Gil Schafer // The Architecture Gene, Importance of Mentoring, and the Unique Experiences of Writing a Book

Gil Schafer // The Architecture Gene, Importance of Mentoring, and the Unique Experiences of Writing a Book

Author: Ariel Okin February 29, 2024 Duration: 41:55

On this week’s episode of Talk Shop, Ariel is joined by one of the nation's most beloved and leading experts on contemporary classical architecture, Gil Schafer. A member of Architectural Digest’s AD100, Gil’s work is often referred to as the pinnacle of traditional architecture in today’s time. With a Masters in Architecture from Yale, Gil studied under industry legends, and before founding his own firm, worked for several highly respected firms, including spending (nearly) a decade at Ferguson & Shamamian Architects. 

Gil founded G. P. Schafer Architect in 2002, which in 2023 was renamed Schafer Buccellato Architects. The firm’s passion for integrating landscape and interior decoration into the architecture of a project is a significant hallmark of their work — and as Gil says, what makes a great home isn’t its size, or its features necessarily – it’s being a place that you can feel at home in both the big and small moments of life.

Gil’s recent book, “Home At Last: Enduring Design for the New American House,” is available now. Pick up your copy at: https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book/9780847899784/

And learn more about Gil and his firm: https://schaferbuccellato.com/ 


Behind every beautiful room is a story, and Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production uncovers them. Hosted by Ariel Okin, a House Beautiful Next Wave Designer and founder of Fenimore Lane, this podcast moves beyond glossy magazine spreads to explore the real, human elements of design. Ariel, who also writes for publications like Vogue and Architectural Digest, brings her insider’s perspective to conversations with leading interior designers, shopkeepers, and artisans from around the world. Each episode feels like an intimate chat between colleagues, where you’ll hear about the practicalities of running a creative business, the unexpected sources where professionals find inspiration, and the personal journeys that shape a distinctive aesthetic. Rather than just discussing trends, these dialogues get into the nuts and bolts-how a favorite fabric source was discovered, the challenges of launching a brand, or the philosophy behind a curated shop. It’s for anyone curious about the layers of thought and effort that create a lived-in, beautiful space. Listening to this podcast offers a masterclass in taste and entrepreneurship, straight from the voices defining the field today.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 58

Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: A Fenimore Lane Production
Podcast Episodes
Season Three Coming Next Week - Wednesday, September 25th! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06
Join me, Ariel Okin, interior designer, editor and writer, as I kick off season three of my design podcast, Talk Shop. Each week, I welcome the foremost tastemakers from around the globe to chat about how they built thei…