David Alhadeff has been on our radar for some time as one of the leading, dare we use the word, Influencers, in the world of home design. He not only sees the world in a different way, he is one of the rare creatives who actually creates his own view of the world as manifest initially in his stores, and now in the Casas.
These are entire homes which he fills with his Future Perfect vision of what they should be at their most perfectly delightful. For David, the sense of home is one of both comfort and stimulation, always thoughtful, while walking the edge of stylish and playful. If you have a chance, and are in SF, LA or NYC, you should stop by for a socially distanced viewing of the Casas. At AGEIST we feel that our biggest limitation as humans is our imagination. Going to a Casa and speaking with David about design never fails to expand my imagination of what is delightfully possible.

When did you create The Future Perfect?
We first opened in 2003.
“I’ve always been really passionate about that intersecting point where design converges with art and craft”
Tell us about the evolution of the gallery.
We opened in 2003 in Williamsburg, Brooklyn which, at the time, was an out-of-the-way destination amongst artist-studio loft spaces and a few independent clothing shops and restaurants. I’ve always been really passionate about that intersecting point where design converges with art and craft. The gallery has significantly evolved over the 17 years we have been operating and growing, but that passion has never changed. In 2009, we moved from Brooklyn to Manhattan and in 2013 we opened our SF gallery. In 2017 we launched Casa Perfect, our residential gallery space, in LA. And finally, we opened Casa Perfect in NY in 2019.
I am consistently seeking work from small boutique manufacturers and artisans to represent. The furniture, lighting and objects we work with are all from contemporary makers. We work with many individual makers and work very closely on the work we ultimately sell. It’s very much a gallery approach.

“The residences are truly special places and make a visit to the gallery a hugely satisfying experience”
All of the spaces are very unique and I love our Casa Perfect concept. The residences are truly special places and make a visit to the gallery a hugely satisfying experience. They are also by appointment only and a visit is a very private experience, perfect for what we are all dealing with now about how to re-engage with retail.
You operate in 3 cities. How would you characterize the difference in design styles of those cities?
Honestly, when I used to impose my sense of what specifically might work in one place over another, I’ve been wrong. So now we just show The Future Perfect at its best in all 3 cities. We program our spaces with incredible work from makers all over the world. We have a really unique viewpoint so I think we stand out and that’s what our clients love about us in all 3 cities.
“We work with a really diverse group of artists, designers, and boutique manufacturers”
Tell us about some of the makers you work with.
We work with a really diverse group of artists, designers, and boutique manufacturers. Lindsey Adelman is an incredible designer of sculptural lighting who is most famous for her Bubble Chandeliers, but has a rich portfolio of exquisitely beautiful work. Piet Hein Eek is a Dutch designer who’s most well known for his work in scrapwood. De La Espada is a boutique manufacturer of fine wood furniture designed by some of the best global talents currently working in design. Eric Roinestad is a ceramicist whose work is highly coveted by collectors. He draws upon historical references in the creation of his work that gives the work a sense of the familiar while being entirely new. And Paa Joe is a Ghanian artist we’ve recently begun working with who will have a show in September with us of figurative boxes.

“If you come by, don’t be surprised if you smell baking bread”
We have been talking about homing the home. How are you homing your home?
Considering I live at Casa Perfect in LA, my home is hybrid gallery and home so this recent period has really been about bringing more of my life into the space. Pre-Covid, I was pretty strict about my life within the space being relatively invisible. At this point, though, it’s harder to hide. The kitchen is in use more. If you come by, don’t be surprised if you smell baking bread; it’s become a bit of a passion… And I’ve found some spaces within the space that are totally private now so we can keep social distancing practices in place even though we are back to having visitors.
