Leyva custom-designed the Baroque-inspired furnishings for The Lady Silvia lounge at Soho Lofts

 
  Roberto Leyva, master of the house
 
  The “living room” at Living Penthouse features high-end furnishings such as a Bend sectional sofa by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia (starting at $7,643) and Mart leather lounge chair by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia (starting at $4,624).
 
  Siena bed by Naoto Fukasawa for B&B Italia (starting at $5,618), at Living Penthouse

Décor rises to the occasion at Living Penthouse, the interiors concept shop housed in a spacious two-story penthouse apartment at Soho Lofts. With an open floor plan, 12-foot ceilings, and oversize windows, the minimalist warehouse-style space bedecked with opulent furnishings puts on quite a show for anyone needing a high-end interior design fix. The creation of Roberto Leyva, owner of Elite Interior Design Studio & Associates, the entire suite is realistically staged with an haute mix of luxe accessories, unique artwork, and sleek Italian furniture from brands such as Cappellini, Cassina, B&B Italia, and Poltrona Frau.

A visit here feels like you’re visiting a sophisticated friend’s haven—except all the covetable pieces are for sale. Plus, the setup lets customers walk away with decorating ideas. “I saw it as a great opportunity to play with interiors in an actual living environment,” Leyva says. “Interiors are very personal to me, yet I never felt any personal connection when shopping in a typical furniture store. So I wanted to offer a more intimate experience in a private home [setting].”

Living Penthouse, whose concept was four years in the making, is styled with a down-to-earth vibe that keeps shoppers glancing over their shoulders for the unknown owner’s return, announced perhaps by the jingle of Ferrari keys. Leyva refers to the shop’s aesthetic as “sexy, warm, and modern” and confesses his “predilections toward a home and furniture that show traces of having been lived in.” This translates into the timeless appeal of brokenin leather. “Today’s leathers from a good manufacturer,” he says, “should last you an entire lifetime and look better as the years pass by.”

A Fashionable Approach
With a degree in fashion design from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles and management experience at renowned Italian fashion brands Emporio Armani and Dolce & Gabbana, Leyva readily understands the synergy between fashion and furnishings. For added value, most sofas Leyva sells have covers that can easily be switched to create a whole new look. “Just like we have more than one change of clothes, so should our sofa,” he says. “So for Christmas, you can dress your sofa properly!” For chic holiday gifts, Leyva suggests the sculptural, organically shaped Overscale candles in metal cages by Jean-Marie Massaud for B&B Italia.

When it comes to decorating style, Leyva cites the short-term and business-oriented mind-set of some Vegas residents as a design deficit. “Many people move to Las Vegas for a year or two; they never have it in their minds to create a home,” he says. “The average luxury home in Las Vegas has a significantly greater investment in the owners’ car collection than it does in its interiors. This is a serious concern. No one has a problem moving from California to Miami and having their car shipped, but they have a problem having their furnishings shipped. The best homes are always those that reflect the life and personality of a family.”

Leyva’s self-described aesthetic is “nostalgic, decadent, and modernist,” but doesn’t follow any particular tradition. “I draw inspiration from things I have seen in history books and movies,” he says. “You can always expect to see the unexpected in my work.” That goes for his own home, too, where one-year-old son Alexander boasts the most swank baby bedroom around. With zero children’s furniture, the décor consists of comfortable, close-to-the-ground, modern pieces that are cleverly kid-friendly: the Tufty- Time leather sofa with a geometric cube design, a softly upholstered Fat Fat/Lady Fat bed, and tables with removable trays from the same collection. All are designed (and curiously named) by Patricia Urquiola for B&B Italia. “Alexander can’t walk yet, but he can safely climb on and get off the bed and sofas without us having any concerns,” Leyva says. “We want to instill in Alexander a more sophisticated taste from his early years.”

In the public realm, Leyva’s first commercial project was designing the interior of The Lady Silvia lounge that opened in the Soho Lofts in September. His challenge was to create a modern take on the Baroque, 18th-century Strahov Monastery Library in Prague. Cheeky Leyva twists include pops of bold color on the furnishings (all of which he designed himself) and graffiti-style renderings on the ceiling by local artist Steven Spann.

This creative soul is definitely not interested in stopping there. He has already started the designs for his exclusive, limited-edition furnishings to sell at Living Penthouse, launching in June 2012. More commercial collaborations (rumored to include a restaurant and nightclub) are also in the cards.

Leyva says that if he could decorate the residence of any person in history, it would be that of Coco Chanel. “She was a fearless, stylish innovator,” he says. Sounds a bit like Leyva himself. Living Penthouse, by appointment, 702-997-1024 or roberto@eliteidsa.com