Telling a story

Good art should not just appeal to the senses it should also promote conversation. For Chicago designer Richar, it is a philosophy he has put into practice with the interior design of his own loft apartment.

A testimony of his passion for art and antiques, the apartment juxtaposes the surreal and bizarre with classic design and traditional craftsmanship. But it is the backdrop for the collection that sets the scene. With its exposed structural elements, brickwork and high ceiling, the loft was a natural blank canvas.

"Having plenty of wall space for the art I have collected over the past 25 years was crucial," says Richar.

"But it was equally important that the space had the right proportions to best display other artworks, including the sculpture and different furniture pieces I have gathered over the years. The 5m-high wood ceilings were a real drawcard."

Richar says the loft was already partitioned, but he undertook some remodelling to open up the perimeter of the space, pulling back the partitions where they met the exterior brickwork. Opening up the outside of the rooms reinforces the sense of space created by the three-quarter height partitions in the living area.

The gallery-style interior is further enhanced by the sculptural look of the exposed structural elements and ducting, and the lighting tracks that crisscross the ceiling.

To define the separate living spaces within the space, Richar used deep midnight-blue colour accents, and the careful positioning of art and furniture pieces.

For example, the apartment entrance, which could have opened straight into the dining area, is defined by the furniture placement. Two vintage, double-sided Chinese bookcases, paired with 1950s polished-steel and leather stools, create an entrance foyer.

"The space is like an entrance gallery, yet I didn't need to erect any walls," says Richar.

"The tall bookcases, which are topped with Asian ceramic pots, provide a formal symmetry that is appropriate for an entrance. But the rich wood of the antique furniture and the curving lines of the steel stools also provide a contrast and eclecticism that I love."

The dining area features a vintage Jules Le Leu table, circa 1925, and Vittorio Ducrot chairs from the 1930s. Richar keeps the leaf of the round table extended to provide a larger oval surface, which is topped with a collection of bronze candlesticks and a sculpture. Similar groupings of accessories feature on furniture throughout the apartment.

The designer says these items have not been grouped for specific reasons. It is more a case of what works visually and what feels right for a particular setting.

However, grouping items of similar proportions and colour tones, but with contrasting shapes and heights, is a common theme.

Black is also used as an accent colour in every room, either in the artworks or furniture, or both.

"Every interior should have a touch of black," says Richar. "It brings a sophisticated look to a space and seems to neutralise an interior."

In the kitchen-dining area, black can be seen in the upholstered chairs and bar stools, the benchtops, and a large, highly varnished painting by David Klamen.

"I do tend to like dark artworks, both in colour and subject matter," says Richar. "Art should be about conversation pieces art that tells a story or reflects the passion of the collector."

One such artwork in the formal living room is a digital work by Jason Salavan. Projected onto a white wall, the art presents manipulated data that encapsulates the average colours of the 25 highest-grossing box-office movies of all time.

Several other key sculptural pieces feature in the living room the border of the room is defined by an Asian torso on a pedestal, and a bronze Mozart cocktail table and still life by Neil Goodman. These items are contrasted by a large black mohair sofa and chairs.

"Mixing the old with the new is what gives a room soul," says Richar.

"The main challenge is to provide a balanced look, to maintain the scale and proportion. It's rather like orchestrating a composition getting the colours and shapes to harmonise so every element has a role to play, and every piece is seen in the best light."

Story by: Colleen Hawkes