Lighting company Roll & Hill have launched their first official showroom in the heart of Soho, New York City’s design mecca. Elana Castle reports.

In a retail climate defined by a rapid growth in e-commerce and an equally rapid decline in the presence of brick and mortar establishments, it’s always surprising when a relatively young design brand announces a leap into the physical sphere.

Roll & Hill, a lighting company, collaborates with a range of design superstars (including the likes of Lindsey Adelman, Philippe Malouin, and Formafantasma), to produce their own line of lighting fixtures and accessories. Despite operating since 2010 from their headquarters in Brooklyn, the company lacked a dedicated showroom space. However, buoyed by their significant growth in the six years since inception, founder and creative director Jason Miller felt that the time was ripe to solidify the company’s success with a space that could house Roll and Hill’s entire collection in one place, for the first time.

“I wanted to create a place for architects, designers and design lovers to visit, explore and hopefully find a few surprises along the way,” explains Miller. The design of the The 4,000 sf, 3-story showroom underscores the company’s approach to design and fabrication, where attention to detail, a commitment to using the finest materials and a love of the bespoke, are paramount.

The design of the space was conceived by Miller in collaboration with architecture firm Husband Wife. Whilst the first floor resembles the interior of a traditional gallery (an open floor plan bound by white walls and illuminated with natural light), the second and third floor spaces feel both original and otherworldly, mirroring the design approach often evident in the Roll & Hill collection, where historical elements are fused with contemporary forms to create lights that are both familiar, yet totally new.

A palette of rich and refined details materials like wood paneling, plush carpeting and lacquered walls and finishes also reference Roll & Hill’s lighting repertoire which includes intricate pieces made from brass, bronze, leather, wood, hand-knotted rope and mouth-blown glass.

The space gives great flexibility to the placement of the lights, some of which are suspended from the ceiling, located in curved wall recesses or placed on burled platforms, all within the context of a limited selection of furniture designed by Miller himself, Philippe Malouin and Finn Juhl, with more to follow.

Roll & Hill
rollandhill.com