish Grace?

Restraint and elegance are the two words that come to mind. In both French Art Deco and Swedish Grace, there’s a sense of editing. You might have beautiful materials, decorative details or strong geometric elements, but they’re carefully balanced rather than overdone. I think that restraint is part of what gives both movements their elegance and timelessness.

What is it about these objects that continues to fascinate people, almost a century on?

I think timelessness lies in the execution. When something is beautifully designed and well made, it has the ability to transcend the period it came from. There’s a quality to these objects that still feels relevant today. Well-made things can stand the test of time.