Roman and Williams is an American design brand celebrated for its distinctive vision for living. Founded in 2002 by Robin and Stephen Alesch, their practice is rooted in inquiry, driven by a reverence for tradition and craft while maintaining a modern sens ibility. In the decades since its founding, Roman and Williams has evolved to encompass architecture and interiors, a line of original designs of furniture and lighting, the home shop Roman and Williams Guild, the design and ceramics gallery Guild Gallery, and the acclaimed French restaurant La Mercerie.

Trained in fine art and architecture, the Alesches met while working in cinema. Their education and work experience shaped their design philosophy: every project is treated as a narrative, with historical investigation placed through a prism, resulting in design unbound by a signature style. Named after their maternal grandfathers, the studio is built on a foundation of craftsmanship and storytelling crossed with a deep respect for material authenticity and a devotion to architectural detail and tradition.

Roman and Williams’ architecture and design portfolio spans some of the world’s most memorable hotels, restaurants, cultural institutions, and private residences, including prominent projects such as the British Galleries at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Boom Boom Room at The Standard High Line, Estelle Manor in the Cotswolds, the Ace Hotels in New York, and the award - winning restaurant Le Coucou.

In 2017, the firm opened Roman and Williams Guild in Soho, New York — a retail and dining space that serves as a manifestation of their design philosophy. The home shop showcases their original designs of furniture, lighting, and tabletop designs, all handcr afted with a focus on material, as well as their collaborations with artists from around the world.

The Guild flows seamlessly through an arched passageway into La Mercerie, the James Beard-nominated French restaurant. La Mercerie is elegant but relaxed; its food is sophisticated yet comforting; it is a restaurant but also a shop. As Pete Wells wrote in The New York Times, La Mercerie is “simple, determinedly old-school French cooking with every detail in place.”

The Alesches opened La Mercerie after designing some of the world’s most sought-after restaurants — borne out of a desire to realize a comprehensive vision for all aspects of a restaurant experience, from culinary to design, atmosphere to service. Their second restaurant, Marcel 945 Madison Avenue, in partnership with Sotheby’s, is now open in the iconic Breuer Building.

In 2022, they opened Guild Gallery — a space dedicated to focused exhibitions of design and ceramic artists — around the corner from the Guild on Canal Street, providing an additional platform to celebrate craft, and to allow the artists within their guild to create at a different scale.

Roman and Williams has grown into a 50-person studio with projects spanning seven countries. The firm has received numerous accolades, including the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award, the Sir John Soane’s Museum Foundation Visionary Award, and the Pallad io Award. In 2024, the Guild’s original lighting designs were the subject of a dedicated exhibition featuring over 100 fixtures by the Alesches. Roman and Williams continue to influence contemporary design, hospitality, and living with their bold yet sensi tive approach. They stand as leaders in the movement toward thoughtful, soulful architecture, interiors, products — honoring the past while embracing the present.