LET’S

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

THE ARCHITECTS MAKING

ROOM FOR THE FUTURE

START
HERE
H E I G H T S O F P R I VA C Y
W H Y W E L I K E WA L L S A G A I N

D E S I G N M AT C H E S
M A D E I N H E AV E N
B L U E P R I N T S T O PA R A D I S E ,
F R OM J O H A N N E S B U R G TO L.A.

1 0 WAY S T O F I N A L LY
SEE THE LIGHT

PRECISION GLAMOUR
O N P A R K AV E N U E
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THERE ARE PIECES THAT FURNISH A HOME

AND THOSE THAT DEFINE IT ®
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

CONTENTS

RICARDO L ABOUGLE. FOR DETAILS, SEE RESOURCES

An outdoor dining
terrace at a vacation
home in Uruguay
designed by the
late architect Mario
Connio, page 48.
The tablecloth is
by Simrane; the
tableware is by
Astier de Villatte.

4 ELLE DECOR
CONTENTS
12
EDITOR’S LETTER
15
POV
Examining how non-
Western architecture has
been overlooked. Plus:
A Q&A with Sumayya
Vally of Counterspace
20
WHAT’S HOT
The best design discoveries
24
SHOWCASE
A transfixing new jewelry
collection from Harry
Winston, inspired by
the kaleidoscope
26
TRUTH IN
DECORATING
Designers Kimille Taylor
and Vicente Wolf shed
some light on the best
statement floor lamps
28
SHORTLIST
Dancer and choreographer
Kyle Abraham shares eight
things he can’t live without
30
TALENT
All about Obsidian, a new
virtual showhouse from
the members of the Black
Artists + Designers Guild.
BY KELLEY CARTER
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6 ELLE DECOR
The roof deck, with
a view into the
veranda below, of
the Johannesburg
home of architects
Silvio Rech and
Lesley Carstens,
page 68.
BUILDER
33
TOOLBOX
Amid the pandemic,
bedrooms are embracing
their role as more than
just a place for shut-eye.
BY TIM McKEOUGH
82
RESOURCES
84
NOT FOR SALE
A floral archival print
for your bed, revived
by D. Porthault
FEATURES
40
TO BE PRECISE.
Architect Michael K. Chen
60 68 76
brings a sharp spatial FEAST YOUR WHAT’S THE NOW WHAT?
ingenuity to his redo EYES ON THIS WORD? Residential design has
of a Manhattan family In a 16th-century Tuscan In Johannesburg, an always evolved during
apartment. times of crisis, meeting
villa brimming with architect couple’s
BY ALEXANDRA LANGE history, designer Hubert re-envisioned mid- the new demands of the
moment. We asked nine
ARCHITECT Zandberg assembles a century home makes
MICHAEL K. CHEN rich and layered tableau. a concrete statement. architects and designers
BY NANCY HASS BY MARY HOLLAND to forecast how our homes
48 DESIGNER ARCHITECTS will change in the wake
PRESERVING HUBERT ZANDBERG SILVIO RECH AND of COVID-19
PARADISE LESLEY CARSTENS
The late Argentine architect
Mario Connio built his
dream house on Uruguay’s
Atlantic coast. Now a
California couple is
maintaining his legacy.
ON THE COVER
The living room of a Manhattan apartment
BY ANA KARINA ZATARAIN
ARCHITECT MARIO CONNIO renovated by architect Michael K. Chen.
PHOTOGR APH BY MAX BURKHALTER
54
RAW POWER
In a former Nabisco factory E-mail: elledecor@hearst.com
in downtown Los Angeles,
architect Amanda Gunawan
Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @elledecor
bakes sculptural simplicity
into a Beaux Arts–era mold.
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ELSA YOUNG/BUREAUX
BY VANESSA LAWRENCE
ARCHITECT Write to us: Mailbox, ELLE DECOR,
AMANDA GUNAWAN 300 W. 57th St., 27th Fl., NY, NY 10019
 ALL IN ON COUTURE

ALL IN ON ALLURE

THE NEW 2021 LEXUS IS. ALL IN ON THE SPORT SEDAN.

lexus.com/IS | #LexusIS

2021 IS shown with options using visual effects. ©2020 Lexus

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EDITOR’S LETTER

The grand salon in a 16th-century Tuscan

villa restored by Hubert Zandberg.

CLOCK WISE FROM TOP LEFT: SIMON UPTON; ELSA YOUNG/BUREAUX; MINH T
A bedroom in the
Johannesburg
home of architects
Silvio Rech and
Lesley Carstens.

Welcome to Architect Amanda

Gunawan’s loft in
Los Angeles.

the Issue
E T T L I N G I N TO A N E W YE A R, W E A R E AS K I N G LOTS O F
questions at ELLE DECOR . (After an experience like 2020,

S who isn’t?) Some are straightforward: What’s the best way

to bring light into our rooms, now forced to play double and
triple duty? Some are quite literally the stuff of dreams:
How can we sleep a little more soundly in 2021 (for ideas, turn to page 33),
and can the stars help guide us—or, at least, offer a diversion (page 20)?
Many more questions loom larger: After months of isolation and unrest,
where do we go from here? And what’s the role of design in all of this?
In search of answers, and inspiration, we turn to the world of architec-
ture. For one story this month, we asked architects and designers to look
into their crystal balls and predict the future (page 76). How will our
homes change after the lessons of this year? No spoilers, but here’s what
is clear: Design is a radical act of optimism. It requires a belief that peo-
ple can work collectively to make lasting positive change, guided by a
sense of purpose and an eye for beauty. In this issue, we explore both
with relish: We visit architects’ own homes in Los Angeles (page 54),
Johannesburg (page 68), and Uruguay (page 48); we indulge in the
delights of a sharp Park Avenue apartment attuned to the needs of a
family of five (page 40); and we check out a 16th-century Tuscan
villa where the decor both complements and complicates its context
(page 60). Finally, we ask emerging
talent how design can help us become
Asad Syrkett, Editor in Chief
smarter and more engaged. What bet- elledecor@hearst.com
ter New Year’s resolution is there? ◾ Follow me on Instagram: @as4d

12 ELLE DECOR
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 All That
Was
Left Out
WESTERN DESIGN HAS LONG
IGNORED THE WORK AND
INFLUENCE OF THE WIDER WORLD.
NIGERIEN ARCHITECT
MARIAM KAMARA LOOKS
HOPEFULLY TO THE FUTURE.

The ceiling inside Mariam

JAMES WANG

Kamara’s Hikma community

center in Dandaji, Niger.

ELLE DECOR 15
POINT OF VIEW

HILE I WAS IN COLLEGE STUDYING COMPUTER Niamey 2000, a housing

science, before I decided to become an archi- development codesigned by

W tect, I picked up a book by Patrick Nuttgens

that confounds me to this day. It was called
Kamara in Niger’s capital city.

The Story of Architecture. Naturally, I expected

it to be filled with awe-inspiring structures from all around
the world, but most of it was focused on works from West-
ern Europe and the United States. The rest of the world’s
output became little more than a bonus track on a pop
album. I was enraged. For a non-Westerner like me, it was
profoundly humiliating. How could architecture from other
continents, dating back thousands of years, be reduced to so
few buildings, while Baroque churches got an entire chapter?
I have kept that book all these years, since becoming an
architect myself, as a reminder that history truly is written
by the victor and that the standard-issue perceptions of
what makes a great building must change.
My parents raised me in a small town in Niger, in the mid-
dle of the Sahara desert, where it was not uncommon to
walk among centuries-old adobe buildings built by guilds of
expert masons. On weekends we often took day trips to the
nearby mountains to look at Neolithic cave drawings and
admire the ancient polished-stone tools strewn on the
ground. This experience is now impossible; most of the arti- Hausa architecture dating back centuries, from places like
facts I encountered so casually then have since been “har- Zinder and Agadez in Niger as well as Kano in Nigeria. The
vested” and sold to museums around the world. At the time, fact that it might remind one of a Bauhaus building should
it felt as though we were living in history. These formative actually trigger a whole other conversation we are reluctant
years continue to impact my work, in spite of the fact that I to have in architecture—one about the origins of many of
received my architectural training in the United States. the design shifts that occurred in Europe during its colonial
The callousness with which non-Western architecture dominion over Asia and Africa. Modernism and its aesthetic
and art are treated was something I would experience were not born in a vacuum from sheer genius, any more than
numerous times in magazines and at academic conferences. modern art movements of the West, like Cubism, material-
But this disregard was most glaring in how, as creatives, we ized out of thin air.
are educated to take inspiration from precedents presented I often think about what could be learned from what is
as universal masterworks that, in reality, only represent the missing when our magazines and syllabi lean so exclusively
perspectives of a small, homogenous group. What consti- on knowledge produced in Europe and North America. Long
tutes great architecture in the Western imagination is also a before the rise of European civilizations, ancient Asian,
story about what is missing, what is being left out. Middle Eastern, African, and South American architectures
I remember how baffled I was when I heard Niamey 2000, were already embedded with sophisticated solutions for
the first project I had ever developed, being assessed as a addressing the challenges of their environments. Our focus
Bauhaus-style building. The real inspiration was traditional on relatively recent—and often expertly edited—Western
histories is at best a missed opportunity. The future pre-
sents challenges like the climate crisis, rapid urbanization,
and demographic explosions for which we cannot consider
real solutions until we decolonize our point of view. Until
then, the decisions we make as designers will continue to be
based on distorted narratives of who we think we are and
what our past is.
TOP: UNITED4DESIGN; BOT TOM: MAURICE ASCANI

How we narrate yesterday determines how we imagine

tomorrow. In this new year, it feels as though we are finally
willing to listen to each other enough to seize a unique
opportunity to design a future that will not be based on fal-
sified or incomplete histories. We can choose to acknowl-
edge the gaps and begin to fill them in so we have a chance
to build a world based on something truer and, ultimately,
richer. That will be the story of architecture. ◾

Mariam Kamara is the founder of the architecture firm Atelier

A marketplace in Dandaji,
Niger, designed by Kamara.
Masomi in Niamey, Niger. In 2019, she worked with David
Adjaye under the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative.

16 ELLE DECOR
POINT OF VIEW

Acts of
Radical
Optimism
ARCHITECT SUMAYYA VALLY
OF COUNTERSPACE CHATS
UP HER FIRM’S VERY RELEVANT
DESIGN FOR THE 2021
SERPENTINE PAVILION.
Your research focuses on spaces
like Johannesburg’s mine dumps.
What draws you to parallel
worlds that aren’t at the forefront
of design conversations?
SV: I’m interested in finding
form in overlooked things. In
Joburg, where I live, the dumps
were used to segregate the
races during apartheid—non-
white people lived to the south
of them, in the direction that
the wind blew toxic dust. I
think it is something our city
has inherited that we have to
work through.
Social issues are at the heart
of both your designs and your
research. How does architecture
confront injustice?
SV: Architecture is complicit
in segregation, othering, and
displacement, and Joburg is
such a profound example of
this. But it can also be a force
for the opposite—for bringing
people together, highlighting
and amplifying voices and
identities through design.
How does this factor into your
design for the Serpentine
Pavilion in London?
SV: Forms are inspired by
spaces of gathering and
belonging for migrant and
peripheral communities. It’s
my hope and intent that where
these forms come together,
they will foster intimacy and
assemblage between people
from different backgrounds.
You’re the first to use almost all
recycled materials in a Serpentine
design. What made you take
this approach?
SV: The idea of “reclaim and
A rendering of Counterspace’s 2020 Serpentine
Pavilion in London, postponed to summer 2021.
recycle” is implicit in the way
we work in Joburg because
our resources are limited. It’s
almost second nature.
At 30, you’re the youngest
architect to have been given this
prestigious commission, following
in the footsteps of Jean Nouvel,
Zaha Hadid, and Francis Kéré.
Was that intimidating?
SV: It felt like a huge privilege
and almost like walking on
hallowed ground, but I believed
very much in working from a
place of difference, and this
is what I’d hoped to bring
to the commission. It was
intimidating, but I really just
tried to focus on what we could
bring from this part of the
world and what we could say
about architecture.
How did you feel when you found
out that the 2020 Serpentine
Pavilion was postponed due to
the pandemic—and how has the
extra year reshaped or refined
your vision?
SV: The more I think about it,
I really do believe this is for
a reason. When the pavilion
does open, the importance of
gathering is going to have a lot
more meaning. There are also
themes of the pavilion, like
representation and inclusivity,
that have surfaced so much this
year, in relation to the ruptures
around the Black Lives Matter
movement and some of the
institutional awakenings
that we’ve had, and that has
allowed me to push aspects
of the project much further.
serpentinegalleries.org
—Sarah Khan

A CLOSER LOOK

EVERY YEAR, A STAR TALENT IS INVITED TO CREATE A

PAVILION ON THE SERPENTINE GALLERY GROUNDS IN LONDON.
HERE, A SELECTION OF OUR FAVORITES FROM THE PAST.

GALLERIES: COURTESY OF SERPENTINE GALLERIES

Francis Kéré, 2017. Jean Nouvel, 2010. SelgasCano, 2015.

PORTR AIT: COURTESY OF COUNTERSPACE;

Frank Gehry, 2008. Frida Escobedo, 2018. Zaha Hadid, 2000.

18 ELLE DECOR
 Star
Quality
INTERSTELLAR
TABLETOP OBJECTS
AND FURNITURE TAP
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CELESTIAL ALLURE.
BY VANESSA L AWRENCE
PHOTOGR APH BY DON PENNY

The New York–based lifestyle

brand Viso Project has collabo-
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maker Sargadelos on these
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a set of 12, one for each sign.
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Styled by Laurel J. Benedum

20 ELLE DECOR
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WHAT’S HOT | THE BEST DESIGN DISCOVERIES

Astronomers’ charts were the inspiration behind this brushed brass–and-glass

Constellation chandelier by Tracy Glover Studio. Glover uses Italian techniques, learned from
a Venetian master, to make each one-of-a-kind handblown piece in her Rhode Island studio.
54″ w. x 36″ d. x 11″ h., from $4,800. tracygloverstudio.com

NEWS FROM

The World These wool cushions from the British brand

of Design Jan Constantine employ intricate appli-

qués and hand embroidery to render the
various zodiac signs. The covers fasten at
From Italy, lifestyle brand Sferra the back with mother-of-pearl buttons.
announced its acquisition of Pratesi, 18″ sq., shown in Leo (top) and Libra,
the legendary luxury bedding

catering to U.S. clients. Key global

markets will follow later this year.

On February 20, the Museum of

Modern Art in New York City will

of systemic racism and how it has

Made of mouth-blown crystal, these
chalices from Moleria Locchi are etched
with the symbols for each zodiac
sign, surrounded by small gold stars.
3.5″ dia. x 6″ h., shown in
Virgo (left) and Sagittarius,
$280 each. artemest.com
affected contemporary architecture.
ration from Diane von Furstenberg
and H&M Home. The collection includes
vases, candles, and blankets.
your table, Fornasetti’s handcrafted and
gold-accented Astronomici bowl makes
for a mesmerizing centerpiece.
11″ dia. x 4.5″ h.,
$551. fornasetti.com

Part of Missoni Home’s Horoscope collection, this oak-veneered ply-

wood Oroscopo coffee table takes its cues from Chinese zodiac figurines
by artist Piero Zuffi that the label’s founder, Ottavio Missoni, purchased
in the 1980s. 92.5″ w. x 31.5″ d. x 8″ h., $5,522. missoni.com

22 ELLE DECOR
SHOWCASE
r Wheel
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Wond
INSPIRED BY THE KALEIDOSCOPE, A TRANSFIXING
NEW COLLECTION OF JEWELRY AND WATCHES MARRIES
CHILDHOOD PLEASURES WITH UNDENIABLE LUXURY.
BY VANESSA L AWRENCE
H E N T H E S C O T T I S H P H Y S I C I S T S I R D AV I D
Brewster invented the kaleidoscope in 1816, he
W could hardly have imagined the endless
delight his design would give generations of
children and adults—and even venerable jew-
elry brands. From the simple combination of inclined mirrors
and a handful of loose objects encased in a tube, a person
can create a mesmerizing array of evanescent patterns.
With its latest collection of watches and jewelry inspired
by the kaleidoscope, Harry Winston transforms the illu-
sions within this everyday toy into a tangible and highly
luxurious reality. The jewelry house first explored the aes-
24 ELLE DECOR
CLOC K WISE FROM BOT TOM LE F T:
A Harry Winston necklace of rubellite, pink
and yellow sapphire, amethyst, aquamarine,
and diamond; a diamond and platinum high
jewelry timepiece; an aquamarine, blue
sapphire, rubellite, light pink sapphire, and
diamond necklace, all prices upon request.
Vase and bowl by Fundamental Berlin; per-
fume flacon and trinket box by Reflections
Copenhagen. Styled by Laurel J. Benedum
PHOTOGR APH BY DON PENNY
thetic connection between a stone’s beveled facets and the
ref lections in Brewster’s creation in the 1990s, when it
released a gold and precious stone kaleidoscope object. In
its new line, the brand offers 32 necklaces and 11 watches
whose motifs capture the symmetrical pinwheels of child-
FOR DETAILS, SEE RESOURCES
hood memories. Delicate cuts of diamonds, pink and yel-
low sapphires, aquamarines, rubellites, and other colored
stones are set into circular pendants and onto the faces
and cases of timepieces. Though neither changeable nor
fleeting like the dizzying shapes of its source material, the
Winston Kaleidoscope Collection is no less dazzling, like
fireworks captured in mid-burst. harrywinston.com ◾
Mila Pendant by Matthew McCormick
TRUTH IN DECORATING

In Good
1 Standing
DESIGNERS KIMILLE TAYLOR
AND VICENTE WOLF
5
SHED SOME LIGHT ON
STATEMENT FLOOR LAMPS.
2 BY K ATE M C GREGOR

1 2 3 4 5
TAYLOR PORTR AIT: MARSHA LEBEDEV BERNSTEIN;

COLMENA BY WINK BY “O” BY ARTEMIDE TRIDENT BY ELEISH CHERRY BOMB

MERVE KAHRAMAN MASQUESPACIO V W: It’s a real attention- VAN BREEMS 12-GLOBE BY
VIC E NTE WOLF: K T: This is so cheeky. getter, as sculptural K T: The flexible arms are LINDSEY ADELMAN
WOLF PORTR AIT: JULIEN CAPMEIL

The shimmer of the metal
would add drama to a
darker space, like a den.
KIMILLE TAYLOR: I love
this! It’s a really successful
mix of materials.
22″ w. x 22″ d. x 50″ h.;
$2,700.
mervekahraman.com
I can see it in an ultra-
clean 2001: A Space
Odyssey–inspired room.
V W: A fun piece
with a sense of humor.
It has a surreal quality.
50.5″ w. x 19.5″ d. x 79″ h.;
$2,112.
1stdibs.com
as it is elegant.
K T: The soft glow it gives
off from a corner
would create a great
space to breathe
in a room.
35.5″ dia. x 6″ d. x 36.5″ h.;
$1,900 for larger size.
artemide.net
fun as well as functional. V W: A romantic piece
It would make for a with a great ethereal
great reading lamp. quality to it.
V W: I love the leather K T: Swoon! Lindsey’s
stems and the warmth done it again. This light is
of the brushed brass. a piece of jewelry.
9.5″ base dia. x 65″ h.; 38″ w. x 25″ d. x 95″ h.;
$3,200. $18,000.
evbantiques.com lindseyadelman.com
 “The Hagai Vered lamp is refined,
elegant, and sculptural. It reminds me
of an Alexander Calder mobile.”
VICENTE WOLF

6 10

“Irving
If Carolina
and
Arne Bang had
a love child,
this Rose
Triangle lamp
would be it.
KIMILLE TAYLOR
”
9

6 7 8 9 10
POST BY MUUTO ROSE TRIANGLE DOMINIQUE BY GLOBE COPPER BY LANTERN BY
K T: This is a total BY THE FUTURE HAGAI VERED LAURA MERONI APPARATUS
workhorse—clean and PERFECT K T: The beautiful V W: So many possibilities K T: It feels familiar yet
contemporary. Great V W: I love the intersection of shapes for this one. I’d personally otherworldly; highly
style for a great price. freethinking character. gives it the kinetic use it as an accent lamp. decorative, yet restrained.
You’re paying not for a feeling of a mobile. K T: I love the refined V W: It would look
V W: An ideal lamp for
lamp, but a piece of art. V W: This should be used extraordinary in a bed-
reading, showcasing art, industrial feel of this
and for filling the void K T: Charming. Perfect only in spots where piece. There’s more to it room, adding a dash of
with light in any space. for reading and sipping its striking profile can than meets the eye. romance to the space.
tea at a country home. be seen clearly. 23.5″ base dia. x 71″ h.; 9″ w. x 66.5″ h.;
3.5″ w. x 53.5″ h.;
$925. 16″ w. x 59″ h.; $8,125. 27.5″ w. x 23.5″ h.; $3,370. $6,700.
knoll.com thefutureperfect.com $1,500. hagaivered.com artemest.com apparatusstudio.com

ELLE DECOR 27
SHORTLIST
Kyle Abraham.
1. Muji Notebooks
I use these to write out my
choreography and to-do lists. The
combination of spiral and elastic
band design is classy and stylish.
2. Lumio Book Lamp
When this lamp is fully open, it’s
like a little piece of wonder. I take
it with me when I’m on tour,
to have a bit of home.
3. Reverence
Aromatique
Hand Wash
This soap is an
experience. Vetiver
and bergamot
make a grown-and-
sexy scent.
4. Carhartt WIP
Backpack
I feel age-appropriate and cool
when I wear this backpack.
And the other week, I got a
compliment on it from someone
20 years younger than me.
28 ELLE DECOR
5. Sign o’ the Times
The more I listen to this, the more
I think of how all-encompassing
it is of Prince’s artistry. This album
was a rebirth of his creativity.
6. Fiddle-Leaf Fig
Kyle Abraham I have one in my apartment.
It’s a beautiful plant. In these
times, it’s nice to have a
THE DANCER AND IN-DEMAND bit of life and hope in your
surroundings.
CHOREOGRAPHER SHARES
EIGHT THINGS THAT FAN
HIS CREATIVE FLAME.
BY VANESSA L AWRENCE
In the 15 years since founding his company A.I.M,
choreographer and dancer Kyle Abraham has created
works that tackle police brutality (2012’s “Pavement”),
mass incarceration (“Untitled America” in 2016), and
masculinity (2006’s “Inventing Pookie Jenkins”). For his
recent piece, “To Be Seen,” a commission for American
Ballet Theatre principal dancer Calvin Royal III set to 7. West Elm Throw
PORTR AIT: TATIANA WILLS; ALBUM COVER: © THE PRINCE ESTATE,
There’s something about this
Maurice Ravel’s “Boléro” and shown as part of New York
faux-fur throw that gives me a
City Center’s 2020 digital Fall for Dance Festival, Abraham
sense of comfort. I have it on
explored the weight of Black identity and representation. my sofa and I like to pet it.
“There is an expectation that exists for a Black
choreographer, especially, and ironically, in these
times,” says Abraham, who describes his aesthetic—
a mix of hip-hop, ballet, modern, West African, and 8. The
voguing movements—as “postmodern gumbo.” “If I’m Vanishing
not making work addressing what is going on
Half
JEFF K ATZ; PL ANT: SHUT TERSTOCK
culturally and racially in our country, then I’m not
My mother used
speaking to our culture. But why can’t I make a dance to tell me stories
about foliage? My white counterpart can.” Growing up of people in
in Pittsburgh, Abraham studied classical music. He our family who
fell for dance when, at 16, he saw the Joffrey Ballet passed for white.
perform to songs by Prince. “It shook me to my core,” My fascination
Abraham explains. “Dance was something I couldn’t with that is what
do fully in my room; I needed to go outside of my own drew me into
space to really explore it.” aimbykyleabraham.org this book.
 Putting cleaner water within reach. That’s

©2020 ELKAY MANUFACTURING COMPANY

The ezH2O LivTM Built-in Filtered Water Dispenser

8QULYDOHGOWUDWLRQIRUOHDGDQGFKORULQHUHGXFHG
ZDWHULQVWDQWO\

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TALENT

Picture It
A NEW VIRTUAL CONCEPT HOME
FROM THE BLACK ARTISTS +
DESIGNERS GUILD IS TURNING
THE CLASSICAL IDEA OF A
SHOWHOUSE ON ITS EAR.
BY KELLEY CARTER

AU N C H I N G I N JA N UA RY, T H E O B S I D I A N V I R T UA L CO N CE P T
House will transport online visitors to the future of decor and

L design, with curated rooms, architecture anchored in the Afri-

can diaspora, and a special focus on Black families. Conceived
by the members of the Black Artists + Designers Guild pictured
here, in cooperation with the magazines of Hearst’s Luxury & Design Collec-
tion (ELLE DECOR , House Beautiful, Veranda, and Town & Country), the 3D
visualization will explore the ways artistry and ancestry dovetail with design.
Everything about the virtual experience, including its imagined Oakland,
California, location, is deliberate. The birthplace of the Black Panther
Party—for whom access to quality housing was a central tenet—serves as the
stage for a futuristic home set in 2025 that marries cultural touchstones with
sustainability and technology. “The house is our collective story of the Black
family come to life,” says Nina Cooke John, a co-architect of the project. “It is
a collage of personal and collective memories we each share.” On exhibit will
be a multitude of interpretations of Black family life beyond preconceptions.
Some thoughtful elements throughout Obsidian—which is sponsored by
international design brands like Caesarstone, Fiskars, Pottery Barn, Resource
Furniture, S. Harris, Stark Carpet, and Thermador—include living quarters
created with multigenerational families in mind, a contact-free area for receiv-
ing deliveries, and green walls with plants designed to filter air and lift spirits.
With the use of solar power, rain harvesting, sustainable systems, and
smart-home technology, the interiors will be as innovative as they are aesthet-
ically rich. “I created reading capsules against the windows to take advantage
of the views,” says Lisa Turner, who designed the concept house’s “Umoja
family room.” The reading capsules serve as both functional pieces of art and
furniture. “You can climb into them and connect with Bluetooth monitors and
speakers that are made of ash wood, formed and manipulated to create a
continuation of the ceiling design.” She also placed a modular sofa in the room
to ensure that the interior would be adaptable to various family activities.
An additional focus for Obsidian is on health and convalescence. Linda
Allen, who designed the art studio and garden areas, says: “The future of
COURTESY OF THE BL ACK ARTISTS + DESIGNERS GUILD

living will also be about healing spaces that help us become our better selves.”
After a year like 2020, that premise is hard to reject. badguild.info ◾

COUNTE RCLOC K WISE FROM TOP LE F T: Leyden Lewis, Nina Cooke John, Cheryl Umbles, Malene Barnett, Lisa Turner, Kelly Finley, Laura Hodges,
Danielle Fennoy, Anishka Clarke & Niya Bascom, BOA, Christina Casañas-Judd & General Judd, Everick Brown, Linda Allen, Bernadette Berry, Marie
Burgos, Sheryl T. McLean, Linda Hayslett, Lynai Jones, Cheryl R. Riley, Kiyonda Powell, Nikki Klugh, Casi St. Julian & Penny Francis, and Erin Shakoor.

30 ELLE DECOR
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scandiahome.com
 INSPIR ATION FOR YOUR RENOVATION

BUILDER
TOOLBOX

Where
the Magic
Happens
WITH INCREASED
TIME SPENT AT HOME,
THE BEDROOM HAS
EMBRACED ITS ROLE AS A
PLACE FOR MUCH MORE
THAN JUST SHUT-EYE.
BY TIM M C KEOUGH
STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON

The primary bedroom

in a Los Angeles
house designed by
Studio Shamshiri.

ELLE DECOR 33
BUILDER | TOOLBOX

plants. “I add elements of green in

A room at the Mayflower Inn & Spa in
most of these rooms,” says Chanae
Washington, Connecticut, which was
recently refurbished by Celerie Kemble. Richards, founder of Oloro Interi-
ors in Philadelphia, noting that
potted plants not only provide a
visual reminder of nature but also
remove toxins from the air. “I love
a snake plant in a bedroom.”
If your bedroom gets a lot of
sunlight, don’t automatically order
blackout shades—consider how
modulating natural light in a more
nuanced way can support your cir-
cadian rhythm and buoy the spirit.
“You want the bedroom to be
beautiful in both the morning and
the evening,” says the New York
City designer Dan Fink. “I like to
use sheers—they glow in the
morning, so you get a sense of the
new day, which is a special thing
to celebrate.”
Artificial light is equally impor-
tant. Focus on deploying a few
INKING INTO BED AND PULLING UP A PILLOW Y lamps instead of blasting the room with a ceiling fixture,
duvet has long been a satisfying way to decom- says Fink, and control them all with dimmers: “You want

S press at the end of a high-pressure day. But

when the pandemic upended regular life and
soft light at the bedside for reading, and to create a restful
mood.” The goal is to make a bedroom so appealing that
sent anxiety levels soaring, having a bedroom you’ll crave hanging out there. That’s why Studio Shamshiri
that could serve as a calming retreat suddenly seemed more increasingly adds meditation spaces to the bedrooms it
important than ever. With continued challenges—and new designs, and Fink usually installs a small desk or settee.
opportunities—on the horizon, doubling down on designing The pleasures of spending time in a reassuring haven
a bedroom that feels like a sanctuary is a sound investment. aren’t lost on Kemble either. “I am definitely a creature of
“I promised myself I would focus on bedrooms with that the bedroom,” she says, noting that it’s her favorite place for
exact goal in mind,” says Pamela Shamshiri of the Los relaxing with a book or watching TV. “It’s that special zone
Angeles–based firm Studio Shamshiri. “We’ve made a where nobody can get to you.” ◾
change in the way we design them to pay more attention to
color, because it can really affect your mood and emotions.”
While the absence of color in a white room may some-
times feel relieving, it can also come across as sterile.
“We’ve been using more color in very calm and muted
hues,” Shamshiri says—these range from pale blues and yel-
lows to inky shades of indigo. “It brings warmth and makes
it more nurturing,” especially in projects where the studio
included curved transitions from walls to ceiling to create a
seamless field of color. “Omitting corners tends to be calm-
ing,” she says.
FROM TOP: NICOLE FR ANZEN; STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON

The New York City–based designer Celerie Kemble also

tries to do away with severe angles in the bedroom. “I love
to see curtains covering the sharp edges of the window cas-
ing,” she says. “The more you can take out the cacophony of
angles, and the more draped a room is, the better.”
For similar reasons, “I love wallpaper or wall upholstery
because the bedroom should be set apart as a softer, envel-
oping space,” she says. “Wallcoverings unify the walls and
make the angles recede.” For the ultimate private space, and
an even more intimate nest within the larger room, she says,
consider a canopy bed dressed with curtains.
The primary bedroom in the Manhattan
Plush upholstery and soothing textiles are critical in bed- apartment of Stefan Steil and Eric Pike.
rooms, but another way to promote a sense of calm is with

34 ELLE DECOR
BUILDER | TOOLBOX

How to
Dream Better
CREATE THE ULTIMATE
SANCTUARY AT HOME
WITH THESE SOFT COLORS 4
AND STRIKING ACCESSORIES.
BY L AUREL J. BENEDUM

2
5

1 2 3 4 5
Grecian Bust Pot Chirp Lamp and Electric Wall Clare Paints Daisy Iris Duvet
Tropical leaves in Alarm Clock Diffuser When it comes to Swedish designer
a classical planter will This bird-shaped This plug-in packs a bedroom walls, the new Lars Nilsson’s playful
add warmth—and marble and porcelain design punch while neutrals are muted take on Hästens’s
a good amount of lamp and alarm will filling the room with pastels such as (from top) heritage check print
whimsy—to your rouse you to the one of nine iconic Wink, OMGreen, and will perk up a bed
inner sanctum. sounds of nature. Diptyque scents. Good Jeans. in no time flat.
$42. anthropologie.com $200. momastore.org $120. diptyqueparis.com $54 per gallon. clare.com From $100. hastens.com

36 ELLE DECOR
 PROMOTION

E LLE D E C O R | LI F E

STYLE. DESIGN. CULTURE.

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CITY OF
TOMORROW
In October, ELLE DECOR
was the official media
sponsor of the virtual
City of Tomorrow Summit
co-production by 92Y
and Hundred Stories. The
illuminating conversations
powered by YLighting
covered topics relating to
the future of New York and
City Life in a postpandemic
World. Leading voices and
visionaries were featured
including CityLab’s Richard
Florida in conversation with
EQ Office’s Lisa Picard and
SCAD interior design student
Eleanor McCune introducing
the Cities Beyond New York
panel. To watch the summit,
visit 92y.org

Image courtesy of
Thomas Heatherwick Studio
Cymbidium Sconce
jeremycole
Timeless, porcelain lighting. Individually handcrafted by the artist.
Signed and made to order from his studio
in New Zealand www.jeremycole.net
 STEP
INSIDE WHERE ARCHITECTS LAY
DOWN THEIR T SQUARES.
DESIGN AND DECORATING
IN CONVERSATION (AND
IN CAHOOTS). PLUS, WHAT
EXACTLY IS THE FUTURE OF
HOME AFTER COVID-19?
COME IN, FIND OUT.
MA X BURKHALTER

The entry of a family apartment on

Manhattan’s Upper East Side,
reimagined by Michael K. Chen
Architecture—turn the page for more.

ELLE DECOR 39
In the entrance gallery of a Manhattan apartment renovated by
architect Michael K. Chen, a Candida Höfer photograph hangs
above a lacquered fiberglass bench by Brodie Neill. The pendants
are by Jason Miller for Roll & Hill, the walls are paneled in cerused
white oak, and the floor is terrazzo. OPPOSITE: A vintage Gio
Ponti stool from Nilufar (one of a pair) sits in front of a custom
curved mantel in gray marble, bleached walnut, and brass in the
living room. A custom sconce by Christopher Kurtz (one of a pair)
is embedded into the plaster wall beside the mantel. The rug is by
Fernando Mastrangelo for Edward Fields, and the walls are
painted in Benjamin Moore’s Metro Gray.
 TO
BE
PRECISE.

ARCHITECT MICHAEL K. CHEN BRINGS A SHARP SPATIAL

INGENUITY TO HIS REDO OF A MANHATTAN FAMILY APARTMENT.
BY ALEX ANDR A L ANGE PHOTOGR APHS BY M A X BURKHALTER

ELLE DECOR 41
 OME PEOPLE CONSIDER RENOVATIONS The living room’s custom
to be a trial; decisions and discom- sofa and Vladimir Kagan
chaise are both in fabrics
fort are borne for the end result. by Holland & Sherry.
Others consider renovations a cre- The custom cocktail table
ative act, a process that is just as is by Kin & Company, the
much of a reward as a home tailored games table and chairs
are by Christopher Kurtz,
to your exact taste. The clients for the pendant is by Bec
t h i s lu x u r ious yet la id-back Brittain, and the photo-
4,000-square-foot, four-bedroom graph is by Lalla Essaydi.
OPPOSITE: Architect
apartment in Manhattan’s Carnegie Michael K. Chen.
Hill neighborhood were f irmly in the second camp.
“Together, we’ve renovated two apartments, and we built
a house from the ground up on the Jersey Shore,” says the
wife, a lawyer. “Our last apartment definitely leaned tradi-
tional. Our beach house was midcentury modern. Over
time, we’ve become more interested in taking some design
risks.” She and her husband, who works in finance, were
looking for a younger designer, one who thrives on collab-
oration with craftspeople. “We live in a city that is filled
with artists and talent and creativity, and we wanted to
harness that in our home,” she says.
They found their match in Michael K. Chen Architecture,
a nine-year-old practice known for bold colors and bolder
juxtapositions of materials, eras, and shapes. “They asked
me specifically to challenge them a bit,” says Chen, which in
turn was a challenge for his team, especially as they
encountered a few of the clients’ unexpressed dislikes.
Vintage furniture, for one. Having lived with antiques in
their previous homes, they wanted this one to feel like a
brand-new adventure. “Our approach is often to create ten-
sion and connection across historical eras,” Chen says.
“They wanted texture and depth, but they didn’t care for
vintage pieces.” Picking colors also required a lot of
back-and-forth. “They would say they really love color, but
they don’t like red and they don’t like green and they don’t
like orange.” Chen eventually pulled the narrow but varied
palette from pieces like the painting in the primary bed-
room, which atypically combines sunset pinks and purples
with an acid green.
The close-knit family, which includes three sporty teen-
agers, likes to come together for gaming, movies, the World
Series, and dinner every night. Chen removed most of the
walls from the apartment’s 1980s renovation and created a
fluid floor plan that allowed him to reinterpret some of the
details that make prewar apartments so prized. The elevator with patina and figuration. Design cues were derived from
opens into a cerused oak–paneled gallery, floored in hard- the couple’s collection of contemporary photography,
wearing terrazzo, that feeds visitors into the living room, including large-scale works by Edward Burtynsky, Candida
dining room, and den through salon-style doors, as well as Höfer, and Ralf Kaspers, now distributed throughout the
offering quick access to the kitchen. Around the back, Chen apartment. “In photography and in their attitude toward
placed a kid-friendly zone, with a pegboard wall for hats and furniture, they really like the evidence of craft,” Chen says.
coats, and drawers set to receive phones for nightly The subtle palette is visible in choices like the spectacular
charging. Visitors can turn left toward the generous living pink Byzantine onyx in the main bathroom, which connects
room, outfitted in soft neutrals and brawny pieces in steel, to a blushing bedroom with a mauve silk carpet. Grayish
wood, and marble, or right for the cave-like playroom, with blues enter in the form of hand-painted wallcoverings in the
its pebble-shaped Moroso poufs by Toshiyuki Kita. media room. T he k ids’ bath rooms feature tiles in
Chen and his team added depth through materials, taking almost-primaries of red, blue, and green.
the clients to stone yards and fabrication shops to choose In the dining room, especially, the family’s needs and the
and approve woods, marbles, metals, and wallcoverings architect’s design ambition perfectly meshed. “We wanted a

42 ELLE DECOR
room we could use every day for dinner,” the homeowner
says, “but one we could also occasionally glam up a little
bit.” To that end, Chen worked with Christopher Kurtz to
design a table that is both indestructible and very, very
glam: an aluminum surface with a rippled edge. For family
meals, it stays pushed in toward the leather-and-mohair
banquette. When they entertain, the table gets pulled into
the center of the room and expanded with leaves cleverly
hidden in a cupboard. The chandelier pivots so that the drop
can be centered over the table in either spot.
In November 2019, the family moved in and has spent
quarantine in situ. “We didn’t expect my husband’s work
computer to be on the dining table,” the client says. “We are
using it as we expected—and then some.” ◾
ABOVE: The kitchen’s custom cabinetry is by Henrybuilt, and the backsplash and counters
are in Cristallo quartzite from ABC Stone. The range is by Gaggenau, the barstools are custom,
and the pendant is by John Hogan for Roll & Hill. The bowl is by MQuan Studio.

44 ELLE DECOR
RIGHT: In the dining
room, which also serves as
a library, the custom table
by Christopher Kurtz has
an aluminum top on an
oxidized cherry base and
can be extended with
leaves to seat up to 16
people. The vintage
Osvaldo Borsani chairs are
from Nilufar, the custom
chandelier is by Ladies &
Gentlemen Studio, and
the cabinetry is in cerused
oak. BE LOW: The media
room’s sectional is by Poli-
form, the cocktail table is
custom, the pendant is by
Bec Brittain for Roll & Hill,
and the sconces are by
Apparatus. The Gene Tep-
per firewood holder is vin-
tage, the Roman shades
are from The Shade Store,
and the walls are in a Por-
ter Teleo wallcovering.

ELLE DECOR 45
OPPOSITE: The powder room’s vanity, in Cassiopeia marble, has a Vola faucet in lacquered brass. The custom
mirror is by Kin & Company, the sconces are by Lindsey Adelman, and the walls are sheathed in Venetian
plaster. ABOVE: In the main bedroom, the custom bed is upholstered in a Jiun Ho fabric, the 1950s Italian
nightstands are from Nicholas Kilner, and the bench is in a wool jacquard from Clarence House. The sconce
is by Gentner Design, the custom silk shag rug is by Tai Ping, the wallcovering is by Phillip Jeffries, and the
curtains are of a silk mohair by Hiroko Takeda for Colony. For details, see Resources.

ELLE DECOR 47
PRESERVING
PARADISE
THE LATE ARGENTINE ARCHITECT MARIO CONNIO
BUILT HIS DREAM HOUSE ON URUGUAY’S ATLANTIC
COAST. NOW A CALIFORNIA COUPLE IS MAINTAINING
HIS LEGACY WHILE ENJOYING A SEASIDE RETREAT.
BY ANA K ARINA Z ATAR AIN PRODUCED BY DAVID M. MURPHY PHOTOGR APHS BY RICARDO L ABOUGLE
 A pergola of eucalyptus
poles shades the terrace of
a beachfront vacation
home in Punta Piedras,
Uruguay, designed by its
former owner, the late
architect Mario Connio.
The chair was locally
made, and the French
doors have shutters in
lapacho wood. OPPOSITE:
The home’s stucco facade
is topped with a traditional
Uruguayan thatched roof.

ELLE DECOR 49
O N C E A R E M O T E G E T A W A Y, T H E
beachfront town of Punta del Este, in
southern Uruguay, has met a fate simi-
lar to the world’s other ocean-facing
utopias. Decades ago, private homes
began to sprout along the coast, fol-
lowed by small hotel developments
and, eventually, the inevitable towers
that rose to fix their silhouettes on the
horizon. A few miles away, in Punta
Piedras, one residence has so far been
able to retain the charm afforded by
seclusion. Initially designed as a per-
sonal vacation home by the late Argen-
tine architect Mario Connio, the house
was sold more than two decades ago to
a couple who use it as a retreat from
their home base in San Francisco.
It is a n un i mposi ng str ucture,
washed in a pale ocher hue reminis-
cent of the sand that seems almost to
engulf the project. Viewed from afar, it
bears little hint of what it harbors. The
home’s lavish interiors feature an array
of patterns and textures; most objects
were selected and arranged by Connio.
“It was so spectacularly beautiful,
Mario’s own house that he built for
himself,” says the wife, who left the
property mostly intact. Between two
bookshelves, one piece—a map of
South America—is her most cherished,
perhaps because she herself was raised
in Argentina. “We said if we couldn’t
have the map, we wouldn’t buy the
house,” she says with a smile, recalling
their first visit. “That was where we
put our foot down.”
Though there is a unifying aesthetic,
the mood is set by a backdrop of
color—varied and muted hues of pink,
green, blue, and gray. The eclectic
decor consists of vintage pieces, curios
procured from travels, and striking
sofas upholstered in a bold pattern of
white and seafoam-green stripes. Made
in England, the distinctive “Connio
ABOVE: In the living room, the striped sofas and armchairs, cocktail table, and rug were all designed by Connio; the wicker chairs are from
Uruguay, and the pink stucco wall finish was matched by the architect to a bottle of sand from Petra in Jordan. The artwork along the back wall is
a vintage map of South America. ABOVE RIGHT: The dining room table is topped with a Simrane tablecloth and Astier de Villatte candlesticks.
OPPOSITE: Surrounded by jasmine, the pool courtyard has lapacho-wood details.

stripe” had been discontinued, but the
couple convinced the manufacturer to
run the pattern again, so they could
reupholster.
In his personal life as well as in his
oeuvre, Connio favored a nonchalant
sort of excess and extravagance; spaces
overflowing with color but tempered
by areas that show more restraint, in
which abundance is expressed through
light. “He was a devout aesthete, an
extremely refined person,” recalls
his friend, photographer R icardo
Labougle. Having never married or had
children, the architect—whose main
residence was in Madrid—hosted
guests often, and with pleasure. “He
would cook simple meals, but always
w it h good w i ne a nd somet h i ng
special—truff le oil or a beautifully
arranged charcuterie board,” Labougle
recalls. “Those were rituals that were
always present.”
The homes that architects design for
themselves are often the truest expres-
sions of their own values. Connio’s
personal fixations—the proportions of
ancient Roman architecture, the intri-
cate textiles of India and Morocco,
nature and gardening—were especially
resonant in his own homes.
The house in Punta Piedras echoes
its architect’s view that spaces should
dictate a way of life: multiple dining
areas in exteriors and interiors; a pan-
oramic ocean view reserved for the
intimacy of the primary bathroom,
itself a grand space for easy lounging;
an enclosed pool area embraced by
lush vines that crawl up and cascade
down its surrounding columns.
For the current owners, adopting the
lifestyle that the house encourages has
been a pleasure. “No matter where the
wind is coming from, there’s always a
place to be outside, where we can set
up a meal,” the husband says.
The couple’s time in Punta Piedras
serves as a pause from the hectic flow
of city life: breakfasts eaten in the
courtyard, afternoons lying by the
pool, and evenings watching the sunset
from the front deck. Most important,
in normal times, Connio’s penchant for
entertaining remains. “We always have
people over,” the wife says. “The house
is always full to the brim.” ◾

ELLE DECOR 51
OPPOSITE: In the main bedroom, a mosquito net hangs from a wall bracket that pivots over the antique bed. The photograph is by Vicky Aguirre.
ABOVE: The main bathroom, which overlooks the ocean, has a custom daybed. BE LOW: In the guest tower, the bed’s coverlet and the curtains
are all from Simrane. The ceiling is the underside of the thatched roof. For details, see Resources.

ELLE DECOR 53
54 ELLE DECOR
 RAW
POWER
IN A FORMER NABISCO FACTORY IN
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, ARCHITECT
AMANDA GUNAWAN BAKES
SCULPTURAL SIMPLICITY INTO A
BEAUX ARTS–ERA INDUSTRIAL MOLD.
BY VANESSA L AWRENCE PRODUCED BY INGRID ABR A MOVITCH
PHOTOGR APHS BY MINH T

The living room of architect Amanda Gunawan’s loft apartment, which she designed with her firm OWIU, in a Beaux Arts
former Nabisco building in Los Angeles’s Arts District. In the living area, the lounge chair and ottoman are by Charles
and Ray Eames, and the sofa, large cocktail table, and side table by the window are all by CB2. The shelves display Gunawan’s
collection of objects from Japan, the rug and wooden bench are by Zara, and the painting is by Fong Min Liao.
 Gunawan, in a Vince dress and Hermès mules, in the guest room with her border collies Kipper (left) and Koby. The Baltic Birch
cabinets and platform bed (with hidden futon) are custom. The objects on display include Match stoneware ceramics and a Kinto
donabe (a Japanese clay pot). The lanterns are by Isamu Noguchi, the paintings are by Fong Min Liao, and the floor is concrete.
 N 19 2 5, T H E F R E N C H - B O R N , M I S S O U R I - installed Baltic Birch flooring and built-in storage. Most cru-
based architect E.J. Eckel designed a brick- cially, she tore down a preexisting functional but pedestrian
and-steel building in downtown Los Angeles staircase that connected the kitchen to an upstairs main
as the West Coast headquarters of the bedroom and bathroom. Instead, Gunawan created a large
National Biscuit Company (Nabisco). Like mezzanine for a home office and library and designed a
many other former Nabisco factories dotting sculptural stairwell, in the same Baltic Birch.
the country, including the Chelsea Market building in New “From the flooring all the way up, the staircase looks like
York City, the Kennedy Biscuit Lofts in Cambridge, Massa- one extended fold,” she explains of her origami-like design.
chusetts, and the 1000 West Washington Lofts in Chicago, She added hidden storage to the stairs’ base and left the
Eckel’s seven-story cre- mezzanine’s timber beams
ation was later converted exposed. “It has an indus-
for another use. In 2006, trial grittiness.”
Aleks Istanbullu Architects Two Isamu Noguchi lan-
turned the L.A. cookie fac- ter n s ha ng f rom t hose
tory into a work-live com- beams, dangling above the
plex known as the Biscuit dining area’s travertine
Company Lofts. table and vintage Marcel
For architect Amanda Breuer chairs. To the right
Gu n awa n , t here cou ld is the living room,
hardly be a more apt loca- grounded by a white CB2
tion for setting down per- sofa , a n Ea mes lou nge
manent roots in a city she chair and ottoman, and a
has called home since mov- Flos light fixture whose
ing there to attend the sloping wires hang like a
Southern California Insti- canopy. The kitchen has a
tute of Architecture eight custom quartz island and
years ago. An alumna of pendant lights by Muuto.
M o r ph o s i s A rc h i t e c t s “If you look at the entire
(Pritzker Prize w i n ner space, even the centerpiece
Thom Mayne’s firm), Gun- objects don’t grab atten-
awan grew up in Singapore tion,” explains Gunawan of
and cofounded OWIU stu- her decorati ng M.O.
dio in 2018 with Joel Wong, “Everything blends in.”
a former high-school class- Off the kitchen is a guest
mate. OWIU stands for room where, inspired by
“The Only Way Is Up,” a trips to Japan during which
phrase that cheekily encap- she stayed in traditional
sulates Gunawa n a nd ryokans, Gunawan built a
Wong’s detailed approach custom platform storage
and focus on quality, lon- bed; its futon disappears
ABOVE: Beneath the custom Baltic Birch staircase, built by Inflexion,
gevity, and future adapt- and its exposed structural timber is a dining room with a travertine when it is not in use.
a bi l i t y. G u n a w a n h a d table, vintage Marcel Breuer chairs, and lanterns by Isamu Noguchi. Since moving into the
always admired the Biscuit apartment last May, she
Company Lofts from afar for those qualities and what she has been staying in this guest area while she retools the
calls their “OG” authenticity; when a street-level corner unit main bedroom upstairs. She would like to cast a custom bed
became available in 2019, she jumped at the chance to live in frame out of concrete and cover the back wall behind the
a building with such time-tested infrastructure. staircase in floor-to-ceiling shelving for her ever-expanding
The 1,620-square-foot open-plan apartment was previ- array of books. True to OWIU’s mission, Gunawan views
ously the residence of a sound producer who had tricked it the loft as a long-term work in progress, built on the back-
out like a 1960s space-age portal. Gunawan stripped it down bone of history and lasting craftsmanship. “It’s a necessary
into an understated space that embraces its factory roots approach,” she says. “You are constantly changing and your
while appealing to her preferred Japanese and Scandinavian needs are constantly changing. You have to build things that
aesthetic. She refinished the whitewashed brick walls and can change with you.” ◾

ELLE DECOR 57
 ABOVE: In the guest bathroom, the custom sink is concrete and the walnut shelf holds
Aesop liquid soap, a flower arrangement by Krystal Chang Projects, and a shell soap tray from Japan.
The mirror is vintage, the sconce is by West Elm, and the walls are limewashed.

58 ELLE DECOR
 A study on the apartment’s mezzanine, built by Inflexion, has a vintage
Marcel Breuer chair. The shelves, by Rakks, feature collections of Monocle, Kinfolk,
and Frame magazines and a lamp by Dims. For details, see Resources.
FEAST
YOUR EYES
ON THIS
IN A 16TH-CENTURY TUSCAN VILLA BRIMMING
WITH HISTORY, DESIGNER HUBERT ZANDBERG
ASSEMBLES A RICH AND LAYERED TABLEAU.

BY NANCY HASS PRODUCED BY CYNTHIA FR ANK PHOTOGR APHS BY SIMON UPTON

 In the grand salon of a
16th-century villa near
Siena, Italy, designed
by Hubert Zandberg,
the sofas in a Mulberry
velvet and bronze side
tables are all custom.
The white armchairs
are covered in a de Le
Cuona fabric, the chan-
deliers are Murano
glass, and the artwork
is by David Schnell.

ELLE DECOR 61
FEW YEARS AGO, A SOUTH AFRICAN
couple in their 40s living in Geneva
asked Hubert Zandberg, a fellow
countryman with a design and archi-
tecture practice in London, for help
with a sophisticated problem. The
house they had recently built, which
fitted in gracefully with the Swiss
city’s sleek modern residences, was
feeling a bit too Brutalist. Could he
make some interventions that would
soften the effect, without betraying
the house’s minimalist DNA?
Zandberg, a self-proclaimed maxi-
malist who has made a reputation
with projects that combine historical
research and a poetic, highly refined
sensibility, jumped at the challenge.
He was intrigued by the idea of bring-
ing warmth to a structure that was
built to seem aloof. To that end, while
he kept the shapes crisp, he intro- ABOVE: In the kitchen, the table is custom and the chairs are vintage. The woven chair is from
Malawi, the pendant is from a Paris flea market, and vintage cake molds hang on the wall above
duced curves and textured fabrics to the sink. OPPOSITE: In a sitting room next to the study, the armchair is of a Rubelli fabric, and
soften the Cubist lines. the Italian cocktail table and Pascal Sarfati floor lamp are both vintage. The 1960s chandelier is
So charmed was the couple with from Lorfords Antiques, and the set of bug plates on the wall is from a London market.
the result that two years later when
they bought a vacation house, a Tus- other so well by then,” Zandberg says. Giovanni chapel of the duomo in
can estate with 10th-century origins a The structure and setting of the Siena . T he prev ious ow ners had
few miles from Siena, they knew it Tuscan house are spiritually as distant re store d t he br ick ex ter ior a nd
made elegant sense to hand the proj- as imaginable from the Geneva prop- updated the plumbing and electricity,
ect to Zandberg; he would be in his erty. That was the contrast the couple burnishing the original details; the
maximalist element in the historic craved: an immersive escape from pol- Geneva couple wanted to carry on that
buildings. For the designer, working ished Geneva to a place where they respectful stewardship. “We feel we
on this home enabled him to tap a could gather their large extended fam- are more like custodians than own-
geyser of knowledge from a lifetime ily for big meals accompanied by bot- ers,” says the wife. “This property is
of collecti ng ra re a nd precious tles of the region’s Montepulciano so much bigger than us.”
objects. He mixes centuries with wines. Set in isolation amid the low The proportions of the house, unsur-
abandon, enabling the spaces he cre- rolling hills of Tuscany, the house cen- prisingly, are vast, with several large
ates to seem as though they are an ters on a brick watchtower from the public chambers and a slew of bed-
accretion of generational memories Middle Ages. The chapel and main rooms. As such, instead of mapping out
instead of reading as period pieces. residence were built in the 16th cen- a color plan room by room with the
And so, the socially prominent but tury by the architect and painter Bal- owners, Zandberg laid in front of them
discreet couple let him have virtually dassarre Peruzzi, who worked with a series of hues, patterns, and textures.
free rein over the expansive interiors Donato Bramante and Raphael and Once they signed off on the palette,
of the new property. “We knew each pa i nted t he f rescoes i n t he Sa n they left it to him to distribute it.

62 ELLE DECOR
 Perhaps the most challenging space
was the grand salon, an enormous
beamed expanse with 16-foot ceilings.
Now, the room has a Venetian aura,
awash in blues and greens, effort-
lessly incorporating centuries-old
furnishings with the contemporary
art the couple collects, as well as
some heirlooms inherited from their
families. Lush upholstered seating
that Zandberg designed is inter-
spersed with objects he found in the
world’s great flea markets and shops,
including Clignancourt in Paris and
L’Isle sur la Sorgue in Provence. A
marble mantel by the 16th-century
sculptor Giovanni Antonio Paracca
(Il Valsoldo) sits across from antique
carved wall sconces and two works
from 2016, a moody oil by the Scottish
artist Kevin Harman and a
14-foot-long canvas by the German
painter David Schnell.
The study, crafted from a long,
wide loggia off the salon, provides a
vivid example of how Zandberg intro-
duces aesthetic tension: an airy rect-
angle, it has an austerity that seems
Florentine in its simplicity; the ceil-
ing is hung with globe lanterns from
Jamb in London instead of the more
expected ornate chandeliers.
Zandberg’s sense of whimsy is
especially evident in the guest bed-
rooms. In one, a French bedroom
chair covered in Fermoie fabric is jux-
taposed with vintage rattan, and a
French Industrial bedside table is lit
with a Paul Smith Anglepoise lamp.
The project, which took two years,
was a prolonged exercise in balancing
excess with restraint. While maximal-
ism in the wrong hands can “topple
over into cacophony,” as the designer
puts it, when executed with the scien-
tific precision in which Zandberg spe-
cializes, it provides a mellif luous
bounty. “Every maximalist is a closet
minimalist,” he says. “It’s like writing
music. You don’t say to yourself, Wow,
maybe there are too many notes in
this. You ask yourself, Are these the
right notes? Do they sing?” ◾

RIGHT, FROM TOP: In the salon, an antique

needlepoint ottoman is topped with a Persian
tray and a mancala board, and the chandeliers
are early 20th century from Lorfords Antiques.
Above a custom console in the study hang
two framed works by Giovanni Battista Piranesi
(center) and pictures of eminent men.

64 ELLE DECOR
 The custom dining table
is surrounded by a mix of
antique Spanish leather
dining chairs and custom
chairs covered in fabrics
by Rubelli and Lizzo. The
vintage birdcage and the
framed prints (left) are
from a Paris flea market,
the chandeliers are cast
iron, and the sconces are
custom. The artwork
(right) is by Piranesi.
ABOVE: The custom guest bed is surrounded by a canopy
in a de Le Cuona fabric and flanked by brass-and-opaline
lamps. The side table is a painted plant stand, and the
portrait is from the homeowner’s collection. RIGHT: In
the primary bathroom, a vintage brass trolley from a Paris
flea market is next to a travertine bathtub. The screen is a
custom design.

LE F T: A path framed by
boxwoods leads to the
fountain, which is original
to the property, and a
pergola covered in wiste-
ria. The garden overlooks
the Tuscan countryside
and hills in the distance.
OPPOSITE: In the main
bedroom, the bed is
a custom design, the
canopy fabric is by
Rubelli with a trim by
Casamance, and the
18th-century bench is
upholstered in a Pierre
Frey fabric. The custom
nightstands are topped
with iron lamps from a
Paris flea market. The
carved sconces with por-
celain flowers are French,
and the vintage mirror is
Italian. The walls are of a
custom plaster finish, the
chandelier is French, and
the antique rug is Persian.
For details, see Resources.
ELLE DECOR 67
WHAT’S
THE WORD?
IN JOHANNESBURG, AN ARCHITECT
COUPLE’S RE-ENVISIONED MIDCENTURY
HOME MAKES A CONCRETE
STATEMENT.
BY M ARY HOLL AND
PRODUCED BY
INGRID ABR A MOVITCH
PHOTOGR APHS BY
ELSA YOUNG/BUREAUX

RIGHT: The pool and

terrace of Silvio Rech and
Lesley Carstens’s house
in Johannesburg. The archi-
tect couple renovated and
expanded an original
midcentury home designed
by Eyvind Finsen. The round
daybed, chairs (left), and
cocktail table are all custom,
the chaises are by Paola Lenti,
and the Panton chairs are
from Vitra. The galvanized-
steel spiral staircase leads
to the upper terrace.
ELLE DECOR 69
70 ELLE DECOR
 XPANSIVE VISTAS instead to reimagine it. “We asked ourselves, What would the natural
aren’t easy to come by in progression of a Palm Springs bungalow be today?” Rech says.
Joha n nesbu rg, where The couple, who met while working at an architecture firm in Johan-
houses are often tucked nesburg, have been pioneers on the South African design scene for more
behind massive walls. So than 25 years. Their firm, Silvio Rech + Lesley Carstens Adventure
when Silvio Rech and Architecture, has designed such award-winning properties as Angama
Lesley Carstens visited a Mara in Kenya, Miavana in Madagascar, and Jao Camp in Botswana.
home for sale just two They themselves fancy an adventure: While working on a resort in the
doors down from their own, they Seychelles, they lived on a rubber boat with their two infant children
were surprised to discover a sweep- (Gio is now 24, and Luna is 19). A favorite residential project—a futuris-
ing panorama overlooking the city tic glass-and-concrete home on a mountainside in Cape Town—has been
below. Perched on a ridge, the prop- dubbed the “Tony Stark House” for its resemblance to Iron Man’s man-
erty was densely overgrown with sion. “Innovative architecture,” Rech notes, “is what turns us on.”
non-native wattles and eucalyptus Honoring Finsen’s aesthetic, the pair maintained the house’s neat
trees—a clue as to why the house had geometries, re-creating the original limewashed-plaster effect on the
sat on the market for two years after brickwork. They also preserved original elements like the fireplace, the
the death of its elderly owner. kitchen’s stone and terrazzo tiles, and the Aga stove. But from there, they
Although they had outgrown their allowed themselves freedom to experiment. “With a client, you have to
home, the couple, both architects, had sell it,” Rech says. “Here we could say, ‘Let’s just do it.’ ”
planned to renovate and expand their
former residence. But then they stum-
bled upon the neighboring house and
that magnificent view. “It was the
main drawcard,” Rech says.
Their vision was to create a dwell-
ing that would serve as an armchair
for gazing out over the city, where
jacarandas turn deep indigo in the
spring and electric thunderstorms
roll across the skyline in summer.
The innovative home on the prop-
erty was also a surprise. Built in the
1950s, it was designed by Eyvind Fin-
sen, a South African architect who
had taught Rech when he was study-
ing architecture at university. Open
and airy, the bungalow’s design was
an anomaly for the neighborhood, the
aff luent suburb of Westcliff, an
enclave best known for its baronial
mansions. By contrast, the Finsen
house was clearly influenced by Cali-
fornia modernists like Richard Neu-
tra and wouldn’t have been out of
place in the Hollywood Hills.
Rather than demolish the brick
structure, Rech and Carstens chose

RIGHT: Carstens takes in the view of

Johannesburg from her bedroom’s terrace.
OPPOSITE: Rech (left), seated in a chair
by Gabriele Mucchi for Zanotta, joins his wife
and daughter Luna in the living room. The
leather chairs are by Gamma, and the silver
storage table is by Kartell. Rech and Carstens
designed and applied a sculptural concrete
motif to the original fireplace chimney.
BE LOW: In the lounge, the leather sofa is by Flexform, the vintage black leather chair (left) is by Joe Colombo,
the cocktail table is custom, and the floor lamp is by Brokis. A vintage Arne Vodder console is topped with brass
sculptures from Benin, the leaf chandeliers are by Xavier Clarisse, and the artwork is by Karel Nel.
ABOVE: The kitchen’s island is flamed Namibian granite, fitted with a Smeg oven and Pitt cooktop. The stools are by
Houtlander, and the cylindrical vent hoods overhead are by Faber. The Aga stove and the banquette are original to the
house. BE LOW: On the terrace, both the travertine table and the Le Corbusier–inspired dining chairs are custom.

A trip to Japan had sparked an interest in that country’s architectural

use of concrete. Here, they chose to deploy the muscular material in
abundance. The decks, made from thick slabs of cement, give the house
a sharp Brutalist look. “The house is quite simple but it has some inter-
esting lines—it has a sculptural feel,” says Rech, noting that they also
looked to John Lautner and the futurist Googie style for inspiration.
To furnish the interiors, they drew upon their collection of vintage
pieces, incorporating a rosewood sideboard by Arne Vodder, an origi-
nal Isamu Noguchi paper pendant light, and a steel sculpture by Edu-
ardo Villa. But most of the decor was designed by Rech and Carstens
and custom-made for the project, from the flamed Namibian granite
kitchen island to the living room’s oak bookshelves and the pale blue
daybed by the pool.
While the interior and exterior have a distinctly midcentury-modern
feel, the garden reflects its environment. Working with local landscape
architect Dawid Klopper, the couple removed most of the non-native foli-
age and replaced it with indigenous plants more typical of South Africa’s
veld, or grassland, like aloes and red grass. They even steam-cleaned the
blackened rocks to reveal their natural orange color. “We wanted to
bring back the birds,” Rech says.
It’s no wonder that, pre-COVID, the couple was constantly being
approached to lend their home as a setting for parties. They often
did—and hope to again. “It’s fantastic!” Rech says. “It’s a party house,
and it influences the way you feel about life.” ◾

ELLE DECOR 73
ABOVE: Rech and Carstens designed their son Gio’s bedroom around a set of reclaimed Oregon pine beams they found in a local antiques shop.
The walls are a polycarbonate paneling that allows light to shine through. The cane chair is from Madagascar, and the side table is by Kartell.
OPPOSITE: In the main bedroom, the bed is custom, the chaise is by Cassina, and the ceiling is clad in white oak. For details, see Resources.

74 ELLE DECOR
IN THE MONTHS SINCE
COVID-19 BEGAN
WREAKING HAVOC ON
OUR WAY OF LIFE, IT’S
BECOME CLEAR THAT
THINGS MAY NOT RETURN
TO THE WAY THEY WERE.
AND THAT’S NOT A BAD
THING. RESIDENTIAL DESIGN
HAS ALWAYS EVOLVED
DURING TIMES OF CRISIS,
MEETING THE DEMANDS OF
THE MOMENT. WE ASKED
NINE ARCHITECTS AND
DESIGNERS TO FORECAST
HOW OUR HOMES WILL
CHANGE AFTER THE DUST
HAS SETTLED.
PRODUCED BY CHARLES CURKIN
ILLUSTR ATIONS BY LEONIE BOS

THE NEW
HOME

Spending more In a post-COVID There will be a return COVID hasn’t so much Architects need to
time at home with world, consider how to cork walls for changed but reaffirmed invent improved
family, working and life might become more reduction of sound the way I think we’ll be typologies of houses,
learning remotely, being multigenerational, transmission. We’ll living in the future. It let and housing that
more mindful of the with extended family also use more efficient people see they can work better responds to
relationship between moving in. For us that window-glazing films to remotely and stay in their diverse communities
indoors and outdoors— aligns with the form reduce screen glare on communities. Even before, of residents and their
all of these experiences of collective housing monitors and enhance people were meeting for accompanying cultures
have implications for known as cohousing. video presentations. work outside of the office and lifestyles. This
how we will design — JE NNY & ANDA — JOY MOYLE R , in places like cafés. COVID must include the
houses going forward. F RE NC H , ARC H ITE C T S DE SIGNE R is accelerating these potential for shared
We should focus on trends. —TUR A COUSINS spaces as well as the
use, asking more often, WILSON, ARCHITEC T ability to isolate within
“What three things the house compound.
can happen in this In addition, there
room...?” People need needs to be greater

“
places where they can consideration for
be together with family,
but also places where
We should focus on use, asking artificial and natural
ventilation and lighting
they can be alone to
reflect, to learn, to
more often, ‘What three things can strategies in order to
maintain good interior
recharge. —DE BOR AH
BE RKE , DE AN OF happen in this room?’ ” air quality and mental
well-being.
THE YALE SC HOOL —TOSHIKO MORI,
OF ARC HITEC TURE DEBORAH BERKE ARC HITEC T

ELLE DECOR 77
WHERE
WE’LL WORK
With this era comes the end of
partners’ desks. Often, in the past,
a couple living together would share
a study, but we’re seeing a shift away
from that. There is now a demand for
two workrooms, one to each person.
—THOMA S KLIGE RMAN, ARCHITEC T
“might
A few well-placed doors
save you from Zooming
in your laundry room.”
EMILY FARNHAM
Large tables will accommodate
dining and pod class instruction.
Technology will continue to be
implemented via smart devices
throughout the home. — JOY MOYLE R
Time spent at home must distinguish between
group activities and those that require solitude.
Being alone is a good thing that needs to be designed
for—a place where you can work by yourself and be
acoustically separated from the other activities of the
house. Ideally this space will also have a door, and
a window with a view outside. —DE BOR AH BE RKE
I’m as guilty as the next designer of celebrating
the open floor plan for its entertaining value, but
living in one giant echo chamber is certainly less
appealing now, isn’t it? A few well-placed doors
might save you from Zooming in your laundry room
or podcasting from your closet—and might also give
your children a chance to truly focus during their
online lesson. —EMILY FARNHAM, ARCHITEC T
 We’re installing a lot
of outdoor heaters
and heated floors on
porches, and they can
be screened. If you live
in Boston, for example,
doing this will extend
the time you can spend
outside into the colder
months. These spaces
could be used as places
for ill family members
to safely convalesce.
—THOMA S KLIGE RMAN

As the distinction
becomes blurred
between home life and
work life, we will need
to design for respite and
provide ways to draw
boundaries around
some practices. How
the home is connected
to the outdoors—to
views, light, and air—

NEW PL AC ES TO REST
and offers spaces to
recharge will become

(A N D C O N VA L E S C E ) particularly valued.
—DE BOR AH BE RKE

We’d already I think a lot about

observed, before humanity’s collective
the pandemic, how health. It doesn’t start
In light of the discovery that the virus is airborne, the ability for a residence important well-being or end with COVID.
to smoothly transition from a collective living environment to a cluster of has become in our Our buildings and
isolated zones becomes essential to stop transmission. New residential designs daily lives. People are homes must be more
must include robust air ventilation and filtration strategies to optimize indoor more interested now eco-friendly. Homes
air quality. The need for natural ventilation and sunlight exposure also becomes in monitoring their should all be net-zero
an important aspect of well-being, as views to the outdoors can provide respite health, in investing in and buildings should
from relentless patterns of online work and learning. —TOSHIKO MORI professional services, emit lower amounts
and in devoting time of carbon. We need
to physical activity. to recycle building
Personal saunas and materials and make
cold-water baths are everything more
very popular in most sustainable—from

“People are more interested Scandinavian cities.

Post-COVID, we
appliances and lighting
to sources of energy for

”
expect to see these heating and cooling.
now in monitoring their health. requests amplified. That way we can rally.
— RE IULF R AM S TAD, —TUR A COUSINS
REIULF RAMSTAD ARC HITEC T WIL SON

ELLE DECOR 79
 Hopefully, when
the pandemic is over,
what we will have
learned is that we can
still have meaningful
connections, and that
technology is coming
to terms with what
that looks like. We
need furniture and
environments that
are better suited to
this. We are designing
experimental sculptural
pieces that integrate
digital media with
furniture to create more
purposeful and visceral
virtual engagement.
— JE NNY & ANDA
FRE NCH

The pandemic take-

away is that garages
should be planned
for conversion to
recreation rooms. I’ve
just revisited a new-
construction project I
have on the boards to
make sure the required
garage has everything
it needs to transform
it into something more
essential in the future.
We’ve added a few
windows, created a
connection to a side
garden, and run future
plumbing and HVAC
capability to the space
so that conversion will
be less of an endeavor.
—EMILY FARNHAM

We’ve always

WHERE thought a lot about

how to shape space

W E ’ L L P L AY through light and

make connections
to the outdoors, but
as I’ve spent more
time at home, I’ve
been paying more
Now that it’s much more common to work from
home, there must be a dedicated area of the home
to conduct work, as well as a complementary area to
relax. This space doesn’t need to be large, but should
“ Everything you
used to go out to do
attention to acoustics
and how sound fills
spaces. We recently
designed a house for a
be separate enough that one can feel away from family of music lovers.
work while still being at home. —TOSHIKO MORI
for exercise you can The open living area
was conceived to
accommodate a grand
Everything you used to go out to do for exercise,
you can now do at home. We’re being asked to
create rooms for virtual golfing. The clients don’t
now do at home.
THOMAS KLIGERMAN
” piano, so music is at
the heart of the family
zone. We also designed
cite COVID-19 as the reason they’re making these smaller spots that can
requests. But what’s implied is that we’re planning be used for practicing.
on being at home more. —THOMA S KLIGE RMAN —DE BOR AH BE RKE

80 ELLE DECOR
NEW AREAS
FOR CONNECTION
More homes will become multigenerational. This is in part due to culture:
A lot of families come from diverse traditions where generations of a family
live together. There is potential for a shared backyard. You might have a triplex
home, for instance, with grandparents on one level, parents on another, and
children or aunts on another. And everyone gathers in the yard for activities and
barbecues. —TUR A COUSINS WIL SON
Homes will be divided into more distinct quiet and noisy zones—for
entertainment, learning, and relaxation. The kitchen will continue to grow and
dominate as the public space; two ovens will accommodate more home cooking.
Large rooms will be multipurpose for arts and entertainment. — JOY MOYLE R
“The kitchen willandcontinue to grow
dominate as the public space.”
JOY MOYLER
A screened, well-ventilated porch can serve as
an ideal dining and entertaining space. Cooking
can migrate outdoors and, by extension, the kitchen
becomes a social space of gathering where family
and friends come together, cook together, and eat
together in an informal setting. —TOSHIKO MORI
Outdoor spaces are attractive and safe for
meeting with family and friends. But in some
weather they might need a little nudge, like covered
sitting areas and firepits. — RE IULF R AM S TAD
RESOURCES
Items pictured but not listed are
from private collections.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE 4: Tablecloth: Simrane,
simrane.com. Tableware: Astier
de Villatte, astierdevillatte.com.
SHOWCASE
PAGE 24: Crystal: Reflections
Copenhagen, reflections-
copenhagen.com; Fundamental
Berlin, choixhome.com.
TRUTH IN DECORATING
PAGES 26–27: Kimille Taylor,
kimilletaylor.com. Vicente Wolf,
vicentewolf.com.
TO BE PRECISE.
Architecture: Michael K. Chen,
mkca.com.
PAGES 40–41: Bench: Brodie Neill,
brodieneill.com. Pendant: Roll &
Hill, rollandhill.com. Stool: Nilufar,
nilufar.com. Rug: Edward Fields,
edwardfields.com. Paint:
Benjamin Moore, benjamin
moore.com. PAGES 42–43: Chaise:
Vladimir Kagan, vladimirkagan
.com. Sofa and chaise fabric:
Holland & Sherry, hollandand
sherry.com. Cocktail table: Kin &
Company, kinandcompany.com.
Games table: Christopher Kurtz,
christopherkurtz.net. Pendant:
Bec Brittain, becbrittain.com.
Photograph: Lalla Essaydi,
lallaessaydi.com. PAGES 44–45:
Cabinetry: Henrybuilt,
henrybuilt.com. Countertops:
ABC Stone, abcworldwidestone
.com. Range: Gaggenau,
gaggenau.com. Pendant: Roll &
82 ELLE DECOR
Hill. Bowl: MQuan Studio, mquan
.com. Table: Christopher Kurtz.
Chairs: Nilufar. Chandelier:
Ladies & Gentlemen Studio,
ladiesandgentlemenstudio.com.
Sectional: Poliform, poliform.it.
Pendant: Roll & Hill. Sconces:
Apparatus, apparatusstudio.com.
Shades: The Shade Store,
theshadestore.com.
Wallcovering: Porter Teleo,
porterteleo.com. PAGES 46–47:
Faucet: Vola, en.vola.com. Mirror:
Kin & Company. Sconces: Lindsey
Adelman, lindseyadelman.com.
Bed fabric: Jiun Ho, jiunho.com.
Nightstands: Nicholas Kilner,
nicholaskilner.com. Bench fabric:
Clarence House, clarencehouse
.com. Sconce: Gentner Design,
gentnerdesign.com. Rug:
Tai Ping, taipingtent.com.
Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries,
phillipjeffries.com. Curtains:
Colony, goodcolony.com.
PRESERVING PARADISE
Architecture: Mario Connio.
PAGES 50–51: Tablecloth: Simrane,
simrane.com. Candlesticks: Astier
de Villatte, astierdevillatte.com.
PAGES 52–53: Photograph: Vicky
Aguirre, vickyaguirreph.com.
Coverlet and curtains: Simrane.
RAW POWER
Interior design and architecture:
Amanda Gunawan, owiu-
design.com.
PAGES 54–55: Lounge chair and
ottoman: Charles and Ray Eames,
hermanmiller.com. Sofa, cocktail
table, side table: CB2, cb2.com.
Rug and bench: Zara, zarahome
A beachside hzinteriors.com.
seating area at PAGES 60–61: Sofa fabric: Mulberry,
the Uruguay gpjbaker.com. Armchair fabric:
home designed De Le Cuona, delecuona.com.
by the late PAGES 62–63: Armchair fabric:
architect Mario Rubelli, rubelli.com. Chandelier:
Connio, page 48. Lorfords Antiques, lorfords
antiques.com. PAGES 64–65:
Chandeliers: Lorfords Antiques.
Dining chair fabric: Rubelli.
Dining chair fabric: Lizzo, lizzo
.net. PAGES 66–67: Canopy: De Le
Cuona. Canopy fabric: Rubelli.
Trim: Casamance, casamance
.com. Bench fabric: Pierre Frey,
pierrefrey.com.
WHAT’S THE WORD?
Interior design and architecture:
Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens,
silviorechlesleycarstens.co.za.
PAGES 68–69: Chaises: Paola Lenti,
paolalenti.it. Panton chairs: Vitra,
vitra.com. PAGES 70–71: Chair:
Zanotta, zanotta.it. Leather
chairs: Gamma, gamma.it.
Table: Kartell, kartell.com.
.com. Painting: Fong Min Liao, PAGES 72–73: Sofa: Flexform,
fongminliao.com. flexform.it. Floor lamp: Brokis,
PAGES 56–57: Dress: Vince, vince brokis.cz. Chandeliers: Xavier
.com. Mules: Hermès, hermes Clarisse, clarissedesign.com.
.com. Ceramics: Match, Oven: Smeg, smegusa.com.
matchstoneware.com. Donabe: Cooktop: Pitt Cooking,
Kinto, kinto-usa.com. Lanterns: pittcooking.com. Stools:
Isamu Noguchi, noguchi.org. Houtlander, houtlander.co.za.
Paintings: Fong Min Liao. Vent hoods: Faber, faberonline
PAGES 58–59: Soap: Aesop, aesop .com. Stove: Aga, agarangeusa
.com. Flowers: Krystal Chang .com. PAGES 74–75: Side table:
Projects, krystalchang.com. Kartell. Chaise: Cassina,
Sconce: West Elm, westelm.com. cassina.com.
Shelves: Rakks, rakks.com.
Lamp: Dims, dimshome.com. NOT FOR SALE
PAGE 84: Flowers: East Olivia,
FEAST YOUR EYES ON THIS eastolivia.com. Bed: Bunny
Interior design: Hubert Zandberg, Williams, bunnywilliamshome.com.
ELLE DECOR (ISSN 1046-1957) Volume 32, Number 1, January/February 2021, is published
monthly except for combined issues in January/February and Summer, by Hearst,
300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 U.S.A. Steven R. Swartz, President & Chief
Executive Officer; William R. Hearst III, Chairman; Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice
Chairman; Mark E. Aldam, Chief Operating Officer. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc.:
Debi Chirichella, President, Hearst Magazines Group & Treasurer; Kate Lewis, Chief Content
Officer; Kristen M. O’Hara, Chief Business Officer; Catherine A. Bostron, Secretary. © 2021
by Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All rights reserved. ELLE and ELLE DECOR are used under
license from the trademark owner, Hachette Filipacchi Presse. Periodicals postage paid at
N.Y., N.Y., and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications mail prod-
uct (Canadian distribution) sales agreement No. 40012499. Editorial and Advertising Offices:
300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Subscription prices: United States and posses-
sions: $15 for one year. Canada: $41 for one year. All other countries: $60 for one year.
Subscription Services: ELLE DECOR will, upon receipt of a complete subscription order,
undertake fulfillment of that order so as to provide the first copy for delivery by the Postal
Service or alternate carrier within 4–6 weeks. For customer service, changes of address,
and subscription orders, log on to service.elledecor.com or write to Customer Service
Department, ELLE DECOR, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. From time to time, we make our
subscriber list available to companies who sell goods and services by mail that we believe
would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such offers via postal mail, please
RICARDO L ABOUGLE
send your current mailing label or exact copy to Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 37870,
Boone, IA 50037. You can also visit preferences.hearstmags.com to manage your prefer-
ences and opt out of receiving marketing offers by e-mail. ELLE DECOR is not responsible
for unsolicited manuscripts or art. None will be returned unless accompanied by a
self-addressed stamped envelope. Canadian registration number 126018209RT0001.
POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to ELLE DECOR, P.O. Box 37870, Boone,
IA 50037. Printed in the U.S.A.
 Outstanding stories, not just hotels.

Santa Teresa Hotel Hotel Molitor INK Hotel

Rio de Janeiro – Brazil Paris – France Amsterdam – Netherlands

Hotel des Arts Hotel Muse Bangkok Hotel Lindrum

Saigon – Vietnam Langsuan – Thailand Melbourne – Australia

Places are more than just walls and timber, they are masonry with history. They are outstanding stories to be read and lived.
The MGallery collection has over 100 hotels, each with their own unique story, expressed here as a gallery of iconic objects.
Discover them all and book your stay at mgallery.com

MGALLERY. STORIES THAT STAY

NOT FOR SALE

Each month,
ELLE DECOR asks
an artisan to create
a unique item for us.
At the end of each
year, these pieces
are auctioned off to
benefit the charity
of ED’s choice. This
is the final item in
the 2020 cycle.

Not Your Garden Variety

AN ARCHIVAL PRINT, PAINSTAKINGLY REVIVED,
PAYS HOMAGE TO THE DELICATE DAISY.
PHOTOGR APH BY DON PENNY

Like all of the patterns for the heritage linens brand D. Porthault, this floral motif began with a story. Launched in the 1960s, Les Petites
Marguerites, which translates to “the little daisies,” was made to draw on the symbolism of the daisy and its playful form. “Imagining innocence
and new beginnings, Porthault’s designers infused the gentle lines of the daisy with joyful colors,” explains Beth Rigler, the director of
FLOWERS BY EAST OLIVIA

e-commerce for the brand. This specific print, shown here in a one-of-a-kind vibrant green-and-cherry colorway, was reintroduced in 2020
in celebration of the company’s centennial. The sheet set is made of 100 percent cotton voile, a close replication of the fine batiste linen on
which cofounder Madeleine Porthault first painted her designs. It is finished with a scalloped edge, a couture technique from the 1950s. A lot
can shift in a century, but D. Porthault’s impeccable craftsmanship remains consistent. Says Rigler: “All of D. Porthault’s linens continue
to be printed by hand with engraved screens in France. Our process has changed very little over time.” —Kate McGregor
dporthault.com

Styled by Laurel J. Benedum

84 ELLE DECOR
 Laren® Closet
Design by
Doniphan
Moore Interiors
©2020 The Container Store Inc. 49035

Schedule your free design consultation today

(or try our new Virtual In-Home Design Service)
at containerstore.com/custom-closets.