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Touch of class from Interior Living Trends volume 2218
At the time of construction, the curves and planes of Manhattan's Art Deco-inspired skyscrapers must have seemed like the shape of things to come. These iconic skyline buildings were equally futuristic on the inside, with sumptuous interiors dripping in chrome and glass.
Interior designer Leroy Belle wanted this high-rise space to be just as glamorous. He outlines here some Art Deco elements that contribute to the plush, comfortable interior.
"First entry into the apartment is through a modest hallway," says Belle. "Glass tiles and a sconce crystal consul table maximise reflected light in the area. The Lalique table, bolted to the wall, appears to float, further lightening the space."
Beyond the hall, the living room is a contemporary adaptation of classic Art Deco style.
"Advances in materials took leaps and bounds in the 1930s with chrome, bakelite and even exotic African woods signalling a new age in interior design," says Belle. "In a sense, these materials and Art Deco's distinctive lines will always be futuristic. In this apartment's living room, chrome, glass and even the blue-grey wall tones, are intended to echo the modern urban cityscape beyond its windows."
The white leather and chrome chairs, Brno black, matt leather dining chair and ottomans are all from the 1920s and ‘30s. The generous armchair is in the style of Art Deco and finished in a blend of leather and linen. This exotic armchair upholstery, the chair's zebra-stripe silk-velvet cushion and the wool-silk mix rug all reflect an interest in new blends and textures that was a driving design force in the 1930s.
Belle designed the custom Art Deco polished wood sideboard himself. It is finished in Macassar veneer, an African hardwood largely unheard of until the continent became more accessible through deep exploration, again in the '30s.
If the living room tones reflects its urban views, the owner's home office has been given a more serious, if equally luxurious, theme.
"This room is darker in tone," says Belle. "I designed the glass topped desk, which is made from glass and zebrano, another exotic African wood to emerge from this time period."
Above the 1930s walnut side table, a painting of a classic sculpture is large in scale but muted in tone, adding to the overall formal atmosphere.
The red and black chair is upholstered in a satin silk, providing further textural input. The damask cushion picks up on the chair's red stripe and also the muted taupe of the study walls.
The apartment's bedroom has a softer, cocooned ambience, says the designer.
Here, a layered effect of fine textures and materials contribute to a pampering feel. The room-setting is a good example, cushions in silk-wool, quilted satin, and silk embroidery sit atop a linen and silk comforter.
"Effective interiors provide a sense of continuity right through a home. For example, the zebra cushion in the living room finds empathy with the zebra sheets in the bedroom."
The living room's white leather and chrome chairs, Brno black, matt leather dining chair and ottomans are all from the 1920s and ‘30s. Belle designed the sideboard, which wraps neatly around the ottomans. Ice blue taffeta curtains augment the scenery of buildings, bridge and harbour.
This interior, designed by Leroy Belle, celebrates the 1930s Art Deco movement in terms of furniture styles and materials born out of the same decade. Contemporary materials are also used, chosen for their same spirit of innovation that saw so many changes in the '30s. An oval mirror in the entranceway reflects light and draws the eye to the living room beyond. The cantilevered sconce wall table is by iconic 1930s designer Lalique.
Texture meets pattern on the walls as well as in the furnishings. This striped wall was achieved by applying alternating bands of matt, then glossy, black paint.
Light, white leather chairs were chosen to sit near the centre of the space, to avoid cutting the living room in half visually. The luminaires extend the Art Deco focus, while an Aboriginal artwork draws together the various tones in the room.
An exotic coral finds common form with a Lalique bowl on one of two Art Deco-style chrome table. The owner collects coral and an extinct example is seen encapsulated in perspex under the ottomans.
Art Deco lines, exotic woods and composite materials are combined to create a more formal ambience in the owner's home office.
The zebrano-veneer desk was designed by Belle and comprises two pedestals supporting a glass surface. Decoration on the table combines material and texture, with silver fluting found at the top and bottom of both pedestals.
An exotoc blend of materials includes a faux astrakhan-finished headboard in black. Lighting also provides a salute to the 1930s, being made from perspex and chrome. Both materials were ground-breaking in the '30s, with perspex called Lucite at the time. On the far wall of the bedroom, a coral stone table and mirror are inlaid with tiny silver triangles, while the framed prints are back-faced in mirror.
Embroidered silk sits side by side with quilted satin in this exotic blend of cushions and bedding.
Credit List
Blinds
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Silent Gliss, Bayless
Wallcoverings, entry
:
Blue mosaics from Di Lorenzo Ceramics
Furniture
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Living room, Arte sofas; Dining room furniture, Hermon Miller; study, Casa Mia; bedroom furniture, custom designed by Leroy Belle; all other furniture designed by Leroy Belle
Upholstery fabrics
:
Boyac, Redelmans
Artwork
:
Camilla Young, Norman Lindsay, Coburn
Photography by Mark Mawson
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