Rico Espinet’s showroom, Rico, is the embodiment of a lifelong interest in art, architecture, and design. The boundaries between these disciplines have blurred in recent years. Rico reflects this convergence, combining furnishings, lighting and ac...
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Rico Espinet’s showroom, Rico, is the embodiment of a lifelong interest in art, architecture, and design. The boundaries between these disciplines have blurred in recent years. Rico reflects this convergence, combining furnishings, lighting and accessories with fine art in a seamless environment. The effect is a stunning retail installation that reveals the interests, passions, and refined eye of Rico Espinet.
An honors graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design, Rico started as a sculptor. His interest in objects soon evolved to installations in which the placement of the sculpture became as important as the objects themselves. Lighting was an integral part of these installations, defining space and heightening the overall experience. While lighting continued to play an important role in Rico’s art, it also led to work that would transport him from the downtown music scene to the world of high fashion.
Throughout the 1980s, Rico created stage lighting for music industry showcases for artists such as Madonna, Sade, Sonic Youth and the Beastie Boys among others. Lighting work for fashion designer Stephen Sprouse led to several years as a visual lighting consultant for Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys New York, and Ralph Lauren. For his work in fashion, Rico received two Gene Moore Awards: for a Polo Sport window, and Comme des Garcons window created by Simon Doonan for Barneys.
In the mid-1990s, Rico returned to work in his studio, a converted elementary school, in upstate New York. A simple reading lamp and a serendipitous photo shoot at the studio sparked a new phase in his lighting work. A homemade lamp, fashioned with a microphone base leftover from his music days, landed in a national ad campaign and generated buzz — and some serious interest. Today, Rico designs residential and contract lighting for Robert Abbey Inc., a manufacturer based in North Carolina. He is also developing his own line of furnishings and accessories.
The curatorial aspect of his showroom enables Rico to revisit some of the themes he explored in his installations — the interplay between objects, space and light — in a more commercial sphere. The goal is the same. Whether making art or designing a retail space, Rico Espinet’s eloquent use of light and poetic sense of form inspire affirming environments of contemplation, comfort, and beauty.
Recent comments
Think about the best possible experience that you can have shopping; the best furniture shopping experience. Think about a store with beautiful furniture and amazing attention to detail. A space that guides you through elements of style and design effortlessly and helps place you right back to the familiarity and comfort of your home. Think about seeing the work of artists; photographs and objects each representing their own dialogue. Now, toss in a generous staff; a staff that is thorough and helpful, whose only wish is to help you find what you love.
This was my experience at Rico.
I would like to thank everyone there for an amazing shopping experience and for the best customer service I have ever encountered. ksgrand on Mar 29, 2011
As manager of Rico, I feel compelled to respond to BrooklynForever's scathing comment, if not just to say dude, what's your problem?
Did we do something to personally offend you? Lay off the hate man. Your comment is absurdly uninformed. If you had any idea of the amount of work and love that goes into running this store you would be ashamed of your comment. Rico Espinet, the owner, DOES in fact design his own lights at this store which Robert Abbey manufactures. If you had done one ounce of research or perhaps bothered to ask one of the sales assistants we could have educated you before you posted your ignorant comment.
We do not carry any lacquered credenzas from the West Coast, so you made that up too.
Finally, we have never claimed to sell vintage modern furniture, but this look-a-like "junk" you seem to be referring to is made by Thayer Coggin, one of the most esteemed brands in the industry that has been making modern style furniture since 1953.
The positive comments on this site were made by satisfied customers who have actually worked with the employees of this store and made informed purchases.
I'm also curious as to which vintage modern stores you shop where you find product at a fraction of the price we offer our goods for. I've been to every store on our block (that we are somehow ruining) and these store are comparable if not more expensive than us.
I'm once again appalled by the negative energy put out on the internet. BrooklynForever, was it really necessary to slander a local, family owned and operated store whose owner cares more about pleasing customers than the bottom line? At least do a lick of research before subjecting the Apartment Therapy community to your ingenuous comments. shoprico on Aug 22, 2008