Committee Member: Romain Baty

Romain Baty

DC - Interior Designer

Parisian interior designer Romain Baty’s trajectory through his designer life has been anything but average. Beginning his career in the fashion industry as an art director for fashion shows and photo shoots, Baty worked for couture companies such as Gucci, Prada, and Dior to name a few, before transitioning into the life of an interior designer in DC. Baty notes that his upbringing molded him into the field of interior design, with his mother and grandmother both being antique dealers, this put emphasis and importance on both objects and furniture. Though Baty tends to miss his Parisian lifestyle, his life in the U.S. has affected the outcome of his work, “I particularly enjoy creating a balance between American taste and French style. This is part of my signature,” explains Baty. From fashion to interior design, Baty is keeping DC held down in style.

Q&A:

Hometown?

Biarritz, recently on everyone’s map with the G7 Summit.

Place you call home now (neighborhood etc)?

Washington DC for everyday’s life and Paris forever.

Any notes on your education?

I grew up in a family where objects and furniture were very important, both my mother and grand-mother being antique dealers. I went back to design after a first career in the fashion industry, when I joined the Art Décoratifs school in Paris. So both my early and late education play a great role in my interior design activities today.

Favorite sport to watch?

Tennis and I’m in the Federer camp!

Favorite sport to play?

Skiing, since living in the US I have discovered the Colorado Mountains that can compete with the Alpes !

Best vacation ever?

In Jordan, the archaeological site of Petra and the Wadi Rum desert are among the most incredible places I have ever been to.

Dream trip destination?

Cruising down the Nile river on an old steam ship of Belle Epoque refinement.

Favorite dinner?

A generous portion of Foie Gras made by my father (once a 2 stars chef of the Michelin guide) accompanied by a glass of Gewurtztraminer.

Favorite dessert?

A Tiramisu, preferably on a terrasse in beautiful Sienna, Tuscany.

Underrated food?

Mashed potatoes.

Dish you’re best at cooking?

«Oeuf meurette en cocotte» which is poached eggs with a Burgundy sauce made from wine, bacon, onions and shallots, all cooked in a cast iron cocotte.

Best meal you’ve had at a restaurant?

Already in my early ages, I have had the chance to taste the most incredible meals prepared by master chefs as my grand-father was the President of «The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs» which is the world’s oldest and largest international association of gastronomy. As a member of the Chaine myself, I recently really enjoyed a relecture of onion soup at the Willard hotel.

Road trip - three in the car with you. Living or dead. Who are they? Why?

Through Arizona and California with:

Frank Lloyd Wright, the absolute master, to discuss architecture and design days and nights.
Catherine Deneuve, the great French actress, because it must be a lot of fun to travel with her.
My husband, partner in crime.

Favorite TV show as a kid?

The Japanese manga Knights of the Zodiac.

Favorite movies?

Movies and movie sets have always been a great source of inspiration for my work. I should mention 2001 Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick, The Leopard by Visconti, Mulholland Drive by David Lynch, Tess by Roman Polanski, Dancer in the dark by Lars Von Trier but also The draughtsman's contract by Peter Greenaway.

Favorite actress and or actor?

For the women, Bette Davis and Isabelle Huppert for their incredible irreverence. For the men, Jack Nicholson and Gérard Depardieu for their fiery tempers.

Favorite bands?

Gossip, Iggy Pop And The Stooges, MGMT. I recently discovered a great Turkish band at the Rock’n Roll hotel : Altin Gün. They are great!

Most impressive live performance you ever saw?

One night at the Grand Rex in Paris with Grace Jones with art direction and stage design by the artist and photographer Jean-Paul Goude.

Car you drive now?

X3 BMW, boring I know but mine has a Champagne color!

Car you’d like to drive?

I’d like to switch to an electric car to limit my carbon emissions, the Tesla Model X would do the job!

Best car you've owned?

Being a Parisian for so many years I had no need for a car.

Motorcycle?

I sometimes still miss my good old Vespa.

Wear a watch?

Most of the time I’m wearing my Jaeger Lecoultre Reverso.

Got a favorite watch?

Jaeger Lecoultre Reverso Duo Face.

Got a dream watch?

Royal Oak repetition minutes by Audemars Piguet.

Summer drink of choice?

Aperol Spritz.

Winter drink of choice?

A glass of a good Pessac-Léognan by the fireplace.

Bourbon or Scotch?

Champagne!

Vodka or gin?

Champagne!

Cologne?

Cologne Indelebile made by legendary «noze» Dominique Ropion for Federic Malle perfumer.

Go-to red on a wine list?

Ideally a Bordeaux cru classé such as Château Troplong-Mondot Saint-Emilion.

Go-to white?

A Bourgogne such as Nuit Saint-Georges.

Favorite beach?

Côtedes basques in Biarritz, truly amazing at sunset.

On a Saturday, your favorite errand to run is?

I love second-hand bookstores, such as Strand bookstores in NYC. I can spend hours curating old art books.

Otherwise, you’ll be busy doing what?

I also spend quite some time in antique stores.

Best work advice you ever got?

Always question your work and reconsider, do not be satisfied with yourself too easily.

Best thing about your career?

Meeting new people constantly with different backgrounds, views and stories.

What do you do now for work? Tell us something about your work and career path.

I am an interior designer. My work is to accompany my clients to provide them with a place that fits perfectly with their lifestyles, but also to bring them to new territories. This has to do with my previous career path in the fashion industry, notably in Saint Laurent, where I have been nourished by a very creative environment. I particularly enjoy a current project on Capitol Hill, a wonderful house designed by architect Christian Zapatka.

Do you have any philanthropic interests/endeavors?

I have been involved in the Washington DC Design House, a design event that benefits Children’s National Medical Center. This is a great thing to help a little by doing what you love. I hope that there will be another edition.

Add anything else that you would like the world to know about you.

I particularly enjoy creating a balance between American taste and French style. This is part of my signature.