Gozitan interior and furniture designer Francis Sultana has been named in Architectural Digest’s (AD) 2024 list of honourees.
The list, featuring 100 creatives that represent the world’s top talent in interior decoration, architecture, and landscape design, is compiled by the more than century-old interior design publication every year.
Based in London, Mr Sultana works on residential, hospitality, and commercial projects around the world. His studio, named after him, was launched back in 2009. It is located in the same building as David Gill Gallery, of which Mr Sultana is also Artistic Director and CEO.
Reacting to the news on Wednesday, he said that it is an “honour” and a “privilege” to be among “so many great designers”. Mr Sultana remarked that it acts as recognition of the work done by him and his team.
He proceeded to express gratitude to all of the people who have supported him over the years, stating that it "means the world to him”.
He was announced as an Ambassador of Culture for Malta in 2018, supporting many of Malta’s main cultural entities, especially the Malta International Contemporary Art Space (MICAS), set to open in 2024. MICAS will house the country’s contemporary art and design collection, supporting local contemporary art and also focusing on attracting international cultural institutions, artists, educational programmes, and touring exhibitions in Malta.
Mr Sultana is highly engaged in supporting new cultural tourism to Malta as part of his endeavours to strengthen both Malta’s local arts sector and its perception internationally.
AD highlighted some of Mr Sultana’s work, including outdoor furniture with Italian company Bonacina, rugs with French rug store Galerie Diurne, and beds for the UK’s Savior Beds.
He is also working on renovating the historic Hunting Lodge in Hampshire, UK, and is also preparing a book.
Over the years, Mr Sultana became the go-to interior designer for international collectors, many of whom have major contemporary art and design collections. According to his website, he is particularly loved for his ability to “merge the residential requirements of a domestic or commercial space with often large-scale visual art, sculpture and installation pieces”.
In addition to being listed as an honouree by AD US, Mr Sultana is also on the list for the Italian version of the publication. He is also cited as one of Wallpaper publication’s top 20 interior designers, among a number of other accolades.
