For more than 30 years, John Lyle has been creating furniture pieces that combine his passions for nature, and love for classic design.
The Jackson, Mississippi born Lyle, took an interest in home design and how it can impact mood in high school. “I was always rearranging furniture, flowers for my grandmother, even neighbors,” recalls Lyle. “I worked for a couple of local designers, doing upholstery walls, using fancy fabrics. I saw how they worked things; if we can change our environment, we can change our mood.”
He moved to New York City right after college in 1980. “My first apartment, I met a couple with the International Ballet. My parents were involved in the arts; we got to be friends. She said, ‘I’m going on tour, you can have my apt.’ I did wax her floors; she was so sweet to let me stay. I caught the bug [for New York City], stayed a month.”
Lyle took to the Yellow Pages, hoping to find work with an interior designer. “When I got to G, Bob Gand, they were seeking a boy that runs the clients to houses. I think that was my first real paying job.” Afterwards, Lyle did some work at Barrett Hill Furniture, learning about furniture upholstery.
His interest in upholstery grew. “Friends of mine started a fashion trend hand painting silk, covering it in clear sequins, fancy cocktail gowns.” Simultaneously, he began to tinker with furniture, starting on a lamp in his father’s attic, at a foundry next to a fire station downtown New York City. “Milton Osborne owned the foundry, funny guy.
That’s where I started learning about bronze.” They melted the metal on the lamp up and reshaped it. Lyle dubbed it the Pompeiian lamp. Instantly, it was sold. “Now what?” thought Lyle. “There goes our product.” He eventually started John Lyle Design in 1985, creating pieces from hand-cast bronze, steel, and wood.
In addition to his web store furniture pieces, created in his Midtown East Side studio, he does home design with a variety of clients, mostly in New York, The Hamptons, Maine, Mississippi, and New Orleans.
In 2015, Lyle purchased a 1790 Federal Style home in Hudson Valley. He’s currently working on a garden project at his home, using “chainsaws, sanders. I’m working with a company called Stump Devil. It’ll probably be just an anamorphic totem pole.” Lyle takes pleasure in exploring; he admits he’s never been one for keeping track of trends. “I see a trend and I run the other way,” laughs Lyle. “No risk, no reward.”
For more information, and to see pieces in John Lyle’s showroom, visit johnlyledesign.com