TWISTED TRADITIONAL

Mitchell Hill releases gilded metal collection

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Success breeds success. What started as a pop-up art gallery has bred a full-service interior design firm as well as a permanent retail destination, offering home furnishings, décor and fine art. Through his interior design work Mitchell Hill co-owner Tyler Hill has created numerous bespoke pieces for clients, which recently led to the release of the firm’s private label collection of gilded metal furnishings.

The 12-piece collection includes three chandeliers, two wall sconces, coffee and dining tables, a console, mirror and more. The fixtures and furniture are available in over 20 finishes with the exception of the Walter Dean cabinet, which is sold as is.

Hill’s inspiration for the collection is diverse, ranging from the travels he and business partner/husband Michael Mitchell have made, to architecture, fashion—including gowns worn by Julia Roberts and Demi Moore—and even pop culture. “The Miranda dining table, inspired by a revolving door, was supposed to be a chandelier named Samantha, after the character in Sex and the City (since there were always so many men going through the revolving door),” notes Hill. “I started seeing the design as a table, however, and put the light fixture on hold.”

In an ironic twist of events, while Hill has been inspired by television for his work, now his designs are catching the eye of production designers of television shows. The collection’s Hasell lantern, inspired by the Louvre’s glass pyramid and its reflection, will appear on Fox network’s Empire.

“What we like to bring is modern design that will become classic,” says Hill. Finishing his thought, Mitchell adds: “It’s a fresh take that is deeply rooted in tradition but spun in a contemporary way that will not go out of style. We like to call it twisted traditional.”

“We don’t want to create fads that will be out of style in five years,” finishes Hill.

The partnership of Mitchell and Hill is as successful as their design business and each completes the other’s thoughts in such a way that one feels like they are talking as one person as opposed to two. Both men have roots in the South—Hill grew up in Austin and went to Southern Methodist University in Dallas before completing his studies at the small liberal arts school Schreiner University— and, while their flagship store is located in Charleston, plans are in the works to open a second store in Austin, Dallas or San Antonio.

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The opening of a Texas location is partially due to the amount of full-service design work the pair is receiving in the state. Multiple projects will reach completion in the next year, including a ranch house in West Texas and another home where the duo will design 19 custom pieces, including lighting and furniture.

While Hill is the main creative force behind the new collection, both men work together on the full-service design work and take clients to New York showrooms to select furniture. “We feed off of each other,” says Mitchell.

“Our tastes are complementary,” adds Hill.

“Our focus has been on growing the interior design firm and pushing ourselves out of the box,” Mitchell says.

Expanding on that thought, Hill continues, “Now that we have grown our business and retail showroom we want to take our design firm to the next level with our product launch.”

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The private label collection is projected to be released every two years, with additional pieces added to the collection in between only if the pair agree the piece is worthy. “We don’t want to release something just to release it,” says Hill.

After designing bespoke pieces for clients for the last three years, the time seems right to expand the collection and offer it to everyone. Based on Mitchell Hill’s success to date, it’s a safe bet that the furniture collection will find a home with many happy customers.

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