Made to Measure
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“With finishes or forms, Meyer Davis are not afraid to take a chance. As designers, Will and Gray like to play with opposites and conjure beauty by contrast, putting rustic wood in a skyscraper and maybe a little strongly figured marble in a log cabin. The results are consistently chic, unexpected, charismatic—and perhaps most consistently, humane. They are humane modernists. Coming from another designer, most complimentary of all is to say that their style—while original—seems inevitable, and after you see a project by Meyer Davis you say to yourself, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’” —David Netto, from the Foreword.
Since forming their practice in 1999, Will Meyer and Gray Davis have designed some two hundred private and public spaces that epitomize the hip luxury style of the twenty‑first century. Their interiors are as dazzling and dramatic as they are comfortable and welcoming—a carefully calibrated balancing act that has become their trademark and won them a loyal clientele from the worlds of fashion, design, hospitality, and cutting‑edge businesses.
In Made to Measure, Will Meyer and Gray Davis, in collaboration with Architectural Digest and New York Times contributor Dan Shaw, tell the story of their ascent into the upper echelon of American design and share their firm’s philosophy and process. Illustrated with hundreds of stunning photographs, plans, and drawings, the book explores the symbiosis between their residential and commercial projects, showing how each informs the other and how they’ve redefined modern luxury along the way.
Will Meyer was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and studied architecture at Auburn University. Before founding Meyer Davis, he worked for architect Charles Gwathmey, designing homes for clients such as Steven Spielberg and Michael Dell. He lives with his wife and children in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and East Hampton.
Gray Davis was born in Tennessee and studied at Auburn University. Before forming Meyer Davis, he worked for designers John Saladino and Thomas O’Brien on homes for clients such as Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani. He lives with his husband in Greenwich Village and Copake, New York, where they build and restore houses.
Dan Shaw, a founding editor of the New York Times Style section, is a regular contributor to Architectural Digest and writes the “What I Love” column for the New York Times Sunday Real Estate section. He is cofounder of the online magazine Rural Intelligence and has cowritten several books on design, including In the Pink: Dorothy Draper—America’s Most Fabulous Decorator;Class Act: William Haines—Legendary Hollywood Decorator; Mary McDonald Interiors: The Allure of Style; and Bunny Williams’ Point of View.
David Netto, a Los Angeles–based interior and furniture designer and writer, grew up in New York, where he founded his studio in 2000. In 2002 he launched NettoCollection, a pioneering line of modern children’s furniture. From 2010 to 2012 he worked for Deborah Needleman at the Wall Street Journal as contributing design editor, writing on the history of architecture and design, and followed her to T: The New York Times Style Magazine.
Meyer Davis’s work manages to be both glamorous and understated—an impressive feat.
Pilar Viladas, Design writer and editor
Will Meyer and Gray Davis have made a name or themselves by creating inviting interiors that feel at once structured and relaxed, making use of an array of materials while maintaining a clean, modern feel. . . . the firm’s new book, Made to Measure, neatly summarizes the warm, tailored, and always personal interiors that have earned their firm its devoted following.
Having been lucky enough to work with Meyer Davis on a few projects, I have been looking forward to the publication of this book, which in all respects has far exceeded my already high expectations. Their vast experience with many different styles and their inventive use of all sorts of interesting materials is perfectly showcased and only makes me wish I had more projects to get to work on with them!
Markham Roberts
From South Beach to SoHo, architects Will Meyer and Gray Davis have designed more than 200 residential, retail and hotel spaces that epitomize hip luxury style. This retrospective of their work, with text by Dan Shaw, showcases their sophisticated style.
Made to Measure gives the designers’ prolific portfolio the print treatment with a 272-page volume that showcases projects all around the world. The tome is a visual feast for lovers of design and proves that whether it’s a mansion in upstate New York or an Oscar de la Renta boutique in London, the two men’s commitment to their craft is always top-notch.
Miami Magazine
The practice does a wide variety of commercial work, but it is private residences, including those of its principals, that dominate this book. . . . the text, like all the work it describes, is straightforward but never boring. There are examples of iconic modern furniture and lighting, but paired with fresh new objects and no clichés in sight.
Interior Design
There’s design take-away on every page of this stunning coffee table book, a tribute to the work of fearless modernists Gray Davis and Will Meyer. . . . Through the pages you’ll get a lesson in what it looks like to have a home that is curated and collected.
Houston Chronicle