aspire design and home Spring 2023 Chicago

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MAXIMALISM RECYCLING

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COLLECTIONS + COLLABORATIONS: LIFE'S METAPHOR

According to Psychology Today, roughly 107 million Americans collect one thing or another.

Spring seasonal editorial is often dedicated to “cleaning” and deaccession, but as I collect my thoughts about this editorial letter, I think back to when, over thirty years ago, my nomadic husband came to our marriage with a full heart but few possessions. I, on the other hand, came with carloads. I’m a hunter and a gatherer by nature. It’s in my genes.

My family’s business was about making deals with distributors for bulk buyouts. I know this doesn’t sound any exotic bells, but I have memories of access to coveted PEZ collections and Troll Dolls, as well as Panoramic Easter Egg collections ( believe me when I say they were decorative, not edible ).

My father would regale us with his business prowess, while my mother grew ever more strategic about what he was allowed to bring home from the warehouse and/or where to store it all.

Our spring issue emphasizes the designers and homeowners that have bridged their collection predilections and aesthetic divides with acceptance and collaboration – whether it’s a herd of velvet slippers from Marrakech in the entryway of Chyka Keebaugh’s Melbourne home or the oddities and curiosities from self-professed designaholic Claudia Pignatale.

Brothers Raëd and Karim Abillama conspire to create an artinformed apartment, while designer Nestor Santa-Cruz coalesces a D.C. couple to create a mutual balance. Dalila Formentini and life partner Sean Shanahan share the sentiment that there is no single ambition to make their house a vehicle for one emotion.

NICELY PLAYED!

Award-winning cinematographer Phedon Papamichael owned his California house before his wife Eka relocated to Hollywood in 2005. Eka wanted to keep Phedon’s spirit in the home and obliged by repurposing space to accommodate his film memorabilia and mélange of treasured art and furnishings. Luisa Vanzo describes her life partner, antiques dealer Luca Vitale, as an “eclectic maximalist.” Vitale has trouble letting go of certain pieces. “It’s like being with all my friends,” he admits, noting they remind him of his past and prompt him to contemplate the future.

Collaboration is never lost on design. Neither is collecting. Buy what you love. Love what you buy. Often.

Amy Sneider amy.sneider@hudsononemedia.com

SEEN AND BE HERD

Strikha Table Lamp Faina by Yakusha faina.design

Bjorn Wallander

Clockwise from top left: Sloth Beach Chair Max ID NY maxidnystore.com

Float Coffee Table Designed by Luca Nichetto for La Chance designquarters.com • Table Lamps Ben & Aja Blanc thefutureperfect.com • Antoniolupi Reflexmood Bathtub in Colormood antoniolupi.it • Hightower Picnic by +Halle seating and table unit hightoweraccess.com

SPRING 2023

VOL. 15 NO. 1

AMY SNEIDER

EDITOR IN CHIEF | ART DIRECTOR

Laura Soles

CREATIVE DIRECTOR EDITORIAL

Deborah L. Martin MANAGING EDITOR

Jennifer Quail DEPUTY REGIONAL EDITOR

Karen Brown COPY EDITOR

Samantha Emmerling MARKET EDITOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Robyn Alexander | Jorge S. Arango

Kaitlin Clark | Thomas Connors

Tate Gunnerson | Alice Garbarini Hurley

Kelsey Mulvey | Jennifer Quail | Benedetta Rossi

Nancy A. Ruhling | Christina Valhouli

DIGITAL

PINK ETIQUETTE

Kelly Walters WEB EDITOR

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DIGITAL CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

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ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

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NEW YORK SALES DIRECTORS

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MARKETING

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PRODUCTION

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aspire design and home (USPS 22790), Volume 15, Issue 1, Spring 2023

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RANGWALI Farrow & Ball

NANCY'S BLUSHES Farrow & Ball

CHEERY Sherwin-Williams

MAGENTA Benjamin Moore

CAPRI PINK Annie Sloan

RAZZLE DAZZLE Benjamin Moore

EROS PINK Sherwin-Williams

FUCHSIA FUN Pure & Original

Exquisitely handcrafted cabinetry with a relaxed sense of luxury— handpainted finishes, stunning textures, and natural palettes. This is our legacy: refined design and American craftsmanship in some of the country’s most beautiful homes.

2023 spring welcome

In the earthy landscape of rural Southern Mallorca, art and life come together in spaces that reflect the unique and wonderful works of textile artist Adriana Meunié and painter, sculptor and ceramicist Jaume Roig. adrianameunie.wordpress.com jaumeroigceramica.wordpress.com

Text Robyn Alexander / Photograph by Greg Cox / Production Sven Alberding

collection ESSENTIALS TANGRAM pattern MYRIAD

24 CULTURAL ZEITGEIST

ŚMIDZIĘCINO , POLAND

78 JUST SO

Our use of language defines what we see

ROME, ITALY

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

106 ESTABLISHING SHOTS

Reflecting the home of an international family whose lives are suffused with a love of cinema

MANHATTAN, NEW YORK

54 CURIOUS CURATION

Raëd and Karim Abillama conspire to create an eccentric, art-filled apartment

WASHINGTON, D.C.

60 MEETING OF THE MINDS

Interior designer Nestor Santa-Cruz coalesces a D.C. couple to create a balanced contrast

PARIS, FRANCE

66 MOON. EMOTIONS. INTUITION. CHANGE. PROGRESS. INNOVATION. A numerological composition celebrating famed artist and designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac's 23rd Paris apartment

PARIS, FRANCE

72 QUIET RIOT

Architect Frederic Berthier’s Paris apartment combines strong notes of restraint with artistic design

84 ODDITIES & CURIOSITIES

Italian designer and gallery curator Claudia Pignatale layers her home in bold colors, surprising shapes and lots of personality

AUSTIN, TEXAS

88 GUILD AWARD

Linen, mohair, wool and cotton triumph over synthetic fibers defining an Austin home with an enviable California vibe

LAKE COMO, ITALY

94 COLOR ZEAL

Dalila Formentini and Sean Shanahan lead an unabashed colorful life in a converted 19th-century silk factory

PARIS, FRANCE

102 HAUSSMANNIAN DEVIL

Boutique owner and collector Emmanuel de Bayser outgrew his former Paris pied-à-terre to take up residence in an Haussmannian-style building with classic details

MILAN, ITALY

112 MAXIMUM IMPACT

Eclectic maximalist antique dealer

Luca Vitale has trouble letting go of treasured pieces

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

120 CITY BY THE BAY POWER PLAY

An energy investment exec finds joy in a soothing space that honors her femininity and passions

AUSTIN, TEXAS

126 SWINGIN’ SENSATION

Los Angeles-based Thomas Schoos executes his knack for clever design

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK

134 LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

After a stint in Manhattan, a London-bred fashion pro creates a storybook ending

Robyn

Lea

ENTRYWAY: Chyka and Bruce Keebaugh’s velvet slipper collection from the souk in Marrakech.

BARBIE DREAMHOUSE

THE MONTEROSSO SOFA

FURNITURE FOR BOTH PHYSICAL AND VIRTUAL SPACES. Upholstery + Digital Collectibles

Made in Los Angeles | @nathananthony_offi cial

ARCHITECTURE

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

42 DESERT DIGS

Architect Daniel Joseph Chenin and team build a unique retreat that will withstand the desert climate

SARDINIA, ITALY

58 ORGANIC, WHIMSICAL, YET GROUNDED.

Architect Stefania Stera tucks rocks and boulders into a challenging, category-defying structure

IN EVERY ISSUE

BOOKNOOK

26 A curated collection

BOOKNOOK UP CLOSE

38 RECLAIMED MATERIALS

52 NEW NORDIC GARDENS

MUSE

34 SCRAP METTLE

The materialistic lifestyle of English artist Ann Carrington

48 ARCHETYPES

Brent Comber, Ian Love

57 EDITOR'S PICK

64 GOODS / SCULPTURAL IDENTITIES

TRAVEL

GREENOUGH, MONTANA

64 GREEN O RESORT

COUP D’OEIL

27 MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Living room of intense color by media and TV personality Chyka Keebaugh

47 PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

Guest bedroom by interior designer Sarah Bartholomew

59 WASHINGTON, D.C.

Multipurpose lounge by interior designer Annie Elliott Design

MARKETWATCH

SEATINGANDCOFFEETABLES: KEIR and PAVÉ COLLECTIONS, distinct marble combinations with soft and natural shapes. Designed by Enzo Berti for Kreoo. kreoo.com

WALLCOVERING:

DEDAR, THIS MUST BE THE PLACE

Drawn by Icinori duo of illustrators, a paradisiacal landscape is transferred onto a pure linen canvas using the screen-printing technique. dedar.com

COVER

OUTDOORLIGHTING: GOCCIA ILLUMINAZIONE'S IANUS COLLECTION, a series of garden poles and urban lighting. goccia.it

140 A place to focus on trends, practical design solutions, innovations in design, plus new and exciting materials

LAST WORDS

Celebrating our cover

THE PAINTED HOUSE OF TODI, ITALY Brian O’Doherty (1928 - 2022 ), art reviewer for the NEW YORK TIMES and editor of the art magazine Art in America transformed his beloved 1975 investment into his personal canvas Today the house endures as a museum.

Photography: Francesco Dolfo

CULTURAL ZEITGEIST

In their latest title, Barbie and architecture magazine PIN-UP join forces to examine the legacy of the iconic Dreamhouse

For many people, their first brush with architecture was Barbie’s iconic Dreamhouse – and all the pink, peppy accoutrements that comes with it. In honor of the sweet space’s 60th anniversary, Mattel and PIN-UP have partnered to release a new book aptly titled Barbie Dreamhouse: An Architectural Survey. But don’t write this tome off as a surface-level look at America’s favorite dollhouse; this partnership marks the first serious architectural study of the Barbie Dreamhouse.

“Since the first Dreamhouse in 1962, Barbie’s homes have transformed and evolved, richly quoting 20th- and early-21s t-century architecture and design history,” describes Felix Burrichter, the book’s co-editor. “Our book documents the impact Barbie has had on the global architectural imagination.”

With interviews from industry stalwarts like interior designer Kelly Wearstler and Smithsonian curator Alexandra Cunningham Cameron, the 152-page book provides a thoughtful criticism about the Barbie Dreamhouse’s place in architectural history.

“With the explosion of Barbiecore and the post-Covid obsession with home décor, this is the perfect moment to consider the Dreamhouse’s cultural impact and legacy,” co-editor Whitney Mallett adds.

Since her debut in 1959, Barbie has been a beloved childhood mainstay because she and her cohort prove that anything is possible – and her home is no exception. As each page moves through the evolution of the Dreamhouse – from midcentury modern bungalows to the post-pandemic fun tower – the book explores how Barbie’s abode can transcend time and trend, perfecting the intersection of function and style.

– KELSEY MULVEY

When a Nashville, TN client wanted a fun and quirky space inspired by none other than Barbie herself, JL Design worked with a set designer to install a series of brightly colored shoes in ever-diminishing size, leading to a room with shelves populated by the iconic doll and her friends, living their best life.

–

DEBORAH L. MARTIN

Reagen Taylor

Aries Bench by Pietro Cavallo for Giovannetti imaestri.it

BOOK NOOK

FIRST ROW: THINK LIKE A DECORATOR: TO CREATE A COMFORTABLE, ORIGINAL, AND STYLISH HOME BY LESLIE BANKER

RIZZOLI $45 • HOW TO LAND IN THE METAVERSE: FROM INTERIOR DESIGN TO THE FUTURE OF DESIGN BY HARRY NURIEV AND CROSBY STUDIOS RIZZOLI $75 • SECOND ROW: JOIE: A PARISIAN'S GUIDE TO CELEBRATING THE GOOD LIFE BY AJIRI

AKI CLARKSON POTTER $38 • LANGUAGE OF HOME: THE INTERIORS OF FOLEY & COX BY MICHAEL COX MONACELLI $60

THIRD ROW: THE WORLD AT YOUR TABLE: INSPIRING TABLETOP DESIGNS BY STEPHANIE STOKES RIZZOLI $55 • MILTON GLASER: POP BY STEVEN HELLER, MIRKO ILIĆ AND BETH KLEBER MONACELLI $65 • FOURTH

ROW: A HOUSE IN MAINE BY NINA CAMPBELL WITH GILES KIME RIZZOLI $60 • THE ARTISTRY OF FLOWERS: FLORAL DESIGN BY LA MUSA DE LAS

FLORES BY MARÍA GABRIELA SALAZAR RIZZOLI $50 • OPPOSITE

ANDREW MARTIN: INTERIOR DESIGN REVIEW VOLUME 26 BY ANDREW MARTIN TENEUES $75 • JOHN PAWSON: MAKING LIFE SIMPLER BY DEYAN SUDJIC PHAIDON $100 • THE BRUTALISTS: BRUTALISM'S BEST ARCHITECTS BY OWEN HOPKINS PHAIDON $70

DESK AND CHAIR: FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT

RACINE COLLECTION BY STEELCASE

Originally produced by Steelcase for the SC Johnson Administration building in Racine, Wisconsin in 1939 store.steelcase.com

When her children left home, media and TV personality Chyka Keebaugh and her husband Bruce sold the family home in a stately Melbourne neighborhood in Australia in favor of a penthouse apartment in an edgy neighborhood nearby. They designed the home's floorplan and internal finishes before Keebaugh installed her myriad collections and custom furniture against backdrops of intense color. Fun, inspiration and memories abound, creating a sky-high creative nest for a couple immersed in a new chapter of their lives.

COUP D’OEIL

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Interior design: Chyka Keebaugh, Floorplan: Chyka and Bruce Keebaugh, Architect: MA Architecture, Photographer: Robyn Lea

Sources: Floor rug: Carpet World in Mornington, Couch and armchairs: Grazia & Co. in Australia, Portrait of Chyka’s mother: Vanessa Siney, Painting: The Blob by Dale Frank, Coffee table and small side tables: RH, Pink glass vases: Fenton & Fenton, Pink rose cup and saucer: Nyary Store, Walls: painted in Porter's Paints Victoriana low sheen acrylic with a Valkyrie French Wash top coat.

TIMELESS DESIGNS, UNMATCHED ELEGANCE

Range Hoods Made To Order. Any Design. Any Material. Any Finish.

Bespoke finishes and luxurious materials transform a blank box on the Magnificent Mile into an upscale, urbane home for a couple decamping from the North Shore

Inspired by the colors of the lake, a custom wool and silk area rug by SHIR fosters a sense of calming elegance in the formal living room.

Eglomise wall panels from Simes Studio add a subtle sparkle to the front foyer, where an organic brass and rock crystal chandelier illuminates a sculptural bronze table with a stone top from Jiun Ho.

In the open kitchen, a tall channel-tufted banquette pairs perfectly with a lacquered table featuring a graphic marble top from Holly Hunt.

“They have a taste for the finer things, and never said ‘no.’ We had a lot of freedom, trust, and respect.”

— MICHAEL ABRAMS

MODERN AND STREAMLINED

The Nio Smart Faucet makes life easier in the kitchen. Achieve precise volume and temperature control with your voice or a tap of the app; turn water on/off with the wave of your hand; or simply use the handle. Plus, with it’s sleek design and tall stature, Nio will become the focal point of your kitchen.

Yearning to live in the city after raising their children in Highland Park, a couple with an empty nest searched far and wide for a new home in the city before zeroing in on a 51st floor unit at the Park Hyatt Residences just steps from the Magnificent Mile. “We both fell in love,” the wife says, noting that in addition to the perfect location, “It’s spacious, airy and the views are just stunning.”

Pointing to their undefinable yet undeniable chemistry and longtime working relationship, the couple asked interior designer Michael Abrams, who had done their former abode, to reimagine the space.

Inspired by their dedication to perfection, he and design director, Gina Valenti, touched nearly every surface during the almost 15-month project, treating most walls, incorporating hand-scraped wide plank white oak flooring, and completely revamping the bathrooms – just a few of their many changes. “They have a taste for the finer things, and never said ‘no,’” Abrams recalls. “We had a lot of freedom, trust and respect.”

The transformation is immediately visible in the front foyer, which is adorned with hand-painted eglomise wall panels by Simes Studios. “(The wife) likes a little bling, a little glitz, a little shine,” the designer says, pointing to the branch-like brass and rock crystal chandelier that illuminates the space.

More subtle but no less impactful, Simes Studios likewise slathered the walls in the formal living and family rooms with a light, plaster-like finish that softly reflects the abundant natural daylight. A six-figure investment, a large wool and silk rug with a watery pattern anchors separate areas for living, dining, and playing piano, each zone defined by a coffered ceiling that is further defined by a silver-leaf wallcovering. “It adds that next layer of luxury,” Abrams notes. “Everything has been thought through.”

Indeed, cork clads the beamed ceiling in the adjacent woodpaneled study, where a painterly rug with an abstracted monkey pattern adds a subtle moment of levity that lives easily with the sophisticated mix of furnishings.

And from the right angle, one can see the reflection of the lake in the lacquered white ceiling of the wife’s bedroom. There, tailored floor-to-ceiling draperies complement a textural, hand-painted wallcovering in a soft neutral hue. The walls in the husband’s bedroom, by contrast, are covered in an olive green felt that establishes a moody backdrop for a contemporary woven bed flanked by sculptural black side tables. “It’s completely immersive, handsome, and very tailored,” Abrams says.

In perhaps the most dramatic change, Abrams completely reimagined the bathrooms throughout. Antique mirror surrounds a trio of mirrors on the vanity wall in the primary bathroom, reflecting the stone tile with a floral motif that defines

the soaking tub and spacious walk-in shower on the opposite wall. In the powder room, walnut wall paneling warms the cool, veiny marble. “We really wanted it to be a little jewel box, and I think it was successful,” he says.

After the culmination of the 15-month project, Abrams was naturally excited to present the space to his clients, who

sipped champagne as they admired the transformation. And their appreciation for the custom-tailored space has only grown. “It’s tranquil and serene inside and so vibrant outside,” the wife says, noting that living in the buzzy, highly walkable neighborhood makes her feel younger and “more alive. It’s like being on top of the world.”

A rug from Oscar Isberian adds a touch of whimsy to the handsome wood-paneled study. The brassframed glass console is by John Pomp. The highback armchair with diamond quilting from Cantoni is an ideal spot to enjoy the jaw-dropping views from the study.

One of many pieces of art throughout the apartment, a wire sculpture by Eric Gushee creates a bespoke focal point in the light-filled, open dining area.

A faceted cocktail table plays off the brass accents in the soothing primary bedroom suite. The plaster-finished wallcovering is from Assemblage.

Paired with a mustard throw pillow, a lounge chair by Christian Liaigre from David Sutherland pops against the felted and wool wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries in the husband’s bedroom.

A lacquered ceiling amplifies the already abundant natural light in the primary bedroom, where a plaster-finished wallcovering from Assemblage creates a serene backdrop for a custom channel-tufted headboard by Barron Custom Furniture.

MUSE

ANN CARRINGTON WITH AN INVERTED CORNUCOPIA SCULPTURE MADE MOSTLY OF SPOONS.

TEXT JORGE S. ARANGO PHOTOGRAPHY MARK C. O'FLAHERTY

“I’ve always found it fascinating how people make objects from the things around them,” explains English artist Ann Carrington from her studio in an old railroad yard in Margate on the north coast of Kent.

But when Carrington was studying at the Royal College of Art in London in the mid-1980s, the work she made from all manner of found objects was, she recalls, “deeply unfashionable.” At the time, “everything was very conceptual. I felt like an outsider.”

Despite the fact that the designer Paul Smith basically bought out her entire graduate show in 1988, the following year Carrington decided to forego the traditional artist’s path to gallery representation after having a “seminal moment”: She would squat in vacant studio spaces and put on her own shows. Lacking money and access to materials like clay and stone, she created horse sculptures from coconut shells and other found object works.

CARRINGTON TOPPED HONEY CREEPER, ANOTHER BOUQUET SCULPTURE, WITH A PINEAPPLE.

The Telegraph newspaper soon knocked at her door, eventually running a three-page article on Carrington and her starvingartist aesthetic. It was the second break in a string of what has made Carrington a self-admitted “cult figure” in the British art scene. “I like to tell stories with materials,” she describes. “Sometimes objects will lie around for weeks or years on end until they tell me what they’re meant to be.”

Any material is fair game. These could include horse brasses (folk amulets meant to protect horses from the evil eye), faux pearl necklaces, tin cans, wire hangers, old silverware … The list is endless.

For instance, thinking about Dutch still life paintings called mementomorione day, she realized that out of their underlying messages of human ephemerality, only the cutlery would survive.

“I had a pile of teaspoons on the floor and thought, 'Oh gosh, they really look like petals.’” After taking some welding courses, she began creating extravagant floral arrangements from cutlery that are among the most impressive (and heaviest) of her works.

Another stroke of good fortune arrived after her move to Margate two decades ago. In 2010, Robert Novogratz, producer of Bravo channel’s 9 by Design, ran an episode about Carrington. As her visibility grew, so did her work, which became more and more ambitious. Two years later, she was invited by Prince Charles to create a banner for Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. The resulting standard was embroidered with a mixture of more than 500,000 buttons – some antique military specimens donated by the army and navy, others modern ones she hand-dyed.

OUR MUSE, PEERING THROUGH CYCLOSA, ONE OF HER SPIDER WEBS MADE OF NECKLACES, COINS, SAFETY PINS AND INSECT LIKENESSES ASSEMBLED FROM RUMMAGE SALES.

GALLEON FASHIONED FROM FAUX PEARL NECKLACES.

Still more recently another royal, famed furniture maker, David Linley, second Earl of Snowden, mounted a show of Carrington’s works at his shop on Pimlico Road in London. Shortly before it opened, Linley’s aunt, the Queen, passed away, so the exhibition became a tribute to the beloved monarch.

Thanks to an endless stream of discarded materials, Carrington’s palette continues to broaden. She is currently considering a request from someone in the Maldives to create a work from sea plastics. But she never intended for her art to carry an environmental message.

“Any object has a story to tell,” she believes. Carrington continues to spin those narratives into art.

“CHOOSING RECLAIMED AND RECYCLED MATERIALS TO CONSTRUCT HOUSES AND APARTMENTS IS VITAL IF WE ARE TO FIGHT THE CLIMATE CRISIS,” PENNY CRASWELL WRITES IN THE BOOK’S INTRODUCTION.

“A BONUS IS THAT THE RESULT OFTEN LOOKS FANTASTIC. ARCHITECTS AND INTERIOR DESIGNERS ARE IN A UNIQUE POSITION TO INFLUENCE THOSE AROUND THEM AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE — TO USE DESIGN TO INSPIRE PEOPLE TO DO THE RIGHT THING.”

MOUNTAIN VIEW, LONDON, UK

Book cover courtesy of Thames & Hudson

THAMES & HUDSON $45

VIBRANT KITCHEN WITH ALTERNATING BLUE AND GRAY RECYCLED PLASTIC BENCHES FROM OLD PLASTIC CHOPPING BOARDS AND BOTTLE TOPS. ARCHITECT: C A N

Jim Stephenson

ARCHITECTURE

Desert Digs

Combining the vibe of a five-star hotel and a love of the land around it, this retreat outside Las Vegas, Nevada is a winner –THOMAS CONNORS

Stetson

Ybarra Stephen Morgan

Stetson Ybarra

CÉSAR GIRALDO x STUDIO•M LIGHTING

Context.

It’s key to good architecture. Material, scale and siting all play a role when attempting to achieve a sympathy between what is and what will be. But there’s more to this than making nice with the neighbors or deferring to the landscape. Architects must also consider the lives their clients will lead in the home they are dreaming of. In designing a desert getaway for an active family from the Bay Area, the Las Vegas-based firm of Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd. created a house that embraces the rough terrain lying in the shadow of Red Rock Canyon, yet is ready to go the minute the owners turn the key in the door.

A constellation of solid, unfussy volumes, the residence emerges from the landscape like a bulwark against the piercing sun and wind that can reach 100 mph. But this is no bunker. A veteran of hospitality design, Chenin has worked with clients that include Auberge Resorts and Four Seasons. He has thus brought a five-star sensibility to the residence, resulting in a visual and spatial seamlessness. “When we were doing resorts, we had a philosophy we called ‘curb to cabana,’” he shares. “It’s the idea that from the moment you step onto the property all the way to digging your toes in the sand, you have an entirely immersive experience. From the music playing to the staff uniforms, from the architecture to the landscaping, everything is interwoven to create an effortless encounter.”

Indoor-outdoor living drives the program here, which Chenin has inventively expressed by centering the house on two long stacked-stone walls framing a courtyard and a massive, glass-lined living space that opens to the courtyard on one side and to a terrace on the other. The five bedrooms, situated for maximum privacy, are arrayed on the other side of the two parallel stone walls.

“We did a number of studies with louvers and overhangs to make sure we allow enough light to enter during the winter months when the sun is lower in the sky but block the stronger rays in the summer,” describes Chenin. “On the west side, the fenestration is narrower and deeper. But we opened the entire south and north sides because it was super easy to control the light there.”

Although a shrewd logic is manifestly in operation here, the house is more than cool geometry. Rock gardens are incorporated

into the bedroom wings, and an enormous boulder excavated on site is an impressive presence in the courtyard. The most poetic part of the project is the cylindrical tower that stands as a transition between the periphery of the home and the primary entrance, which lies at the end of a meandering path of flat stones running through the courtyard. Independent of the rest of the building, this volume – cool and dark – features a fountain at ground level, and atop a circular stairwell that hugs the outer wall, a fire pit and seating area. Almost folly-like in its detachment from the rest of the house, this free-standing element is not functional in the usual sense of the word. Evocative of a Puebloan kiva, it is a sort of meditation on earth, fire, water and sky.

With its stacked-stone construction (a nod to the simple, necessitydriven structures that dotted the area in pioneer days), the home’s outer aspect is rough and unadorned. And while the interiors are not awash in decorative flourishes, Chenin’s calibration of his materials –including travertine flooring, stucco, and reconstituted wood veneer panels – generates a subtly rich visual impact. Specifying everything from furniture and fabrics to hardware and art, he strove to establish a readily apparent cohesiveness. Detailing was paramount. “We have little metal reveals that come down from a wood wall, then turn and become an element running as a seam in the floor. As raw as this house looks, it is rather like a Swiss watch when it comes how things fit together.”

While a visitor might not fully perceive that machine-like precision, it is impossible not to appreciate how the house fits its environment. Although clearly built with its multiple right angles a decided contrast to the contours of the landscape around it, it nonetheless possesses an assurance as authentic as nature itself.

Stetson Ybarra

Stetson Ybarra

“We did a number of studies with louvers and overhangs to make sure we allow enough light to enter during the winter months when the sun is lower in the sky but block the stronger rays in the summer.”

– Daniel Joseph Chenin

PROJECT TEAM:

Daniel Joseph Chenin, Eric Weeks, Kevin Welch, Esther Chung, Jose Ruiz, Grace Ko, Alberto Sanchez, Debra Ackermann, Julie Nelson

CONTRACTOR:

Forté Specialty Contractors

CIVIL ENGINEER:

McCay Engineering

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT: Vangson Consulting, LLC

STRUCTURAL ENGINEER:

Vector Structural Engineering

MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL & PLUMBING: Engineering Partners, Inc.

POOL & WATER FEATURES:

Ozzie Kraft Custom Pools

MILLWORK DESIGN:

Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd.

FURNITURE FIXTURES & ACCESSORIES: Daniel Joseph Chenin, Ltd.

ART CONSULTANT: Daniel Fine Art Services

AV & CONTROLS:

Audio Integrations

COUP D’OEIL

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA

“Brighton Boudoir” was inspired by the palatial architecture and gardens of King George IV’s Brighton Pavilion to create this guest room. Many of the room’s neutral hues and regal details nod to his Ottomaninspired palace. “The green tones remind me not only of the English garden but of Palm Beach as well, where gardening and the outdoors are such an essential part of living.”

Interior Design: Sarah Bartholomew, Photographer: Douglas Friedman

Sources: Drapery: The Shade Store, Trim: Samuel & Sons, Canopy bed: upholstered in a pattern by Susan Deliss, layered with a floral print by Lee Jofa, Linen textiles: Fabricut and Stroheim. The wood furnishings are antiques.

Favorite Time in Design...

“I was profoundly impressed with Isamu Noguchi’s sculptural work the first time I visited his Long Island studio in the 90s. At the time, I was designing gardens and furnishings, which seemed to validate my feelings that you could design and make art - it wasn’t an either/or.” – Brent Comber

IAN LOVE BRENT COMBER

When life’s path led professional musician Ian Love to spend more time at his home in the Hamptons, his creative mind discovered an unexpected love for gardening and landscaping. “I’m a city kid,” he states, “so I didn’t know anything about it all, but I got really into it and loved learning how to work with my hands in that way.”

Cut to an invitation to the home of a local who sold firewood – two acres of logs and thousands of cut trees – and a new creative passion took root. “He was cutting them into firewood in front of me, and I just was very intrigued by it,” says the self-taught designer.

“I started collecting pieces of wood from him, not really knowing what to do with them. Then I bought a chainsaw and started carving into them.”

Today, Love recognizes connections between finding this creative outlet and consequential second career and caring for his mother as she went through cancer treatment : The idea of giving new life to a living entity holds a special meaning. In the beginning, though, he was simply intrigued and experimenting. Now, less than five years later, the furniture maker and artisan who describes himself as “hard working” and “totally untrained” counts design giant Gensler among his clients, and his work can be seen in New York’s One World Trade Center and in the offices of Amazon Music.

ianlovedesign.com

Sustainable Measures:

Eighty to 90 percent of Love’s creations are made using discarded and fallen trees and logs from the immediate region where he lives. For larger projects, he sources from a local mill.

“It’s about as local as can be, sometimes from right on my street,” Love describes. “I drive around with my chain saw in my car. I’ll see giant logs on the side of the road and try to get them. And I’ve built relationships with local arborists who now know if they’re taking down a big tree, instead of taking it to the dump, which wastes something beautiful and costs them money, they can drop it with me.”

From his oceanside studio in an industrial neighborhood of North Vancouver, artist and craftsman Brent Comber creates sculpted objects, functional pieces and environments that are at the crossroads of art and design. Working with sustainably sourced wood, Comber gleans inspiration from the beauty and majesty of the Pacific Northwest and translates the ideas and feelings his surroundings conjure into art, furnishings and larger installations.

Comber’s past experience designing gardens informs his current work, as it offers a foundation in balance and harmony, and in the beauty and tranquility of the natural world. At a loss for furnishings that were sensitive to these ideals, Comber set out to create his own, working first with timber recovered from old buildings that were being dismantled in Vancouver. “The Saddle bench was the first piece I did for a garden … and the homeowner actually moved it into her home,” the designer recalls. “I liked the experience of carving and the idea that the bench looked and felt right at home, both inside and out.” Comber eventually traded garden design for devoting himself to his new passion.

“I'm story driven,” Comber explains. “Somet is better told through art, and other times through design work. The suitable material and the condition and scale of its form will support the story.”

All photos courtesy of Brent Comber Originals

Sculptural lighting CONNECTION, Seattle, Washington

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BURST OF BOLD COLOR

“COLOR BURSTING OUT QUICKLY IN A STRONG MASS, DESTINED TO BLOOM AND FADE JUST AS QUICKLY, CAN BE REFRESHING AND EXCITING,” WRITES ANNIKA ZETTERMAN. “IN THIS GARDEN IN SEALAND, DENMARK, BY TIDENS STAUDER DESIGN — NORMALLY REFERRED TO AS "THE WHITE ALLEY" — THE LABURNUM X WATERERI "VOSSII" COMPLETELY DOMINATES THE GARDEN WHEN IN BLOOM. THE MAGNITUDE OF COLOR AND ENERGY THAT FILLS THE SPACE IS BEYOND WORDS, AND THE OTHERWISE OBVIOUS WHITES HAVE TO MAKE WAY DURING THIS TIME. THE MASS PLANTING OF WHITE ANTHRISCUS SYLVESTRIS "RAVENSWING" SEEMS NOT TO COMPETE WITH THE OVERWHELMING INTENSITY, BUT INSTEAD ACCENTUATES THE YELLOW.”

SEALAND, DENMARK

THAMES & HUDSON $35

CURIOUS CURATION

YORK

TWO BROTHERS CONSPIRE TO CREATE AN ECCENTRIC, ART-FILLED APARTMENT

Art, architecture and design run through the Lebanese Abillama family. “Our father was a collector from very early on,” explains architect Raëd Abillama of his architect-turned-industrial designer parent. “And my mom really loved design and style, creating moments with pieces she collected for their charm rather than their value.” During his childhood, spent first in Paris, then in Beirut, his parents “exposed me to many aesthetics through travel and visiting galleries.”

Raëd’s brother, Karim, who manages several companies specializing in the building industry, regularly “buys art and design pieces without necessarily having a place to display them,” Raëd notes. Further, Karim’s son, Talal, just opened Gratin, an art gallery on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

So when Karim decided to establish a pied-à-terre in New York just as his brother was developing an apartment house called the Abi Chelsea on West 19th Street, he snagged a seventh-floor unit with a terrace facing the High Line and the Hudson River. This offered Karim a chance to unpack many things that had been relegated to storage, and Talal the opportunity to curate artworks in the 2,200-squarefoot, three-bedroom residence.

Here, those elements translate to a blue-chip art collection that encompasses works by Cecily Brown, Paul McCarthy, Alice Neel, Albert Oehlen, Julian Schnabel and Wolfgang Tillmans, among others. There are also origi-

The living and dining areas huddle around the Vipp kitchen, which, along with white-oak floors, interrupts the gallery-white envelope. The kitchen is the center of activity of many homes, explains Raëd, who used Vipp throughout the building because “the materials are robust and able to age properly with use and time, while staying truthful to their function.” The apartment encircles an elevator shaft that also conceals building mechanicals. Raëd clad this functional core in concrete panels that still feature the round recesses created by tie rods used during the pouring process.

The reason? The coming-home experience begins when you walk into the building, believes the architect. “That language of concrete starts on the ground floor,” he notes. “You see it a lot in Tadao Ando’s buildings. It’s an architectural expression of the structure” that makes the act of returning consistent from the ground floor right up to the penthouse.

What is interesting about the art collection, however, is its consummately idiosyncratic character. There are works from the 1950s to today – paintings and sculpture, still lifes and portraiture. Some are figurative, others abstract, revealing a collector with an eclectic bent who has been given a neutral space in which to spread his wings. —

JORGE S. ARANGO

nal furniture pieces by Gio Ponti, Jean Prouvé, Alberto Rosselli, Carlo Scarpa and Gerald Summers, along with the work of more modern designers such as Rogan Gregory.

Julian Schnabel’s Untitled (Surfer), 2008, hangs behind Alberto Rosselli’s 1974 Confidential sofa and a Fertility Form floor lamp by Rogan Gregory. Takako Yamaguchi’s Sofa and Muffin,1955, hangs at the end of the entry hall. An Alice Neel 1964 portrait, Kristen Walker Vintage furnishings include a 1951 Gio Ponti cabinet with shelves, an Elizabeth chair by Ib Kofod-Larsen and a 1930s coffee table by Gerald Summers.

MANHATTAN, NEW

Photography by William Jess Laird

The Vipp V1 modular kitchen is an anchoring presence. Next to the cabinets is a wall sculpture by Thomas Houseago.

CURIOUS CURATION

Paul McCarthy’s SC Western John Wayne, pink, 2016. In the background is a large work by Albert Oehlen.

EDITOR'S PICK

FLATMATES PERFECTS THE INTERSECTION OF ART AND DESIGN

When Payton Turner and Brian Kaspr founded Flat Vernacular in 2010, they wanted to use their offerings to deftly blur the line between art and design. Thirteen years later, the brand is honoring its essence with Flatmates, an artist collaboration series of limited-edition wallpaper. For its inaugural installment, Flat Vernacular tapped mixed media artist Michael Hentz to create Color Movements, a simple yet cheeky collage of hands, arms, and pops of pigment. “Limbs create their own poetry in movement,” he shares. “It was so inspiring to play with little pockets of movements for Flat Vernacular. Your piece can float on a page and still evoke some profound emotions.” – KM flatvernacular.com

Color Movements

ARCHITECT STEFANIA STERA YET GROUNDED. ORGANIC, WHIMSICAL,

It isn’t often that a building evades easy apprehension. Factories tend to look like factories, churches like churches. Houses can sometimes fool the eye, but usually, the form telegraphs the function. This villa Stefania Stera designed on Sardinia is a singular exception. A challenging, category-defying structure, it makes no concessions to expectations. It offers all that a home should, but it does so on its own terms.

While clearly responsive to its rocky site, the house also takes a cue from architect Jacques Couëlle and his son, Savin, whose work on Sardinia’s Emerald Coast is defined by the fluid forms of a distinctly organic design. Almost more void than solid, Stera’s house, which replaces a faux rustic home that was built on the site in the 1970s, was envisioned as an open space punctuated by elements that are closed off to create internal zones. Not quite Brutalist but shot through with a hard-edged linearity, it reads at first sight much like a fortress that demands to be breached, while the play of arches, vaults and bridge-like byways create the impression of a hillside village.

Executed in gray masonry, the house sits solidly on the landscape, but thanks to its essential openness – patios and terraces, some clad in colorful ceramic tile,

are everywhere – the property also seems to disengage from the earth’s stony embrace. “The mountain had to be controlled,” the Paris-based Stera describes. “It was necessary to work with it, yet avoid its domination. Rather than force against force, emphasis had to be placed on force working with force, the need to make the mountain a friend and, by working with it, creating an entity with a rich character.”

The villa is flush with vistas of the sea and gardens, and the urge to move, to travel through the structure, is strong. A sense of compression and release pervades the building, generated by the varying ceiling heights. Space envelops the body like a fluid medium. Silver Waves granite from India anchors a living room, then spreads outside to define the adjacent terrace. Grotto-like openings mark the façade; staircases abut solid rock. And with so many openings to the outdoors, the house ebbs and flows, advances and recedes.

With all its angles and curves, its half-hidden stairwells and unexpected openings, the villa is a study in indirection and the joy of discovery. Severe but not sinister, whimsical but not foolish, challenging yet not confrontational, it is a truly multifaceted expression of shelter. – THOMAS CONNORS

SARDINIA, ITALY

PHOTOGRAPHY NICOLAS BOREL AND TIZIANO CANU

This multipurpose lounge is a large, casual space where the client can gather with his friends to talk and read, play video games, watch movies and listen to music. The starting point was a custom-made banquette running nearly the length of one wall, which, along with multiple small tables for drinks and snacks, sets a café-like tone for the space. The cork wallcovering is in a concrete block pattern with slivers of gold peeking through, which adds a touch of glamour to the otherwise industrial pattern. Layered antique rugs add to the bohemian vibe.

Interior design: Annie Elliott Design, Photograph: Stacy Zarin Goldberg

Sources: Wallcovering: Omexco - Khatam Cork, Photographs by Maurice Pellosh, Banquette: Custom made with Kravet Smart - Alina faux leather, Small Table: Blu Dot - Swole, Swivel chair: JANUS et Cie, Pillow fabrics: Fermoie - Savernake, Rabanna and Penny Morrison - Dahlia floral

Meeting of the Minds

Interior designer Nestor Santa-Cruz coalesces a D.C. couple to create a balanced contrast

Cohabitation inevitably means compromise, especially when both parties already have well-defined styles and their own homes filled with beloved furnishings. Eager for a space that reflected them both, an entrepreneur and his female partner sought outside help to design their first place together, a late-18th-century townhome in D.C.’s Kalorama/Embassy Row area.

Left to his own devices, the entrepreneur would love nothing more than to fill the space with his extensive collection of vintage furnishings by iconic designers such as Ico Parisi and Charlotte Perriand. Yet while his partner appreciated the aesthetic, she naturally wanted their new home to reflect her as well. “She thinks that I'm a collector in the worst sense of the word – someone who likes to acquire things with, as she’ll say, reckless abandon,” he admits. “She’s more of a minimalist.”

Noting their shared intellectual approach to collecting, a dealer had introduced the entrepreneur to interior designer Nestor SantaCruz, who agreed to broker a sort of design détente for the couple, creating a visual language that unites their things in a comfortable way while allowing them to continually rotate in pieces as their collection evolves.

For both Santa-Cruz and his client, the designer’s history, philosophy and intentions are as compelling as the object they created. “We lead our lives wanting to hear stories,” the client describes. “I like to understand how these designers came to be and what sorts of things were happening in their lives when they were working on certain pieces or designs.”

“It’s almost like we were friends before we met,” Santa-Cruz adds. Even though the townhome had recently been renovated, SantaCruz made strategic modifications to streamline the traditional abode, simplifying overly decorative draperies and eliminating chair rails and graphic wallcoverings. In addition, he had the walls painted in neutral hues and layered patterned area rugs over the traditional wall-to-wall carpeting.

To furnish the space, the designer cherry-picked pieces from the couple’s respective residences, as well as from the many important pieces the entrepreneur had stored in a warehouse. While SantaCruz is a longtime collector himself with countless books and design catalogs in his reference library, he explains, “He knew more about modernism and Scandinavian design than I did. The line between designer and client blurred.”

To ensure the space reflected both parties, Santa-Cruz wove in pieces by classic, midcentury American designers to which she gravitated. In the living room, for example, a sofa by Florence Knoll anchors a seating area that includes chairs by noted designers such as Poul Kjærholm, Gio Ponti and Carlo Mollino.

In the same spirit, Saarinen chairs covered in complementary green fabrics surround a round table by Kjærholm in the formal dining room. “The collection was heavy on Scandinavian pieces, and it needed balance,” Santa-Cruz notes.

The designer also made space for pieces she had already collected. Adding a white Carrara marble top to one of her cabinets, for example, gave it a midcentury flair that perfectly complemented the heady mélange in the front foyer. And her vintage 1970s bedside tables live easily alongside a walnut-and-cane George Nelson bed in the guest bedroom. “You don’t know whose aesthetic it is,” Santa Cruz describes.

The result thrills the couple, who appreciate how the layered mix of pieces from different designers and eras create a sense of eclecticism that’s as comfortable and approachable as it is sophisticated and beautiful. A world traveler, the collector believes that for the first time in his life, “my home is an even nicer environment than any hotel I’ve ever stayed at. The overall result is more unique, in a positive way, than either one of us would have accomplished by ourselves.”

TEXT TATE GUNNERSON PHOTOGRAPHY ERIK KVALSVIK

1 A

by John

a colorful focal point in the front

where an Artichoke chandelier by Poul Henningsen for Louis Poulsen juxtaposes the traditional architecture. The side chair is by Piero Fornasetti. 2 In the living room, a sofa by Florence Knoll of KnollStudio beautifully complements the homeowner’s collection of primarily European furnishings, which include a steel-and-wicker chaise by Poul Kjærholm for Fritz Hansen and a low-slung lounge chair by Gio Ponti for Cassina. 3 A paper chandelier exemplifies the simple elegance in the primary bedroom, where a sofa by Finn Juhl beautifully complements a sleek headboard by George Nelson from DWR and notable vintage furnishings. The artwork over the bed is by Fanny Sanín. 4 Layered over the existing carpeting, an Art Deco-style wool rug by Matt Camron Rugs & Tapestries fosters a cozy milieu in the study off the primary bedroom. The vintage leather sofa is by Børge Mogensen for Fredericia. 5 A vintage pendant by Gaetano Sciolari for Stilnovo illuminates a Tulip table by Saarinen for Knoll in the light-filled breakfast area. The artwork is by Caitlin Teal Price, Tim Doud and Linn Meyers (from top to bottom). 6 Paired with a rosewood chest of drawers by George Nelson for Herman Miller and a stool by Pierre Chapo, a mixed media artwork by Ivàn Navarro enlivens the stairway and upstairs hallway. 7 In the guest suite, stylish white glass table lamps by Vico Magistretti for Oluce through DWR cast warm pools of light on the vintage 1970s side tables flanking the walnut-and-cane bed by George Nelson. The vintage armchairs are by Pierre Jeanneret for Chandigarh.

diptych

Houck adds

foyer,

TRAVEL CV WITH CHRISTINA VALHOULI

Sculptural Identities

Dining chairs are chiseled from beech wood and contemporary sculpture doubles as furniture. Designers are creating pieces of art while artists are crafting cutting-edge designs. This is where the two worlds meet.

The Green O

The sublime and simplicity are perfectly in balance at the new all-inclusive Green O resort located near Western Montana’s Blackfoot River Valley. Surrounded by 37,000 acres of pristine wilderness, Green O is the adults-only sister property to the famed Resort at Paws Up.

With 12 unique cabins, referred to as Hauses, they share a pared-down, Scandinavianinspired design, incorporating wood and glass to make the most of the forest views. Some hauses are elevated, resembling modernist treehouses, while others are firmly on the ground with curved silhouettes. Each composition is meant to connect guests with nature. Interiors feature deep soaking tubs, fireplaces and heated granite floors.

The year-round activities are designed to unite mind, body and spirit with an aim for guests to reconnect with themselves as well as their partners. In more temperate weather, spa treatments take place in the Spa Town collection of tents. Guests can also enjoy a meditative yoga class or work up a sweat at the Huff-and-Puff Fitness Center. Other options include mountain biking, hiking, fly fishing or soaking up the scenery from a hot air balloon.

Executive Chef Brandon Cunningham creates distinctive cuisine served at the guestsonly Social Haus – the hub of the property. Each day, he and his team create a new eight- to nine-course tasting menu, highlighting local, seasonal produce.

And finally, what's in a name? The former owner of the land, Paul Greenough, would mark his sheep with a green painted “o,” bringing this experience full circle. thegreeno.com

For recipes and insight to Executive Chef Cunningham, visit aspiremetro.com/greenochef

ARMCHAIR

With its sculptural silhouette inspired by the 20th-century Art Nouveau movement, the Contourline II armchair by Bodo Sperlein pushes the boundaries of traditional furniture making. Handcrafted in the UK using the most innovative, modern techniques, each chair takes a week to produce. Available in black walnut, oak, beech, and an engineering-grade timber. bodosperlein.com

– SAMANTHA EMMERLING

Dan Goldberg Photography

Cod & Alliums

The Tree Haus

Spa Town

Stuart Thurlkill

Stuart Thurlkill

STORAGE UNIT

Inspired by a traditional Mexican toy, the Maroma modular storage unit makes a creative game of storing your belongings. The piece’s asymmetrical compartments are tied together by straps that allow them to rotate on two axes and let the user make their own configurations. Designed by Daniel Romero from Pirwi, the award-winning design house and Robert Allen’s newest brand. robertallendesign.com

PRIVACY WALL

In this three-dimensional decorative wall panel, geometric arabesques crafted of white Carrara marble are layered and overlapped to create a dynamic kaleidoscopic pattern. Named Monreale, the design conjures up the idea of the blending of Arab and European cultures in the historic town. Designed by Elena Salmistraro for Lithea (2018) lithea.it

WALLPAPER

As an homage to Brutalism, Or.nami’s new Still Life wallpaper range exhibits all the power, geometry and heft befitting of the style. Designs in the collection are by intent quite large in scale but can be customized as needed. The wallpaper is available printed on vinyl backers or on pure silk backing. Designed by Gabriella Fusillo. ornami.it

Sculptural Identities

TABLE

Crafted from red oak and natural stone, this extraordinary table by Korean artist Choi Byung Hoon blurs the lines between furniture and sculpture. On view at the end of March at the PAD Paris fair at Laffanour / Downtown Gallery Paris, the table is to be shown alongside works from past design luminaries including Charlotte Perriand and Pierre Jeanneret. galeriedowntown.com

Showcased in Magda Danysz’s Gallery exhibition in Paris in 2018, de Castelbajac’s vibrant, abstract Mickey Mouse painting is displayed over a drawing his sons created in collaboration with artist Keith Haring in his office.

Surrounded by his creations and work of past collaborators, famed designer and artist Jean-Charles DE Castelbajac conjures up innovative, forward-looking designs in his 23rd Paris apartment

MOON INTUITION EMOTIONS CHANGE

PROGRESS INNOVATION

(associated with angel number 23 in numerology)

PARIS FRANCE

Celebrities such as Madonna, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry have been photographed wearing Jean-Charles de Castelbajac’s often-irreverent designs, which include dresses emblazoned with Barack Obama’s visage and coats made of sewn-together blankets, teddy bears and plush Kermit the Frog toys. “My style is composed of a huge energy of curiosity,” he explains.

Currently the artistic director of the United Colors of Benetton men’s and women’s collection, de Castelbajac, who is affectionately known as JC/DC, also lends his creative vision to a wide array of products from skateboards to automobiles, home furnishings and fine art – all distinguished by the primary colors he so adores. “We are in a world where everything is possible,” he states, noting the line between fashion, art and home design has evaporated. “I surf on the wave of all the generations.”

De Castelbajac conjures many of his creations at home, which he shares with his wife, Pauline de Drouas, and their nearly three-year-old daughter. For the past few years, they have resided in a spacious, light-filled apartment in a 19th-century building in Paris’ 17th arrondissement – his 23rd home in the city. “Each apartment was like the scene of a new theater,” he confesses. “A sentimental shelter.”

This artistic vignette includes a drum set de Castelbajac designed for Asba in 2019 and a plush donkey head that was used in Nelly Kaplan’s cult film, Plaisir d’amour. (Below) Tall floor lamps by Gaetano Pesce flank a baseball glove chair by Depas and D’urbino, circa 1980, in the light-filled living area. (Opposite) Occupying nearly an entire wall, a graphic painting by de Castelbajac enlivens his wife Pauline’s light-filled office.

Illuminated by an original Noguchi pendant lamp, the living area is filled with treasured pieces that include paintings by Oda Jaune (left), and Alfredo Martinez (right) – Basquiat’s first assistant – and an original print by Diane Arbus. The vibrant area rug was created by de Castelbajac in 1991.

The self-described nomad was instantly drawn to the third-floor unit’s high ceilings and windows that face every direction, admitting natural daylight that changes throughout the day. Equally important, “There are no ghosts,” he notes. “In Paris, the vibration of the past is powerful, but this place is free and totally inspiring, a good place for creativity.”

Rendered in white walls, the space is a gallerylike backdrop for his own creations alongside art and design by luminaries such as Diane Arbus, David Shrigley and August Sander. “It’s an emotional crossroads,” he explains. “To create, I need to be surrounded by the vibration of the emulation of the experience that I had before.”

Indeed, since he exploded into the cultural zeitgeist in the 1970s, the iconic French nobleman, fashion designer and artist has collaborated with a veritable Who’s Who of renowned artists, including provocateurs like Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Robert Mapplethorpe. “I love to work with people who have a different vision from mine, because it’s a way of bringing danger and excitement into creativity,” he describes.

De Castelbajac designed not only the multicolored, striped area rug but also the bold-hued pillows on the mismatched sofas – just a few of his many creations throughout. “Most of the apartment is a manifesto,” he admits. “A mirror.”

While he has always maintained a presence in Paris, he’s pondering a change of scenery for his next home, envisioning a more spacious abode and separate artist factory in the suburbs, a sort of retreat for his family and friends to gather at and play. “The secret to never getting old is to have fun,” he states. “That’s why my life is vibrant.”

De Castelbajac’s office is filled with pieces he has created, including a chair on which he painted an angel. Seated on a chair by Ettore Sottsass, de Castelbajac holds a pair of wings he designed in homage to his past friend and collaborator Keith Haring.

An armchair de Castelbajac designed in collaboration with Christian Ghion, underneath a painting by Chris Johanson.

QUIET RIOT

ABOVE: AN EXQUISITELY DETAILED, WALL-MOUNTED, MIXED MEDIA ARTWORK BY TADASHI KAWAMATA. OPPOSITE: THIS ANGULAR, FIGURATIVE SCULPTURE IS BY FRENCH ARTIST XAVIER VEILHAN. BLACK SABBATH IS ONE OF BERTHIER’S FAVORITE BANDS; HE TRAVELED TO BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, TO SEE THEIR LAST CONCERT IN 2017 AND HAS A GUITAR IN HIS COLLECTION THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY OWNED BY BLACK SABBATH’S CO-FOUNDER, TONY IOMMI. THE CHAIN SEEN HERE WAS INCLUDED IN A LIMITED-EDITION BOX SET BY THE BAND.

TEXT ROBYN ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY GREG COX PRODUCTION SVEN ALBERDING

ARCHITECT FREDERIC BERTHIER’S PARIS APARTMENT COMBINES STRONG NOTES OF RESTRAINT WITH ARTISTIC DESIGN TO BEAUTIFUL AND REFRESHING EFFECT

PARIS, FRANCE

Step from the bustling Paris streets into architect Frederic Berthier’s apartment and you are immediately treated to a master class in contrast. The elegantly proportioned, calm-inducing spaces are a world away from the intense energy of Le Marais, instantly transporting one into a realm of luminous quiet, a place where one can recharge their batteries. Yet here, quietness is never boring –rather, it has a great deal to say.

Berthier and his partner, Emma Alves, had previously lived in the sixth arrondissement and were looking for a home in that area when he fortuitously discovered this one in Marais, a location that suits the couple and is “close to the Seine, which I love.” The apartment, on the other hand, was “a total ruin” – abandoned for some years and a warren of too-small rooms utterly lacking in charm.

Berthier’s vision for the apartment was clear to him from the outset. “My main idea,” he explains, “was that when it was complete, we would feel that the apartment had been this way for centuries –and that we arrived with just a few items of furniture and artwork, like the first owners did 300 years ago.” Of course, that classic appeal also needed to be matched by (largely invisible) modern comforts: underfloor heating, air conditioning, home automation, doubleglazed windows and soundproofing.

Though Berthier has worked with a number of famous architects, he lists Philippe Starck as “my real mentor.” Like Starck, he prefers “shelter – we say cabane in French – to palaces.” Where he differs from Starck, however, is in the fact that “I like quiet design, because I design mostly houses.”

ABOVE: AN ART-AND-MUSIC-THEMED VIGNETTE IN THE LIVING ROOM. THE MONOCHROME PALETTE IS WARMED BY WOODEN ELEMENTS AND A COIR RUG. THE FRAKÉ WOOD COFFEE TABLE WAS DESIGNED BY BERTHIER, AND THE GRAY ARMCHAIR IS A VINTAGE PIECE HE HAD REWORKED FOR THE SPACE. THE WOODEN SCULPTURE ON THE WHITE PLINTH IS BY MATHIEU NAB. THE ACOUSTIC GUITAR IS A CLASSIC VINTAGE MARTIN D-35. PIERRE JEANNERET WOOD-AND-CANE BOX CHAIRS. THE LARGE MONOCHROME ABSTRACT PAINTING IS BY JOHNNY ABRAHAMS. BENEATH IT ON THE SHELF IS A CLASSIC WHITE ATOLLO GLASS TABLE LAMP BY VICO MAGISTRETTI FOR OLUCE.

One of the key benefits of this “quietness” is that it “highlights the beauty of the elements of nature that I put into the spaces,” he describes. From the ebony plinth alongside the living room sofa to the bold cedar tree trunk that forms the base of the dining table and the items of furniture made from rosewood, Berthier’s love of exquisite woods is very evident.

Natural stone is another favorite material. “It’s absolutely amazing that in nature you can find a white marble as perfect as Thassos,” Berthier exclaims. In addition to the exquisite slab of black-veined white Panda marble used for the dining table, polished stone is used extensively in the bathroom as well as the kitchen.

Other design influences include Berthier’s love of art and books, which come together beautifully in the living room. Here, a black, wall-spanning bookshelf – packed with art and architecture books – is enfolded on its two sides by panels in the same matte-black finish. Berthier’s inspiration for this came from the Rothko Chapel

in Houston, Texas, where the abstract artist created a series of blackon-black panels that are mainly displayed in triptych.

Asked about his choice of artworks for the apartment, Berthier recognizes that his selections are based more on instinct than anything else: “Sometimes it’s because I feel the work of the artist is close to what I’m looking for in my own; sometimes it’s the exact opposite.” He lists Claude Monet, Rothko and minimalist artists such as the sculptor Donald Judd as among his favorites, but he also has a great fondness for “artists from the French figuration libre movement of the 1980s.”

In the end, the apparent contradiction here – between Berthier’s predilection toward minimalism and his great affection for its exuberant opposites – turns out not to be paradoxical at all. Because he is able to balance these elements, an overall quietness of design is perfectly complemented by the importance accorded to the spirit of the objects and artworks that animate and enliven every space.

ABOVE LEFT: THE ELEMENTAL DINING ROOM TABLE IS A SHOWSTOPPER: IT’S MADE UP OF A THICK, SQUARE SLAB OF POLISHED PANDA MARBLE PLACED ATOP A TRUNK OF CEDAR WOOD AND WAS DESIGNED BY BERTHIER FOR THE SPACE. THE CONTRASTINGLY CURVACEOUS INDOCHINE DINING CHAIRS ARE A 1943 DESIGN BY CHARLOTTE PERRIAND FOR CASSINA. ABOVE THE TABLE HANGS A STRIKING COPPER LH ARTICHOKE LIGHT BY POUL HENNINGSEN FOR LOUIS POULSEN, AND IN THE ALCOVE, A SCULPTURE BY MATHIEU NAB IS DISPLAYED. DRAWINGS IN WHITE FRAMES BY DONALD JUDD. RIGHT: THE SLEEK, MINIMALIST KITCHEN WAS DESIGNED BY BERTHIER AND IS SITUATED OFF THE DINING ROOM. THE COUNTERTOPS ARE MADE FROM BLACK GRANITE, AND THE ARTWORK IS BY FRENCH FIGURATION LIBRE ARTIST ROBERT COMBAS.

ABOVE: THE BEDROOM BLENDS TRANQUILITY AND SIMPLICITY WITH SUBTLE TEXTURE — AND A FLASH OF COLOR, COURTESY OF THE ROYAL BLUE BED COVER. MOUNTED ON THE WALL IS A 1941 DROP-LEAF VANITY CABINET BY DANISH DESIGNERS TOVE AND EDVARD KINDTLARSEN, AND THE ARTWORK ON THE WALL IS A DESIGN DRAWING BY PHILIPPE STARCK, GIVEN TO BERTHIER “WHEN WE WERE IN LAS VEGAS TOGETHER.”

LANGUAGE – EVEN ONE’S MOTHER TONGUE –IS NEVER EASY TO MASTER, AND THE WAY WE USE IT TO DEFINE WHAT WE SEE IS OFTEN HIGHLY SUBJECTIVE.

JUST SO

Śmidzięcino, Poland

TEXT THOMAS CONNORS PHOTOGRAPHY MARCIN GRABOWIECKI / ALICJA T. STYLIST ELIZA MROZIŃSKA

C“ozy,” though it can range from an old school cabin in the woods to a city apartment done up in Grandmillennial style, is pretty well understood. Charm is something else. One might say charm is the thinking person’s cozy. Case in point? Iza Przepiórska’s getaway in the Polish countryside.

Sweetly situated and utterly bucolic – the nearest tiny town is six miles away, and Przepiórska has but one neighbor – her second home is a former schoolhouse built in the 1920s. The property was in sad shape when this advertising creative first saw it. But as it was situated in the Drawskie Lake District, surrounded by hills, meadows and beech forest – and far closer to her Warsaw home than the vacation places she had been renting in France and Spain – she signed on. Working without an architect and supervising the project herself, Przepiórska set about redoing the interior, searching out old doors and hardware, demolishing a wall, bricking up a doorway and relocating the kitchen and bathroom. She also went to work on the garden, cleaning up the pond, ripping out a jungle of weeds and planting trees and lilac bushes.

Cozy is often conjured through a keen attention to purely decorative detail, a love of little bits and bobs. Nostalgia often plays a role, and rooms are frequently arranged to tell a story. Charm is more straightforward, less self-conscious. The charm of Przepiórska’s redbrick retreat lies in its seeming effortlessness. There is clearly an eye at work here, and a sense of proportion pervades these spaces. But no indication of great aesthetic exertion, no impressive effort of calculation. A pail is a pail. A pew is a bench. A farmhouse table and a motley collection of bentwood chairs looks so wonderfully serviceable. Paired with a rather rustic wingback chair, two vaguely Scandinavian armchairs set fireside come off as a place to sit, not a midcentury moment.

To outfit her bucolic getaway, Przepiórska brought a few pieces from her city apartment, then trawled the internet and made the rounds of local – and not so local – flea markets and antique stores. One of her favorite finds is a bathtub manufactured more than a century ago. She discovered it at an antique store 250 miles away. “And I had to arrange to transport it to a restoration expert at the other end of Poland,” describes Przepiórska. “This was expensive, but it was worth it. It’s beautiful. And it holds heat for a long time.” A local carpenter built her bed from beams lying in the attic. A chest of drawers in the living room came from a friend, and most of the paintings in the house are the work of another friend, the Gdańsk-born artist Leszek Skurski.

As with people, charm in a home comes quietly. Unlike the hale fellow well met, it doesn’t grab your hand and clap you on the back or speak too animatedly or dare you not to be spellbound. Emanating from every corner, it slowly envelops one. It doesn’t declaim or assert, it operates free of big gestures. Przepiórska’s home charms, but it was not designed to charm. And that is charm itself.

“I’m a designaholic,”

jokes Claudia Pignatale, founder of the now internationally renowned gallery, Secondome. “I try to mix all the things that I love in one project.”

Her self-styled aesthetic, “mix and match with a touch of color,” certainly rings true for her home, but also for Secondome. Located in the heart of Rome, Italy, just a few blocks from the Tiber River, Pignatale opened the doors to her gallery/workshop in 2006 to elevate emerging designers and artists, particularly those who create limitededition pieces in an old-world, artisanal fashion. The result? Objets d’art swathed in a contemporary whimsy.

ODDITIES & CURIOSITIES

TEXT KAITLIN CLARK PHOTOGRAPHY SERENA ELLER

Italian designer and gallery curator Claudia Pignatale layers her home in bold colors, surprising shapes and a lot of personality

“I’m curious, like a monkey,” explains Pignatale, who fancies the projects of fellow Italian Gio Ponti – calling his coffee table tome her bible – as well as the interiors of French architect India Mahdavi.

“I like to travel, and I travel a lot for work. You can find inspiration everywhere, but the first inspiration for me comes from the building,” she describes. “I usually do projects with art and design together, and as the master says, ‘The stronger material is art. ’ ”

For Pignatale’s own home, lots of color and joie de vivre sensibility peeks out at every turn, highlighting her philosophy that the mind follows the energy of the room. “You’ve got to see cheerful designs and colors to be cheerful yourself,” she states. Take, for instance, her living room: A floor-to-ceiling and nearly wall-to-wall bookcase

adorned with books, pottery and sculptural accents grounds the room, with an asymmetrical loveseat resting in front and three punchy coffee tables of varying heights and shapes capping the little sun-drenched nook.

These streaks of abundant sunlight are the most crucial design element, not only in this room but also throughout the entire home. “It is the most important thing you can find in interiors,” Pignatale explains. “When the light changes, the perception of the room changes. Every space is a mix of light, nature, view and what you put in to be in harmony with those elements.”

Unafraid of a bright hue or a playful piece of décor, like the nearly life-size, ocean-blue penguin that lords over the kitchen, Pignatale’s style is, above all, fearlessly fun. “It’s a beautiful, colorful world, not a black-and-white world,” she affirms, “even if I wear black and white myself.”

Guild Award

The jaunty powder room is tiled in Tierra y Fuego’s Eight Point Star Mudejar and Cross.

A corridor leading to the children’s lounge, where the clients’ armchair was reupholstered in veldt and paired with a Hem All Wood walnut stool.

TEXT THOMAS CONNORS PHOTOGRAPHY MARK SCHWARTZ INTERIOR DESIGN KRISTEN EKELAND, PRINCIPAL , STUDIO GILD

A companionable mix of pieces grace the great room, including a Dmitriy & Co Kessel sofa, New Works Covent lounge chairs and a Danny Kaplan lamp.

"LINEN, MOHAIR, WOOL AND COTTON TRIUMPHED OVER SYNTHETIC FIBERS."

A

sow’s ear, if you really look at it, has a beauty all its own. Big, floppy and expressive. It’s a wonder it was ever conscripted for that old saw with the silk purse. At least to anyone who sees a certain charm in the porcine form. And while that old proverb often holds true, like a rule, it was meant to be broken.

Such was the case for a Texas couple when they spotted a lessthan-stellar Spanish contemporary home on a great site in West Lake Hills, Texas. Six miles outside of downtown Austin and offering a view of the city skyline across hilly terrain, the property was the right size for a family of four. But its windows weren’t properly scaled to encompass the vista, and any number of details — including heavy-handed wrought-iron light fixtures and cheap ceiling fans in nearly every room — had to go. Turning to Studio Gild, a design firm with offices in Chicago and Los Angeles, the homeowners transformed what others may have seen as a pig in a poke into a place of captivating simplicity.

Outfitted with a lot of dark wood and heavy beams, the house struck a rustic pose, one more ersatz than authentic. To deliver on their clients’ desire for a lighter, more California-inspired look, the design team took hammer and crowbar to the place while maintaining much of the original layout. “The coarse, synthetic stucco walls were replaced with drywall and Portola’s Roman Clay organic gypsum plaster,” describes Kristen Ekeland, Principal, Studio Gild. “To infuse a feeling of calm and unity throughout, the palette was limited to natural oak flooring and millwork and soft white paint colors, such as Farrow & Ball’s Shaded White. To add warmth and age, burnished brass and oil-rubbed bronze became the metal of choice for all hardware and decorative lighting.”

STUDIO GILD

AUSTIN,TEXAS

In the sunlit library, vintage Platner lounge chairs huddle up with a Stahl + Band Lehm cocktail table.

While Ekeland’s clients appreciated the general flow of the home’s central spaces and high ceilings, they still felt the need to wrestle certain areas into shape. With no proper foyer to speak of, the designers commandeered some of the exterior entryway and created an entry hall suffused with natural light. An orphan space on the ground floor, outlined by a curved ceiling supported by nondescript columns, was utterly reimagined. “Our challenge was to bring purpose to the space,” explains Ekeland. “After numerous iterations, the winning plan required removing the clunky ceiling, enclosing the columns in drywall and installing shelves and a console. Now an actual room, the space was named the Library and has become home to our client’s vintage Warren Platner lounge chairs, coffee table books and pottery collection.”

The homeowners wanted a house that would read as “impressive but comfortably casual,” an effect Ekeland achieved through the judicious orchestration of color and material and the relationships she established between each space. “Linen, mohair, wool and cotton triumphed over synthetic fibers,” notes Ekeland. “Reflecting the brush of the surrounding hillside, green accents were added. A wild veining of sober green Calacatta envelopes the free-standing tub in the primary bathroom. Verdigris brass vanity legs support the powder room sink.” A curved bar just off the entry hall announces a commitment to hospitality and leads one to the great room, where floor-to-ceiling windows frame an expansive terrace and the landscape beyond. Instead of a formal dining room, the kitchen features a large corner banquette; big dinner parties are hosted outside.

Throughout the house, relatively simple strategies provided big benefits. Rather than remove or reorient the great room’s awkward, diagonally-set fireplace, Ekeland stripped its stone cladding and changed its profile with an application of plaster laid on in a gentle curve. This feature now comes off as a part of the conversation, rather than an introvert wedged weirdly in the corner. And the office/den, the terminus of the primary bedroom corridor, is painted in Dunn-Edwards Black Pool, which generates an almost volumetric contrast to the home’s lightly hued rooms.

The views from this house were always a big part of its appeal. The low green hills in the distance gave it a distinct sense of place. Now, the house itself possesses a sense of place, a sense of home this family can truly call their own.

( Opposite ) The multifunctional kitchen island is made of white oak and Calacatta Chiara dolomite. A mix of color and materials – blackened walnut dining table, Thomas Hayes Basic dining chairs and Design of the Time Urunga on the banquette – give the kitchen/dining area real personality. ( Below ) The entry is furnished with a custom lacquered console, STUDIOTWENTYSEVEN Baba Chair by Emmanuelle Simon, and Michael Anastassiades' Beauty Mirror.

Color Zeal

lead an unabashed, colorful life

TEXT JORGE S. ARANGO PHOTOGRAPHY MONICA SPEZIA INTERIORS DALILA FORMENTINI + SEAN SHANAHAN

Dalila Formentini + Sean Shanahan

Writing to a friend after beholding a particularly colorful spring day, the poet Rainer Maria Rilke observed, “If it were voices instead of colors, there would be an unbelievable shrieking into the heart of the night.” Entering this residence in Lake Como, the casa padronale of a 17th-century farm that was converted in the 19th century into a silk factory, he might have been tempted to quote himself.

The floor in the entry is bubble-gum pink. To the left, a drawing room sports a floor and wall painted with a checkered pattern of turquoise and violet rectangles. The furniture in this space is mostly candy-apple red. The wall behind a mammoth, original fireplace in a sitting room is deep emerald, while another sitting room features shamrock-hued walls and wide windowsills awash in more turquoise. A guest room is profoundly tangerine. And so on ...

In fact, Rilke might have appreciated that the riot of color actually represents a kind of key to the moods of the residents, Italian designer Dalila Formentini and the painter Sean Shanahan. It is also an expression of Shanahan’s deep respect for the power of color in his art. “The house has changed color many times,” admits Formentini. “It is like a palette for changing moods. One time soft and romantic, another, more combative. There is no single ambition to make the house a vehicle for one emotion.”

( Opposite ) Giancarlo Mattioli’s 1967 Nesso table lamp for Artemide on a nightstand in an all-orange guest room. The painting on the wall was made by Shanahan in the late 1990s. ( This page ) The pink-floored entry leads to a room featuring a checker of turquoise and violet rectangles

(“One of the first things we did,” states Shanahan. “The house grew around it.”)

LAKE COMO, ITALY

In many ways, Shanahan’s work is a kind of spiritual exploration of color. His monochromatic paintings on MDF emerge over many hours of weton-wet layering of oil paint. “At first it’s sort of skating on the surface,” he explains. “Then it’s swimming in the surface,” a transition he describes as “when color becomes substance.” The paintings are manifestations of pure hue coming into being, which accounts for their extraordinary existential volume and the sense of depth they convey.

That is also why, he explains, “there are lots of velvet surfaces in the house. If I had my way, everything would be boiled velvet. The color is not on the surface; it’s in the surface.” Ergo the red velvet chairs in the drawing room by their friend, architect Luigi Caccia Dominioni, the lilac velvet pillows in the orange guest room, the green slipper chair in the shamrock-colored room, or the persimmon velvet sofa in the living room.

B&B Italia’s lime Le Bambole Bibambola sofa coexists with an African throne and woven African stools in another sitting room. In the window are totems made of stacked spools found on the former silk factory property. Shanahan’s violet diptych dominates the living room, which also includes a midcentury persimmon velvet sofa from his old studio, an Artemide lamp and Formentini tables.

( Opposite ) The drawing room brings together paintings by Ettore Spalletti, red seating by Luigi Caccia Dominioni, a Gerrit Rietveld chair and tables by Formentini. ( Left ) In the kitchen, over a Formentini table and Bellini Cab chair, hangs a corno napolitano, an Italian folkloric talisman believed to bring good luck. The antique coffee set features portrait medallions. ( Below ) A black painting by homeowner Sean Shanahan and an African stool paired with Hans J. Wegner chairs in the summer dining room.

Color is, quite simply, the raison d’être of this home and its primary vehicle of decoration. There are objects too, of course. “My tables and beds are used in our house and are mixed with 16th- and 17th-century furniture,” describes Formentini. “Everything is together. I find that if it’s beautiful, most things sit happily with each other.”

The couple completely renovated the house a decade ago, using a light hand. “We didn’t turn it into a house by Hugo Boss,” jokes Shanahan. “Whatever could be kept, we kept. We fixed what we could and made whatever couldn’t be fixed.”

Furnishing the place was easy, he adds, because “when we got married, we were like the unification of Berlin – two opera houses, two theaters, two train stations. If I had one of everything, Dalila had three.” The furniture is eclectic: a Le Bambole Bibambola sofa from B&B Italia, Bellini Cab chairs, African wood and woven seating, Italian lighting and the Dominioni pieces. Except for some Hans J. Wegner chairs in the uncharacteristically all-white summer dining room, notes Shanahan, “Northern European modernism doesn’t work in our house at all.”

They also acquired art from friends who, like Shanahan, are part of the famous minimalist Panza Collection in Varese. These include Vincenzo Agnetti, Anne Appleby, Mario Schifano and Ettore Spalletti. Shanahan’s own works, much to his chagrin, also grace various walls in the home. “To live with my own art is almost a punishment. I’ve never lived with it until Dalila insisted on hanging it on the walls.”

All this pure, saturated color somehow finds its reason and logic. “Color is the non-Cartesian element in our rationale,” believes Formentini, presumably referring to the dualist theories of French philosopher-scientist René Descartes. “It confounds, adds mystery, provides emotion.” Not, perhaps, what everyone craves. But exactly what nourishes the muses of the home’s owners.

( Opposite ) The emerald sitting room with original floor and fireplace. The subtle pattern on the mantel is derived from one of Shanahan’s drawings. ( Below ) Porcelain pieces from the 14th through 17th centuries are arrayed above a cabinet in a room where the fireplace wall boasts a pattern created by Shanahan.

“My tables and beds are used in our house and are mixed with 16th- and 17th-century furniture,” describes Formentini. “Everything is together. I find that if it’s beautiful, most things sit happily with each other.”

When boutique owner and collector Emmanuel de Bayser outgrew his former Paris apartment – a pied-à-terre used mainly when he was in town to attend fashion weeks and select items for the Corner Berlin, his store in Berlin – he and his partner knew they wanted to stay in the same part of the city.

“The previous apartment was a bit small, since we intended to spend more time in Paris,” de Bayser explains. “But I liked the Parc Monceau area, so I was very pleased when I found this apartment just 200 meters from where we were before.” This part of Paris, he adds, is “pure Haussmannian style” and features many of the hôtels particuliers (grand townhouses) that are so typical of the 19th-century city planner’s designs. “This Paris, and what it offers – architecture, monuments, museums, galleries, restaurants, shops – is a permanent source of inspiration.”

HAUSSMANNIAN DEVIL

THE CLASSIC DETAILS OF AN HAUSSMANNIAN APARTMENT WITH BOUTIQUE OWNER AND COLLECTOR EMMANUEL de BAYSER

Situated on the étage noble, the coveted second floor of a Haussmann-style building, the apartment came complete with three-meter-high ceilings, classic wooden paneling and beautifully detailed interior moldings. Walk up the stone stairway, complete with wrought-iron banisters and adorned with carved elements, then pass through the doorway of de Bayser’s apartment into a spacious entrance hall, and you are drawn into a veritable cocoon of elegance.

All the original wainscoting and wall paneling, the triple-height interior doors and the wooden skirtings and cornices are perfectly preserved, painted plain white against walls in a slightly warmer, creamier shade, which has the effect of subtly emphasizing and celebrating their refined visual appeal. Floors are mainly original oak parquet, topped by large natural coir rugs. And similarly, the window coverings are luxurious yet minimal: cream ceiling-to-floor curtains and, where required, plain white, semitransparent window blinds for additional privacy.

And yet, what takes these interiors to another level is not the urbane appeal of the “bones” of the building or the sublime simplicity of the backdrop created by floors, windows and walls. Rather, it’s the fact that all of this functions as a supremely elegant frame for the eclectic and very chic furniture, objects and contemporary art that catch and hold de Bayser’s discerning eye.

Asked about his favorite room in the apartment, de Bayser says he enjoys them all but does admit to a special penchant for “the entrance hall, because when I open the main entrance door, it is what I see as I immediately feel at home and safe.”

TEXT ROBYN ALEXANDER PHOTOGRAPHY GREG COX PRODUCTION SVEN ALBERDING INTERIOR DESIGN EMMANUEL de BAYSER

1

In the living space, a red occasional chair by Jean Royère and a yellow wingback chair by Danish architect Flemming Lassen face a pair of cream armchairs. The wooden chair is by Alexandre Noll, and the stone torso is an ancient Roman piece. The small statue of a horse is by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone. 2

The living space (opposite wall) includes the white standing lamp by French designer Pierre Paulin and a red, black and yellow artwork by German painter Günther Förg. The round metal occasional table by Rick Owens is topped with a Georges Jouve ceramic piece. 3

The front door opens onto a spacious entrance hall at the far end of which a stone console table by French architect Joseph Dirand is topped with a table lamp by Georges Jouve. On the wall above the table are three sunburst mirrors by French midcentury jeweller Line Vautrin. 4

A carved plaster floor lamp by French midcentury artist and designer Serge Roche contrasts with a blue and white cylinder artwork by contemporary sculptor Anish Kapoor; the small figurative painting to its right is by Swiss artist Miriam Cahn.

5

The library is filled with bright, bold color, with part of Emmanuel’s huge collection of books lining one wall. The vintage Standard table and chair are by French modernist designer Jean Prouvé, and the charming Oeuf (Egg) occasional chair is by French designer Jean Royère. The table lamp is by Georges Jouve, as are the white (on the bookshelf), lime green and orange ceramic pieces; the blue vase is by French modernist ceramicist Suzanne Ramie. The gold fish on the bookshelf is by Francois-Xavier Lalanne. 6

The bedroom features a number of very special vintage furniture pieces, including a Jean Royère armchair upholstered in old green velvet. On the small side table is a white lamp by French artist André Borderie, the bronze mask above is by British artist Thomas Houseago. 7

The breakfast nook, adjacent to the kitchen is furnished with a pair of vintage Chandigarh armchairs by Swiss modernist designer Pierre Jeanneret. The round table is by Francesco Balzano, the artwork on the wall is by French artist Camille Henrot and the ceramics are by Georges Jouve. 8

In the dining room, the granite-topped table and Standard chairs are all by French modernist designer Jean Prouvé. The wall-mounted adjustable lamp is a midcentury design by Serge Mouille, the vintage wall-mounted shelf is by Charlotte Perriand, and the ceramic pieces on the table with interior glazing are by Georges Jouve.

Establishing Shots

TEXT PAUL HAGEN PHOTOGRAPHY FRANCESCO DOLFO PRODUCTION ROBERTA SARCHI

Vintage car lovers Eka and Phedon tracked down this 1970s BMW, once owned by baseball great Sandy Koufax, in Boise, Idaho.

The high shelf in Phedon’s office allows him to display his slates, souvenirs from some of the many films on which he’s worked.

This arresting nude – another film set find – keeps watch over the primary bedroom. “Some people say, ‘Oh, she’s not nice,’ ” relates Eka, “but I like it. She reminds me of someone.”

Eka loves to cook but prefers easy access to company when entertaining. “I like a social kitchen,” she explains.

To create a gift for Phedon, Eka participated in the cutting and bending of this rocking chair from idiosyncratic furniture designer Gregg Fleishman.

Another Fleishman chair – this one made from just two interlocked pieces of wood – sits under the watchful gaze of Eka’s dad in a photo from a Georgian film.

Perfecting the home of an international family whose lives are suffused with a love of cinema

How does a couple who hails from Tbilisi, Georgia and Athens, Greece end up making a home in the shadow of LA’s famed Hollywood Sign? The story involves the area’s signature industry: film. Award-winning cinematographer Phedon Papamichael owned this California home before his wife, designer Eka Papamichael, relocated here in 2005. “When I moved in, it was more like a bachelor’s pad,” Eka recalls. She wanted to keep Phedon’s spirit in the home, which was filled with his collection of film memorabilia, while also giving it “a little guidance” to accommodate their growing family’s lifestyle.

Eka began by enlarging the primary bedroom and second-floor balcony surrounds. Below, guests can pass from the fabulous pool area through a space that was once a child’s playroom. Today, it hosts some of the home’s mélange of treasured art and furnishings, which includes chairs by noted designer Gregg Fleishman, who famously designs them sans nails or glue.

Above a desk, there’s also a larger-than-life image of a barrel-chested Georgian man hefting a huge vase; he is Eka’s father. The piece was a birthday gift to her from Phedon – one of the house’s many treasures that originally hailed from a film set. Her initial reaction was, “What am I going to do with a

giant photo of my father?” But she came to love it, and his passing lent it even greater importance.

The wall surrounding the home’s hearth is appealingly dense with art by Eka, Phedon, family and friends. It’s a trend that continues in the kitchen, which features visuals ranging from an illustration of the Greek alphabet to a painting by noted American painter and family friend F. Scott Hess of the red rock behind the family’s home in Greece. Hess also painted a beautiful portrait of Phedon that sits on an easel nearby. It’s an appropriately inviting collection for the guests that Eka likes gathering to tipple and nibble while she spices and sautés.

The house also has offices for Eka and Phedon and bedrooms for the kids – a lot for them to pack into a home. The family has discussed seeking something larger, but each time they do, their love of this place, from its oftused pool table area to its walls full of memories, convinces them to reconsider. “There’s a wonderful vibe as you walk into this house – you instantly become happy,” Eka explains. “So we want to keep it forever.”

That sounds like it’s a wrap.

“We love Belmondo,” notes Eka. So it’s appropriate that he looks on in a poster from the 1962 French crime film Le Doulos, among imagery from around the world.

TWO OF THE MANY PIECES IN VITALI’S COLLECTION, A 1960S-ERA SWEDISH CHANDELIER AND A VENETIAN GLASS-AND-BRASS FLOOR LAMP, SOFTLY ILLUMINATE THE FRONT FOYER.

MAXIMUM IMPACT

When his life partner, Luisa Vanzo, and their two children are away, Luca Vitali will often put on some music, wander the halls of their home in Milan and look at the many treasured pieces he has collected over the years. Unlike some antiques dealers, he has trouble letting certain pieces go. “It’s like being with all my friends,” he admits, noting they remind him of his past and prompt him to contemplate the future. “I’m a dreamer.”

Enchanted by its location in a particularly verdant part of the city – and its private garden – Vitali and Vanzo purchased the two-unit building in the late 2000s. Once housing a dance studio, it had large, distinct rooms that flowed into one another, an ideal setting for a mix of furnishings and artwork from different eras. Indeed, Vanzo describes Vitali as “an eclectic maximalist.” “Mixing things gives the space soul,” he adds. “All these things have their own beauty, their own strengths.”

DESCRIBED BY HIS LIFE PARTNER, LUISA VANZO, AS AN “ECLECTIC MAXIMALIST,” ANTIQUES DEALER LUCA VITALI SOMETIMES HAS TROUBLE LETTING THINGS GO

TEXT TATE GUNNERSON PHOTOGRAPHY HELENIO BARBETTA STYLIST CHIARA DAL CANTO INTERIORS LUISA VANZO and LUCA VITALI

In the living room, bold red walls create a powerful backdrop for antique oil paintings and a curvaceous blue Art Deco sofa and chair set designed by William Ulrich. On the other side of the room, a vintage chandelier illuminates a ’40s-era French dining table surrounded by a mix of chairs dating from the 16th century to the ’50s.

The lively medley of pieces flows into the adjacent studio, which can be closed off from the living area by sliding glass doors with prominent brass handles designed by Vitali. While the walls are neutral, a vibrant area rug, colorful throw pillows and a ’50s wingback armchair covered in emerald fabric energize the space. “Strong colors give me a nice feeling,” he explains. “It’s very cozy and nice to stay in.”

IN THE DINING AREA, A PURPLE VELVET ARMCHAIR FROM THE 1950S COEXISTS EASILY WITH AN ANTIQUE PIANO AND A FLOOR LAMP BY CARLO NASON FOR MURANO.

ILLUMINATED BY A 1940S-ERA CHANDELIER WITH ZODIAC SIGNS, THE VINTAGE FRENCH DINING TABLE IS SURROUNDED BY A MIX OF CHAIRS BY DESIGNERS SUCH AS OSVALDO BORSANI AND GIO PONTI.

PURCHASED BY VITALI AT A MOSCOW FLEA MARKET, A PAINTING OF THE FAMOUS RUSSIAN POET ALEXANDER PUSHKIN IS ONE OF THE MANY IMPORTANT ARTWORKS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE. THE 1960S-ERA ITALIAN BLOWN-GLASS LAMP IS BY DESIGNER CARLO NASON.

A MIRROR THAT BELONGED TO THE DANCE SCHOOL THAT FORMERLY OCCUPIED THE BUILDING REFLECTS THE ECLECTIC COLLECTION OF FURNISHINGS IN THE LIVING ROOM, WHICH INCLUDES A RED VELVET ARMCHAIR FROM THE ’40S AND A GLASS-AND-BRASS FLOOR LAMP BY GIO PONTI.

Indeed, dark blue walls enliven the entry foyer. And the spacious kitchen’s lime green walls foster a cheerful backdrop for Moroccan ceramics and a mix of artwork that includes a still life painting from Belgium.

Deferring to Vanzo’s more minimalist, modern aesthetic, Vitali let her take the lead on the lower level, which they recently transformed into a family room and bedrooms for the children. Made with light birch and accented by a bold red metal railing, the stairway leading downstairs includes storage and a bed niche.

Inspired by Malevič, the wardrobe wall in between the children’s bedrooms includes white, red and blue panels defined by an iron reveal. Wooden portals allow the children to interact while maintaining a sense of privacy, adding a touch of whimsy that the entire family appreciates. “Luisa is a little more practical and drawn to more modern works,” Vitali explains. “This place is a mix of both of us.”

While Vitali can’t imagine living without his treasured possessions, he sometimes feels overwhelmed by the sheer number of pieces, and he’s contemplating the idea of moving some of them to a new home he’s considering buying on a canal in Venice. Until then, he loves the atmosphere he and Vanzo have created here. “God is in the details,” he notes. “Every time people come here, there’s more to see.”

A ’20S-ERA GLASS CHANDELIER FLOATS OVER A TABLE AND MISMATCHED CHAIRS IN THE KITCHEN, WHICH IS DECORATED WITH MOROCCAN CERAMICS AND A MIX OF ARTWORK THAT INCLUDES A STILL LIFE PAINTING FROM BELGIUM. WOODEN SHELVES, SKIRTED UNDER-CABINET STORAGE AND LIME GREEN WALLS FOSTER A CASUAL FEELING IN THE LIGHT-FILLED KITCHEN.

INSPIRED BY MALEVIČ, THE WARDROBE WALL IN BETWEEN THE CHILDREN’S BEDROOMS INCLUDES WHITE, RED AND BLUE PANELS DEFINED BY AN IRON REVEAL. WOODEN PORTALS ALLOW THE CHILDREN TO INTERACT WHILE MAINTAINING A SENSE OF PRIVACY, ADDING A TOUCH OF WHIMSY THAT THE ENTIRE FAMILY APPRECIATES. “LUISA IS A LITTLE MORE PRACTICAL AND DRAWN TO MORE MODERN WORKS,” VITALI EXPLAINS. “THIS PLACE IS A MIX OF BOTH OF US.”

A BIRCH STAIRWAY WITH INTEGRATED SHELVING AND A BED-SIZED NICHE LEADS FROM THE FIRST FLOOR INTO THE RECENTLY RENOVATED LOWER LEVEL, WHICH INCLUDES A LOUNGE AND THE CHILDREN’S BEDROOMS.

LUISA VANZO’S DESIGN INFLUENCE IS REFLECTED ON THE LOWER LEVEL, WHERE A COLORFUL MALEVIČ-INSPIRED WARDROBE WALL WITH PORTAL-LIKE PUNCHOUTS ESTABLISH A MODERN MOMENT OF WHIMSY.

CITY BY THE BAY POWER PLAY

The owner of this Pacific Avenue condo lived in D.C. for years before packing up her traditional furniture and family memorabilia and moving to the City by the Bay.

“Making the space personal was very important,” explains designer Ashi Waliany of Cusp Interiors. “The homeowner is an avid traveler and wants to remember special places. She has also held on to heirloom pieces, like her great-grandmother’s desk and an antique dining room table.”

“We knew we wanted to bring an infusion of color and incorporate pieces by female artists,” Waliany adds. The energy investment COO and Waliany picked Powerlines Oscillate, the abstract painting in the dining room, and on the jewel-box powder room walls, botanical designs by decorative artist Caroline Lizarraga. The Totem paper sculpture in the living room was fashioned from the COO’s cherished college yearbook pages and suspended from the ceiling by artist Karen Hawkins, who drove from Austin, Texas to personally install it.

“This home is now fully infused with my client’s personality, passion, and style.” Applause for tactical strategy.

“In the living room, we kept everything quieter and let the sofa be the big, bold moment,” says the designer. The luscious, inviting seating in deep-green bouclé with jeweled undertones can seat many and is treated with a fabric protector in case of dip mishaps or wine spills. The white chairs are covered in a fluffy wool blend that “feels like you’re enveloped in a cloud.” A Rudin sofa, covered in Dedar fabric, is the power player in a field of neutrals. Swivel chair by Jean de Merry, fabric by The Vale London. Coffee table from Ferm Living. Artist Karen Hawkins' Totem paper sculpture.

TEXT ALICE GARBARINI HURLEY PHOTOGRAPHY BRAD KNIPSTEIN STYLING ALLEGRA HSIAO INTERIOR DESIGN ASHI WALIANY / CUSP INTERIORS

AN ENERGY INVESTMENT EXEC FINDS JOY IN A SOOTHING SPACE THAT HONORS HER FEMININITY AND PASSIONS

3The primary bedroom is an homage to a trip the owner took to Mombasa, the coastal city in Southeast Kenya along the Indian Ocean. “The room has that feeling of being someplace else,” shares Waliany, who likes mixing high and low pieces. “As in fashion, if you wear only one big brand, it’s overkill.” The CB2 bed is flanked by two exotic nightstands, while the rug is vintage. And the handpicked, embossed Big Croco wallpaper by Élitis has a faraway feel. Shams by Dedar. Lumbar pillow in Holly Hunt alpaca velvet. Rug from NIBA Designs.

2Decorative botanical painting on powder room walls by Caroline Lizarraga.

In the guest room/home office, a chenille-covered sleeper sofa sits opposite the owner’s keepsake desk from her great-grandmother. The lamp that looks like the bust of a woman is an Anthropologie find. Guest room/ home office wallpaper by Ralph Lauren (walls) and Phillip Jeffries (ceiling). Antique rug, Erin Lane Estate.

Even the kitchen has a pop of color: The ottomans at the breakfast bar can be pulled into the living room as needed for seating, and the pendant lights look like jewelry.

Los Angeles-based interior designer and artist Thomas Schoos’ work beckons the words “energetic, eccentric, avantgarde.” He suspends a swing at the foot of a bed, installs a powder room vanity inscribed with the word LUST and floats a pair of 6-feet-high by 5-feet-wide Swarovski Crystal chandeliers that are appointed with 800 fluffy Swiffer mopheads.

SWINGIN' austin, texas

TEXT NANCY A. RUHLING PHOTOGRAPHY CHASE DANIEL INTERIOR DESIGN THOMAS SCHOOS

Los Angeles-based interior designer and artist Thomas Schoos’ work beckons the words “energetic, eccentric, avant-garde.”

Jolts of strong color – every interior door of the three-bedroom penthouse is painted a different hue – act as exclamation points that signal the theme of each space. In the dining room, for instance, a pair of exuberant orange wingbacks are the center of conversation, and in the main living space, two chairs the color of green leaves add a serene note. Filled with artwork collected from around the country as well as custom pieces conjured by Schoos, the penthouse becomes a sculptural showpiece where everything, from the balls of the chandelier in the living room that are suspended by invisible fishing wire to the kitchen island whose bottom is illuminated, appears to be floating.

All is designed to foster the illusion. The hinges on the interior lacquered doors, for instance, are cleverly concealed, the wide-plank oak floors are honed to hush their presence and the caramel-color sofa in the living room is modular so sitters can see all the way around the space and embrace the concept of the house in the sky.

The primary suite, where the swing sways at the foot of the bed, is the focal point of the penthouse, the place where, much to Schoos’ surprise, everyone tends to gather.

And no wonder. In addition to the swing, there is a TV whose back doubles as a mirrored headboard for the bed and an elaborate Art Nouveau chandelier that Schoos turned into an illuminated ceiling sculpture. A trio of enormous sliding doors, adorned with larger-than-life photos of dancing women, separates it from the bath, which features a tub covered in linen fabric and an astounding view of downtown through a wall of glass.

The project, which took Schoos two and a half years to complete, is one of his favorites. “I don’t see it as daring at all,” he declares. “It is playful, but there’s a seriousness to it that makes it special, and it tells an adventurous story.”

IN THE ORANGE BEDROOM, A PAIR OF SWAROVSKI AND SWIFFER-MOP CHANDELIERS, DESIGNED BY SCHOOS, HANG 6 FEET 8 INCHES FROM THE FLOOR. IT TOOK FIVE DAYS TO ADD THE MOPHEADS.

1. THE FIREPLACE, WHICH SCHOOS DESCRIBES AS A TRIPTYCH, FEATURES A RECESSED HEARTH AND TV. THE JAPANESE PAINTING, OF A RAKED GARDEN, SEEMS TO BE FUSED INTO IT. 2. LEAF-GREEN WINGBACKS ADD A BIT OF COLOR TO THE MAIN LIVING AREA, WHOSE FOCAL POINT IS A MODULAR SOFA THAT ALLOWS 360-DEGREE VIEWS OF THE SPACE. 3. THE KITCHEN’S CABINETRY IS MADE OF RIFTCUT OAK, AND THE ISLAND, WHICH IS ILLUMINATED AROUND THE BOTTOM AND FEATURES BUILT-IN BURNERS, IS CLAD IN SHEETS OF CONCRETE. 4. THE POWDER ROOM’S WALLS ARE COVERED IN A SPIDERWEB DESIGN, AND THE VANITY SPELLS OUT “LUST.” 5. A TRIO OF SLIDING DOORS FEATURING PHOTOS OF WOMEN BY ERIC CECCARINI SEPARATES THE PRIMARY BEDROOM FROM THE BATH ACCENTED WITH CEILING-MOUNTED TOWEL BARS AND FAUCETS BY GESSI. 6. IN THE PRIMARY SUITE, A WOOD-CARVED AND LACQUERED CABINET, DESIGNED BY SCHOOS, HAS 4-INCH-THICK DOORS THAT ARE DECORATED WITH IMPRINTS OF FLOWERLIKE CRYSTALS. 7. THE PRIMARY SUITE BATHTUB IS COVERED IN LINEN BISBIS – “CARBON BATH FABRIC,” WALL TILES FROM ANN SACKS.

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

After a stint in Manhattan, a London-bred fashion pro lands in Brooklyn Light, natural light, is like water. Elemental and essential. But as it doesn’t come out of a tap or a bottle, it is not ours to control. Sometimes subtle, sometimes overpowering, sometimes barely present, it is a vital if unpredictable partner in any design scheme. Natural light can be elusive in the deep spaces of a Brooklyn brownstone, but you wouldn’t know that looking at the Fort Greene residence of Marysia Woroniecka, where kitchen, parlor and dining room can be awash in wonderful rays. It helps that the London-bred fashion publicist (she once represented the late Vivienne Westwood, among others) has chosen to envelop these with white-painted walls.

Rush chairs acquired at the Brooklyn Flea set an appropriately casual tone in the kitchen. Woroniecka picked up the fabric on the table during a trip to Kenya.

Along-time business partner of designer Maria Cornejo, Woroniecka moved to Brooklyn from a loft on 27th and Broadway in Manhattan. Although it was nice seeing the Empire State Building from her bedroom window, she grew weary of the hyper street scene. Her then-husband had lived previously in Fort Greene, so the couple headed across the river and started poking around for a home with a tad less urban energy swirling around it. “I fell in love with the neighborhood, and we eventually found this house – one of the smallest on the block, but one of the best blocks in the area.”

Although Woroniecka’s 19thcentury home is blessed with high ceilings, parquet flooring and decorative millwork, its previous owner (who lived to be 101) had resided there for over 40 years, so the place needed considerable attention, which included updating the electrical and plumbing and installing a new kitchen. They didn’t fuss much with the configuration of the spaces but did transform a closet into a powder room.

Variety is key, as evidenced by this gathering –an antique table and chair and a custom pier mirror by Lisa Vandy.

Working without an interior designer, Woroniecka has created a highly personal home, one that reads well done but not rigorously arranged. A testament to her fondness for flea markets, art galleries and singular shops, it is engagingly populated with a variety of furniture and objects, from a Fornasetti table lamp and a vase by artist Kara Walker to fabrics from Mombasa, Kenya and a photo of Charlie Watts by Enrique Badulescu.

Illumined by floor-to-ceiling windows, the parlor is alive with disparate pieces, including a low antique armchair, a metal-and-glass side table by Jasper Morrison, a vintage Azilal rug from Morocco and an African footstool.

ARegency-style side chair is partnered with a barley twist pedestal table. A humble kitchen cabinet of the 1930s is right at home in a spruced-up bathroom. The dining room is set with a table by Ilse Crawford for De La Espada and classic Norman Cherner chairs. A gilt rococo mirror – from her mother’s house in London – hangs above the original marble mantel in the parlor, and vintage Moroccan rugs are found upstairs and down.

But down the road, well, things may travel. “I feel comfortable living with things for a while and then not being afraid to move them around when a spot feels right,” relates Woroniecka, who has recently done a major rehanging of her art. “Once in a while, I decide that I need a new piece of furniture, but when it comes to art or decorative objects, it is always because I find something I love first and then find a spot for it.” And she has, beautifully.

An antique shaving mirror and colorful vases sit atop the sink in the primary bathroom. The tall cabinet previously sat in a kitchen. A vintage silk kimono hangs on the towel rack.

A landing serves as a gallery, with many images by Mark Borthwick. The blue-and-red runner came from a visit to Morocco.

TRENDY MEDIA CENTER

Designed with functionality and personal style in mind, this custom built-in media center is the focal point of this living room. The modern mix of classic black and white colors gives this design a dynamic, dramatic look to highlight all of their collectibles.

CALIFORNIA CLOSETS

BLACK AND WHITE BEAUTY

Luxurious and elegant, this high-end walk-in closet is luminous with our high-gloss white finish. This client provided their own personalized touches with their own hardware and unique wallpaper on the ceiling, making this closet pop.

With an eye for both style and function, California Closets provides innovative custom storage systems for all areas of the home. As the number one closet company in the industry, our high-quality storage systems are custom designed to fit perfectly into any specific space, optimizing every inch with organization, giving you time to focus on what matters most. Our expert design consultants will guide you through every step of the California Closets process. Find yourself at home with California Closets.

914.592.1001 | californiaclosets.com | @caliclosetsnyc

GLAMOUR WALK-IN CLOSET

Creative personalized design stands out in this luxurious full-room walk-in closet. A place for everything, this closet has it all – from fully adjustable jewelry drawer storage and an expansive middle island to tall glass doors that give a boutique-feel.

MODERN IN CLASSIC WHITE

This thoughtfully designed walk-in closet offers the perfect way to stay organized, while exuding that elegant feel. With its gold-aluminum framed glass shelving, the closet also features our Everstyle drawer collection for her jewelry, and fully adjustable Everstyle dividers for her scarves just below.

A&D BUILDING

The Architects and Designers Building is the premier source for luxury design, where you can shop hundreds of top tier brands to create the perfect environment for your next project. The designers in the building’s showrooms can show you the best selections from all over the world. Located at 150 East 58th Street, the 12 floors and 40 showrooms feature luxury kitchens, baths, appliances, cabinetry, tile, flooring, carpeting, shading technology, lighting, bespoke furnishings, and more. The A&D Building offers leading architects, designers, and discerning homeowners the finest collection of premium brands to suit any style—from modern to transitional to traditional—under one roof. Explore the latest innovations for kitchens and baths and find everything you need to create the most beautifully designed and functional spaces. adbuilding.com

ITALIA

MANDICASA

Designed by Davide Bot, the Yota modern luxury kitchen from MandiCasa exhibits the best in Italian craftsmanship. Featured here are cabinets in walnut and Ambra metallic lacquer and countertops in Travertino Sand by Atlas Plan. mandicasa.com

B&B

Maxalto’s Arbiter is a new modular seating system designed by Antonio Citterio. Ideal for large spaces, it comes in two depths in various configurations with or without a chaise-longue. bebitalia.com

FANTINI

Fantini’s new brightly colored two-tone handles are crafted using the distinctive techniques of ancient Murano glass making. Designed by Matteo Thun and Antonio Rodriguez in collaboration with Venini. fantini.it

ORNARE

Inspired by the golden ratio, Ornare’s Round Kitchen brings an air of elegance with its sinuous lines and rich texture. Designed by Ricardo Bello Dias and Studio Ornare. ornare.com

TRUE RESIDENTIAL

Touted for its extraordinary color options, True Residential has introduced its latest hue, Bluestone. Like its namesake stone, the captivating new shade exudes strength and versatility. true-residential.com

ARTISTIC TILE

In collaboration with renowned textile designer, Lori Weitzner, Artistic Tile has introduced Adena, a new micro-mosaic stone inspired by one of her intricate embroidery patterns. artistictile.com

FERGUSON BATH, KITCHEN & LIGHTING GALLERY

With a nod to biophilic design, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery has introduced the graceful, natural stone Papillon bathtub from Stone Forest. The sculptural piece is cut and formed from solid blocks of stone and then refined with hammer and chisel. fergusonshowrooms.com

With the Designer Series refrigeration from Sub-Zero, the most advanced technology is hidden behind fully integrated panels and blends seamlessly into this serene kitchen. subzero-wolf.com

THE MART

Located in Chicago, THE MART serves as the largest and most important design center in North America with more than 250 premier design showrooms offering the latest resources for both residential and commercial markets. The best in design from leading and emerging brands can be found for home, outdoor, workspace, healthcare, hospitality, education, and public spaces. The hub for the design community, THE MART’s unmatched resources are complemented with year-round events and programming that connect, inspire, and educate both trade professionals and design-oriented consumers. themart.com

SAMUEL & SONS

New from the Aspen Collection, two beautifully textural standouts include the Aspen Maze Border in Pine and Aspen Ikat Border in Golden Glow. samuelandsons.com

SUB-ZERO, WOLF, AND COVE

ANN SACKS

Inspired by historical botanical designs, the Ottoman Trellis glass mosaic from Ann Sacks is part of the new Eutopia collection from designer Martyn Lawrence Bullard. annsacks.com

SCALAMANDRÉ

Evoking the regions of North Africa, Scalamandré’s Sahara Collection is a vibrant and eclectic range of textiles that includes whimsical animal prints, colorful stripes, and a fresh Egypt-inspired toile. scalamandre.com

BRIZO

Designer Jason Wu’s new SmartTouch SemiProfessional Kitchen Faucet for Brizo is bold and modern with its striking silhouette and dynamic mix of materials. brizo.com

POGGENPOHL

This +SEGMENTO kitchen island from Poggenpohl is powerful yet inviting with its sculptural Brazilian quartzite structure and asymmetrical curves. poggenpohl.com

E. BRAUN & CO.

Established in Vienna, Austria in 1892, E. Braun & Co. has always been synonymous with unrivaled standards of quality and impeccable service. Today, we assemble the finest collections of contemporary linens and accessories to make any décor into a beautifully functioning home. As a masterful storyteller, Liz Barbatelli’s creations are crafted to embody each client’s unique style. Her artful dedication to form and function weaves eclectic heirloom and contemporary pieces to create an expressive and unparalleled luxury experience. Consultations are highly personalized, with in depth inquiry into the way you live to enable the ultimate outcome in comfort and style. 310.273.4320 | ebraunbeverlyhills.com | @ebraunbeverlyhills

Inspiration is often found in art. One of my favorite artists is Tomokasu Matsuyama.  His painting Happier Reckless Abandon at Almine Rech says it all. Luxurious linens can create transformative experiences, enriching our lives.

Linens are the foundation of everyday living. They are the connecting thread from the heart of the home. The color in this Anish Kapoor piece gives it an artistic impact that makes the difference. These curated collections of Limoges dishware from Marie Daâge are eclectically paired with our Moena and Folgaria placemats and napkins made in Italy.

Artful living comes from an inspired and thoughtful approach. Functionality and comfort, along with lifestyle and personality, must be considered when creating beautiful settings for clients. While visiting the Norton Museum this fall, this Joseph Stella painting Neopolitan Song captivated my imagination. Our Capriccio bowls and Syndeyzu reversible cashmere throw will create unique artistry and elevate your day-to-day experience in your own home.

CURLED FLOATING SHELF

This sleek design creates a visually striking display for the items it holds. It seamlessly blends into any style while adding a touch of sophistication. With its unique bent wood design, this shelf brings a splash of modern elegance.

RECESSED NICHE

Recessed wall storage units are great as a display or open storage for an entryway, kitchen, or bath. Modern and simple lines complement small spaces or accentuate large minimalist décor. Available in various sizes, materials, trims, and finishes.

HAMMER AND NAIL STUDIOS

Hammer and Nail Studios specializes in crafting premium interior design pieces that dissolve the boundaries between creativity and elegance. Our unique approach blends innovative and traditional techniques to create visually striking pieces which have a timeless feel.

Whether you are searching for one of our statement pieces, or a bespoke design to fit your requirements, we invite you to contact us and explore the possibilities together.

585.260.8498 | hammerandnailstudios.com | Hammer and Nail Studios

SLUNG WALL SCONCE LIGHT

Illuminate your space with a blend of form and function. This unique sconce features a beautiful bent wood design with a stunning slung glass aesthetic. Made from the finest hardwoods, it adds a touch of natural warmth to any room.

RECESSED TOILET PAPER HOLDER

In-wall storage creates a stylish and space-saving solution for your bathroom. With a sleek minimalist design, these units are installed directly into the wall. Maximizing the floor space provides an overall clean and modern look.

SLIDING WORKTOP

Motion is a collection of incredible stones, woods, and decor laminates with clever construction that will amaze you with its ingenuity. The innovation employs a hidden roller system that enables countertops and tabletops to silently and easily slide.

EGGERSMANN

eggersmann, a 4th generation German company, is the oldest familyowned kitchen manufacturer in Germany. The 114-year-old firm is known for taking modern design to the next level with its Unique line of exceptional cabinetry designs made of granite, marble, quartz, and steel finishes. eggersmann has a reputation for sustainability. Its certified wood veneers, lacquer finishes of high gloss, textured, and matte finishes are available in unlimited color combinations. Celebrated for its award winning state-of-the-art interior accessories, the company also enjoys a remarkable reputation for its flexibility in custom cabinetry sizing. eggersmannusa.com

As the surface moves effortlessly and smoothly, it hides and reveals kitchen necessities such as sinks and induction stove tops as well as expanding into or stowing space-saving dining and prep surfaces.

IN PLAIN SIGHT

The possibilities are endless and, like all eggersmann German cabinetry and accessories, extend beyond the kitchen. Our motion sliding worktop is as versatile as your own imagination.

HIDDEN AWAY

BRIO COLLECTION

Through an artful blend of bold colors, the Brio Rug Collection offers eye-catching works of floor art. These dynamic designs are inspired by the age-old Leheriya textile dyeing technique from Rajasthan, India. Blending irregular colorful stripes and chevron patterns gives these statement rugs an added sense of depth and visual appeal.

SAMAD

Celebrating craftsmanship, SAMAD’s artisan-made rugs are known for their exceptional quality and enduring style. With rug designs ranging from Modern to Traditional, the boutique rug company offers a unique solution for every decor style. Established in 1985, SAMAD is a family-owned business with industry roots dating back four generations. Through marrying traditional artistry with modern innovation, the Samad Brothers have taken the art of rug weaving to new levels of sophistication. 201.372.0909 | samad.com | samad_rugs | @SamadRugs

BOHO PLUS COLLECTION

The thick-pile rugs in the Boho Plus Collection are the epitome of cozycomfort. Available in natural earthtones, these rugs are hand-knotted with lustrous New Zealand wool. The high-low effect in the wool creates a dynamic feel while bringing these modern patterns to life.

NAPA COLLECTION

The Art Deco inspired rugs in the Napa collection offer a fresh, eye-catching take on geometric patterns. Napa rugs are hand-knotted with high-quality New Zealand wool giving them a brilliant luster and texture. Through contrasting colors and angular shapes, these patterns play with simple lines and light airy spaces.

MODERN SIMPLICITY

Light, elegant, and welcoming, the Berne sofa is all about modern simplicity. Designed by Henrik Pedersen, this contemporary sofa is made up of well-defined shapes and soft curves. There are no sharp corners, and the arms, seats and back are softly rounded to ensure a welcoming look from every angle.

BoConcept

MEET CHARLOTTE

Feel the warm embrace of the Charlotte armchair. Charlotte’s comfort, durability, and beautiful design allow it to easily find its place in any room. With an eye to natural forms, clean lines, and comfort, designer Henrik Pedersen has created a small armchair with a big personality.

BoConcept has become a global leader in the design of bold, stylish furniture, boasting more than 300 locations in 65 countries around the world. Founded in Denmark in 1952, BoConcept differentiates itself by offering premium-quality, modern designs that elevate interior spaces to achieve their full potential. They remain focused on creating functional furniture for the urban consumer through partnerships with the world’s leading interior designers. boconcept.com boconceptusa boconcept_official @boconcept @boconceptNAM

DANISH DESIGN AT ITS FINEST

Designed by Morten Georgsen, the Kingston design is available as a desk, as well as an extendable dining table. With the Kingston desk, beauty and functionality combine expertly. With an organic shape that radiates softness, this contemporary office desk is complete with a concealed drawer to keep your workspace clutter-free.

CLASSIC MEETS CONTEMPORARY

Featuring organic shapes and a slim waist for an embracing design that provides superior seating comfort, the Hamilton dining chair adds visual softness to any dining space. Customize the seat, legs, color, and fabric to suit your interior design style.

last words

Heritage isn’t easy to shake. Even when we think we’ve jettisoned it, someone, somewhere, will spot its trace and put us back in the box. Although a longtime resident of New York, artist, novelist, and critic Brian O’Doherty was never not an Irishman. He didn’t pretend otherwise. While he operated in the borderless world of deep ideas, pondering creativity as identity, he carried with him the legacy of a culture marked by a readiness to believe in the unknowable and a people often proud of their notquite-civilized reputation. After all, one of the various pseudonyms he worked under was Patrick Ireland, a moniker he assumed in protest of the 1972 British massacre in Derry.

O’Doherty’s retreat in Umbria, which he shared with his wife, art historian Barbara Novak, is physically far from the streets of Dublin and Manhattan, but intellectually, right around the corner. Like Charleston, the East Sussex home of Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, the 19th-century residence is a canvas, its walls, stairs, and chimney pieces covered – not with Bloomsburian figures and floral motifs, but with minimalist geometry and references to the Ogham alphabet of the early Middle Ages. Too insistently conceptual to be merely decorative, these gestures are expressive testaments to one man’s multifarious curiosity.

THOMAS

CONNORS and BENEDETTA ROSSI

Discover Adam collection by Marcel Wanders studio on natuzzi.com