INTERVIEW WITH
BRITTO CHARETTE To introduce Britto-Charette briefly is to say they are a high-energy,
in touch with the followers and vendors.
multilingual design team and thrive on creating luxurious interiors.
We are so fortunate to have multiple ultra-luxury projects in progress.
The unique projects they have created through the years have placed
The Ritz-Carlton in Miami Beach is a penthouse project that is just
them atop of an interior design pedestal in Miami.
incredible. We are having so much fun designing it and working with
Britto-Charette interior designs reflect the modern and luxurious
our clients. The inspiration for our design was an outdoor space in Palm
tastes and designs of David Charette and Jay Britto.
Springs (unfortunately, it no longer exists) that we loved. – David Charette
What David loves the most about his work is the possibility of being
David believes that, due to technologies and vast communication
creative. The fact that David and Jay are surrounded by people ”at the
channels, design has become a bit generic. But it comes to a bright
top of their game” excites and motivates them further. And, of course,
side with it, for David, the generalization of furniture and accessory
having their own business. The most challenging part of David’s
design comes from a demand for unique, bespoke items that tell a
career, and, as he stated, exciting, was when he was working with
story. And those unique requests always lead David, Jay, and their team
another architecture firm and was sent to the Middle East to work on
into creating incredible, one-of-a-kind projects. They want to give
the Princess Noura University. Since it was a ”fast-tracked project”,
the clients something no one else in the world has, something unique,
things were done really fast.
like a custom, plaster headboard that has been developed by a skilled artisan for a penthouse project. The studio
I was working with people in the San Francisco office, but I was in Beirut, so I had the challenge of trying to coordinate meetings that were 10
UNFORTUNATELY, I
hours apart. We worked six days a week, ten
CAUGHT COVID LAST
hours a day which made it challenging to stay
is excited to be working on new iterations of their WASI home accessories. With a collaboration with GLS Stone Group, the
YEAR AND IT HAS
KINSA has been reimagined in stone, and it is
motivated. – David Charette
IMPACTED MY ABILITY
being handcrafted in Venice by the Incredible
All of this commotion was during the recession,
TO WORK SUCH LONG
glassmakers. The same glassmakers are
which, in David’s opinion, brought out the worst of some people during competitive times. It was tough for David to remain positive while facing some unprofessionalism, and to be far
HOURS WITHOUT TAKING A TOLL ON ME PHYSICALLY WHICH CAN
making the Sun&Moon Puquios sculptures. Alongside all of thise, they are also working with Kyle Bunting for a rug collab and with ArtSpaceNYC for a unique headboard element
away from family and friends during that time
BE FRUSTRATING. BUT, I
took a toll too. Finding the core group of people
AM GRATEFUL TO BE IN A
What’s clear to us is that teaming up with
with whom he could speak with was essential,
POSITION WHERE I CAN
the very best people is critical. We can have
and helped him through the times, alongside
WORK IN A PROFESSION
the best ideas, but we need to collaborate
traveling in his free time. Which was also a great inspiration source for him.
THAT I LOVE.
When David began his career, he always saw himself design skyscrapers and doing urban
for the Ritz-Carlton in Miami Beach.
with the best minds—the best means and methods—we need their area of expertise. I can design, but I don’t know how to blow glass. Collaboration and finding the best
planning, but know he wants to do it all David always pushes himself
craftspeople is just a smart way to work and to deliver the best products
into learning new software and methods, reading, traveling and to
to our clients. – David Charette
become a ”lifelong learner”. David feels happy and motivated when
To finalize, for them, it is hard to predict what the future holds for
he sees solutions that he thought about years before, or when his
design. But, they do believe that architects and designers will tackle
predictions become reality. It motivates him to keep pushing the
social issues. They obviously can’t do it all by themselves, but they
boundaries. Jay Britto, the other half of Britto-Charette, believes that
can help people understand some of the issues that surround them in
Instagram is the best way to stay linked to their audience. He states
everyday life. David gave us the example of water conservation: ”For
that it was the platform that brought them the most new clients. The
instance, when it comes to water conservation, designers and architects
way they can curate the profile allows them to post the best pictures of
understand gray water systems. We can encourage measures to reduce
their projects. Instagram is, however, still an incredible platform to be
water usage. We can provide perspective.”
