Lobel Modern’s Spacious New Digs

LOBEL MODERN HAS LONG BEEN a destination for designers and interior designers, but it was always a bit of a trek to get to its Bond Street location in lower Manhattan. Now it’s much easier: in September Evan Lobel moved the gallery to the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington Avenue, where he has a lightfilled space on the ninth floor, just below the mega-gallery that is 1stdibs on the tenth. “The Design Center is centrally located, which is great,” Lobel says, “and it’s cool—there are so many wonderful designers here.”

Not only is Lobel Modern now easier to get to, the new space is also bigger than the old one, which has allowed for some innovations. Instead of a single large room, for instance, the gallery is divided into seven rooms, “which makes styling a much more pleasurable task,” Lobel says. “We change things around pretty often—almost on a weekly basis—as pieces come and go. Plus, there are walls, so I can incorporate more things like artworks and mirrors, which were mostly in storage before.”

Known for his expertise on twentieth-century designers, especially Karl Springer and Philip and Kelvin LaVerne, and glassmaker Anzolo Fuga, Lobel says lately he’s been delving deeper into Gabriella Crespi and Paul Evans. “I’ve always been a fan of Evans, but I didn’t have enough space for his large pieces before, but now you’ll be seeing more of Evans here.” And he’s also introducing contemporary painting—and is especially keen on artist Brady Legler, whose command of color and textures, Lobel feels, makes his work a natural complement to the mid-century ambiance at Lobel Modern.

One more (small) innovation: porcelain tea and coffee services are increasingly included in the displays. “I wanted to experiment with porcelain services because I have a bit of a dish fetish myself,” Lobel laughs. “So today, when I see a beautiful set that I covet for myself, I just get it and put it out there—and so far, I feel like the experiment is working pretty well.”

The only possible drawback to the new location? It’s officially open only Monday through Friday. But visitors are always welcome on Saturdays by appointment. -lobelmodern.com