White Webb does the Hustle

Toot toot…heyyy…beep beep! Toot toot…heyyyy…beep beep! Who said disco is dead? Thanks to those superfly guys at White Webb, it lives again at Studio 54.

Photo: Joan Marcus

The former digs of the ultra-hip dance club have been reborn as one of the funkiest theaters on Broadway thanks to the creative imaginings of The Roundabout Theatre Company. Originally an opera house, the building became notorious for its second life as the Big Apple's most happening nightspot, Studio 54. Today, the Roundabout has replaced the dance floor debauchery with some of the world's finest theater, but it hasn't forgotten the building's special history.

In memory of the funk ‘n fantasy that cavorted within its walls, the Roundabout commissioned White Webb to bring back the disco beat. Seeking to create a lounge for its patrons, the Roundabout asked the design team to turn a long-forgotten basement space into Broadway's classiest VIP room. Blending 70's swank with modern luxe, White Webb's design winks at Studio's glory days while making every visitor feel like a coddled celebrity. Among the room's ostrich walls, leopard carpeting, and luxurious velvet-covered banquettes, one wouldn't be surprised to see Bianca Jagger (well, maybe Lindsay Lohan) riding on a white horse. As the pièce de résistance, White Webb designed a resplendent sculpture made of forged iron, gold balls and magnifying glasses. Commanding center stage in the room, the artwork evokes a huge sunburst – just what every room needs to be a true disco inferno!

So how do you get past the velvet ropes? It's not hard at all. No need to star in a film, walk the catwalk, or befriend a bouncer. Simply support The Roundabout Theatre Company as a Chairman's Circle member and access is yours. Aid a phenomenal organization, see the best of Broadway and lounge in the revived splendor of Studio 54. So dust off your Halston, Gucci and Fiorucci and join White Webb before the last dance at Studio 54!

Shhh! Secret Storage

Photo: Sonya Sinha

A design directive for the Studio 54 Patron's Lounge was that it work well for multiple purposes - from cocktails during intermission to lectures, lunches and meetings. We not only created the furniture plan to accommodate these events, but also designed a clandestine closet where folding chairs and tables would easily be accessed and hidden from view. To create this storage space, we concealed a pre-existing alcove with a secret door. That door became art when we designed a striking sculpture to mask its purpose. By simply moving the two-piece sofa and opening this door, a storage vault magically appears, making room set-up a cinch.

What's in Your Drawers?

Organized living isn't easy; it takes, well, organization! That said, there are tricks to making things easier to put away. Whenever possible, we like to line drawers or better yet, customize them for specific purposes.

Photo: Art Gray

In a dressing room, a drawer with little partitions makes putting away jewelry and keys (and finding them again) an easy task. Having a place for everything and everything in its place makes getting dressed a pleasure rather than a chore. Knowing the precise whereabouts of that certain pair of cufflinks is somehow very reassuring.

Photo: Art Gray

In the pantry there's nothing more wonderful than having silver flatware in place and fully accounted for. With custom-lined and fitted drawers, each piece has its own special spot. Besides being able to keep track of each piece, they avoid getting tarnished, thanks to the anti-tarnish silver cloth.

Even if one can't create fitted and fully lined drawers, there are plenty of organizing containers that can be inexpensively purchased and still make for neat, organized storage.