Hidden Gems: Meet Joshua Rose and Rafael Kalichstein of Citizen Artist

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua Rose and Rafael Kalichstein.

Joshua & Rafael, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
We founded our firm in May of 2007 under the name FORM Design Studio. It began with the renovation of our own home in Silver Lake — a project that became both proving ground and calling card. That house led directly to our first commissions and set the direction for what would become our practice.

At the time, we were raising a young daughter and stepping away from careers that no longer reflected the creative life we wanted to build. We weren’t interested in starting a business for its own sake. We wanted to shape work on our own terms — disciplined, intentional, and deeply considered.

What began as a small residential studio evolved into a design practice focused on emotionally resonant architectural interiors. Our work is less about decoration and more about structure — how proportion, material, and light create spaces that endure.

As the scale and complexity of our projects grew, so did the visibility of the work, with features in Architectural Digest, Vogue Living, and Elle Decoration Middle East, among others. Today, as Citizen Artist, the work reflects that evolution: a belief that design is about creating spaces with clarity, permanence, and emotional depth.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No — it has not been a smooth road.

We launched in 2007. Within a year, the financial crisis nearly ended the business before it had fully begun. Projects stalled. Work disappeared. There were moments when continuing felt uncertain.

What that period forced us to develop, however, were systems — operational discipline, financial rigor, and a clarity about how we structure projects. The foundation we built out of necessity during that time still supports the firm today.

Beyond the economy, the larger challenge has been protecting the integrity of the work. We don’t know how to produce something that is merely “good enough.” Our instinct is always toward refinement — proportion, detail, alignment — even when that level of precision isn’t explicitly requested. That pursuit can make growth slower. It can require difficult conversations. But it defines the studio.

Building a firm as partners in both marriage and business has required constant calibration. It demands trust, direct communication, and a shared standard. Over time, that alignment has become one of our greatest strengths.

The discipline forged in those early years became embedded in how we operate. The same rigor and refinement we apply to architecture and interiors governs our business practices — from systems to staffing to client communication. Pressure clarified our standards; precision became our culture.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Citizen Artist is an interior design studio working primarily on ground-up luxury residences, along with select bespoke remodels, boutique hospitality, and commercial spaces. We take on projects where depth of collaboration and architectural clarity are possible.

Our work is artful yet disciplined — rooted in consciousness, curiosity, and integrity. We begin with structure, proportion, and material logic before considering atmosphere or furnishing. Interiors are not applied; they are constructed with intention. We don’t project a predetermined aesthetic onto a space. Instead, we study it — its context, its light, its constraints — and uncover what it wants to become.

What sets us apart is authorship and rigor. We remain deeply involved from concept through completion, ensuring continuity between vision and execution. We do not have a formula or signature look. Each project is specific, discovered rather than imposed, yet unified by clarity and refinement.

Brand-wise, we are most proud of our consistency. The same precision we demand in design governs how we operate as a studio. Clients come to us not only for a point of view, but for stewardship — a process grounded in discipline and trust.

We design for longevity. A lasting resonance — spaces that reveal themselves over time.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
We’ve been fortunate to have two meaningful mentors at pivotal moments in our careers.

We met Bill Stubbs, a widely respected voice in American design and AD100 honoree from Houston, through a mutual friend who later became a client. Early on, he gave us advice we still carry: “Never turn down a drapery job — you never know when you’ll need it to carry you through.” Beneath the humor was a lesson in humility and resilience. No project is beneath you and every relationship matters.

We met Ann Sargent of Sargent Design Company in our earlier years, and she was generous with her knowledge from the beginning. She taught us that you must know where every dollar is at all times. That level of accountability became foundational. The rigor we apply to design is mirrored in our project management and accounting systems.

Years later, we had the opportunity to collaborate with Ann on a project in Brookline, Massachusetts. At one point, as we were working through some of the projects’ organizational complexities, she said, “The student has become the teacher.” It was a meaningful moment — not because it suggested arrival, but because it reflected growth.

For anyone seeking mentorship, look for people whose standards challenge you and whose integrity you respect. Relationships tend to form through shared work and shared values. Do the work well. Pay attention. Contribute. The right connections develop naturally — and they endure.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.CitizenArtist.com
• Instagram: @Citizen.Artist
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wearecitizenartist/

Image Credits
Photography: Douglas Friedman (for all photographs including the portrait)