Lighthearted Elegance: At Home with Todd Romano
Written by Shawn Gauthier | Photographed by Patrick Cline | Produced and Art Directed by Michelle Adams
Our product recommendations may include items from our sponsors and/or contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission when purchases are made. Rest assured, every item is genuinely chosen by our editorial team.
From Our Archives
Decorator Todd Alexander Romano adapts his sophisticated aesthetic to the casual culture of Los Angeles.
Last September, Todd Alexander Romano took a fateful trip to Los Angeles. He’d intended to simply visit a client, but he felt a profound connection with the city from the moment he stepped off the plane. By the time Romano returned to Manhattan, he’d secured a location for a showroom as well as an apartment in West Hollywood. “It was completely unexpected; my coworkers [in New York] thought I’d flipped my lid,” he says with a laugh. “But I immediately knew I had to be out here.”
It’s not the first big adventure Romano has taken. When he was 29, he transitioned from men’s fashion design to interiors, and over the past eleven years, he’s become one of the industry’s top decorators. With a successful showroom in Manhattan, Romano says opening a second location in Los Angeles only made sense. “There’s so much talent and so much opportunity to expand the business,” says the designer, whose flair for gracious living was honed during his Texas childhood. “You can live really well even if you’re living in one room, but that room should be clean and well kept, with linens pressed and great little cocktail napkins on the coffee table.”
“I fell in love with this apartment the second I saw the architectural elements,” says Romano. “It’s rare to find this type of detailing in this part of the country.”
Romano describes his aesthetic as “classic, fresh, tailored, and thoughtful,” elements that are evident in his newly decorated West Hollywood apartment. Located in a 1920s Spanish Colonial building, the space is sophisticated yet casual, comfortable yet elegant. And, as with all of Romano’s interiors, it’s infused with a hint of whimsy. “I have a playful, fun personality, so I use small touches here and there that amuse me,” he says. “It keeps a room from being too chichi.”
With his newly established bicoastal presence, Romano is eager to embark on what he refers to as “the next chapter in Todd Romano design.” “I got where I am today by working hard, staying true to myself, and maintaining a passion,” he says. “I’m an incredibly happy fella doing this every single day.”