Chicago’s Josh Young has made a multidimensional career out of his passion for design. Returning to Chicago after a stint at Italy’s Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Young founded his firm, Josh Young Design House, with a mission to fuse old world decor with new world excitement. His multifaceted company provides full-service design work but also focuses on creating art that can easily transfer Young’s sense of style to anywhere it is displayed. His collections bring bold strokes of color to historical portraits, geometric collages, and limited edition abstract prints, all combining elements of that past and current. He builds upon naturals with one-of-a-kind art, bold black accents, modern pieces, and touches of crystal and ceramic. Although his firm is based in Chicago, Young is no stranger to work and events across the county. Recently, Circa Lighting hosted Josh Young Design House for a trunk show shopping evening in their Manhattan showroom located at the New York Design Center. As one of Chicago’s most promising young designers, Josh has established himself as a decorative artist as well as a well-curated, careful interior designer. We are excited to chat with the self-proclaimed “night owl” this week – happy Maker Monday!
One of Young’s residential projects is composed with undeniable grace, using elements of classical artistry and tasteful dashes of animal print.
Young brings his art into his interiors with this geometric gallery wall.
Andrew Joseph – What’s your favorite time of day?
Josh Young – I’ve been a night owl since I was a child. It’s as if I get a second wind come 6 pm and all of my energy and creative juices really start flowing. There’s something intimate and warm about the night, regardless of the season. Indeed if you follow me on Instagram you’ll notice that most of my stories that involve me painting or working on a collection, tend to occur at night. There’s a security I feel knowing the rest of the city is asleep and I’m up working. My favorite thing in the world is to head up to my studio around 7 pm with a bottle of wine, light some candles, put on some Abel Korzeniowski, and paint. That’s my zen if you will.
Andrew – How would you define your work in three words?
Josh – Avant-garde. Juxtaposition. Transitional.
Andrew – Favorite city to recharge?
Josh – Milan for sure. It’s where I went to university and lived for nearly 7 years. It’s home to me and there’s such an energy there and an unapologetic love for design that is unmatched anywhere else in Europe. Boston is another city that has recently captured my heart. My work is certainly inspired by history and that city has preserved its history so beautifully and meticulously. It’s such an authentic city and I could walk around it for hours without ever getting bored.
Andrew – What would you like to be remembered for?
Josh – An artist and designer who successfully married and blurred the lines between the past and present. An artist who continuously shapeshifted yet remained consistent without compromising my aesthetic.
Andrew – If you made a documentary, what would it be about?
Josh – I’ve been infatuated with Truman Capote since I was 15 years old. I just love everything about him. His spunk, genius, and iconoclast sense of being. Furthermore, I love true crime stories and what he did with In Cold Blood still captivates me today. For YEARS, I’ve always wanted to make the journey to Holcomb, Kansas and interview the families and individuals who knew and met Truman during his time there in the 1960s as he was writing and developing his iconic novel. Directing is something I’ve always wanted to explore and who knows…maybe someday it will happen!
With one brush stroke, he transforms a historical portrait into a rebellious 2019 must-have.
Pages from old books overlayed with crisp new paper shapes reflect the desk’s cross-century decor.
About Josh Young | (Image credit Marta Xochilit Perez) Josh Young is a Chicago-based artist, designer, and tastemaker. A graduate of Italy’s renowned Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Josh’s 6 years spent in Milan heavily influenced and crafted his overall artistic style and approach to interior design. After returning to the U.S., Josh began working as a designer in the textile industry, in New York City’s Flatiron District.
Inspired by the fusion of old world elements married with bold, modern-day techniques, he has been experimenting with an avant-garde approach to classical portraits since 2009.
Josh has appeared in Vogue Italia, GQ Italia, Domino Magazine, MyDomaine, O, The Oprah Magazine, The Maryn and Apartment Therapy. His collaborations have included work with Paloma Contreras, Nate Berkus, Jonathan Adler and Kate Marker.
About Andrew Joseph | Andrew Joseph’s passion for design and rich journalistic history led to the launch of his boutique PR firm in 2012. Prior to enjoying the successes of Andrew Joseph PR, Andrew honed his editorial skills at Vanity Fair and Allure. This experience, as well as the strong network of contacts developed over the years in public relations, brings a valuable edge to his new role as contributing editor. Let the musing begin.
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