Paul László

Architecture & Interior Design

About

Paul László (1900–1993) was born in Debrecen, Hungary. He studied architecture and design at the National Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart before joining the office of architect Fritz August Breuhaus in Cologne. László settled in Vienna in 1924, where he opened his own agency and was regarded as one of the leading architects of the period. He designed and decorated numerous private residences, including the Kopfensteiner House in Vienna and the Atlantica Bar in Prague.

During World War II, he boarded an ocean liner bound for New York, arriving with just $200 in his pocket. He later settled in Beverly Hills, California, where he established himself as an interior designer and architect at 362 Rodeo Drive. His reputation and elegance quickly attracted Hollywood's cinematic and political elite. Each of his projects was conceived as a total work of art, with László designing even the smallest details.

Within a decade, he completed more than thirty-five private residences. Among the most notable were the Wichita Falls Palace for oil magnate Charles McGaha and the residence of producer William Perlberg. Other clients included Gloria Vanderbilt Stokowski, Barbara Hutton, and film director William Wyler. The prominence of his clientele earned him the moniker "the Rich Man's Architect" in a 1952 Time Magazine article.

In 1948, he joined the design team at Herman Miller, where he worked on innovative office furniture. He also designed commercial architecture, including the Beverly Hills Hotel (1947) and Saks Fifth Avenue in Long Beach. Paul László remained active throughout his life, passing away in Santa Monica in March 1993, at the age of 93.

Curators' Picks

Arcadia Bench c. 1950

Arcadia Chair c. 1950

Arcadia Ottoman c. 1950

Rodeo Chair c. 1947

Carmelina Chair c. 1947

Palisades Coffee Table c. 1950

Brentwood Coffee Table c. 1947

Wilshire Console c. 1942

Avondale Sideboard c. 1950

Avondale Lamp c. 1950