Aug 17, 2010

Designer Repertoire

17 August 2010,

Design ages like a beautiful bottle of champagne. Little do people know that champagne ages in different stages and with each stage it only gets richer, in this case the exquisite fine touches in design enfolds.

Designer Vicente Wolf has begun his path in this designing industry 38 years ago, and with time his designs have matured with richness and unique maturity. Jacques Peters, Champagne Veuve Clicquot’s cellar master also believes in “the added richness and round-ness the Champagne develops with age”. Thus, there is no denying to the complexity that age presents.

But let not his title as an interior designer deceive anyone, he is not only an interior designer but he also is a passionate photographer, an art collector and also a global traveller. “I like to have inspiration to be more abstract instead of literal, I get most of my inspirations from my travels, going to art shows and living in New York City”.

In this abode situated at the Hampton in New York designed to be an escape from the busy lives in Manhattan. This getaway is designed to have a “friendly and relaxed outlook but still elegant”. This home is definitely the epitome of comfort; Wolf has introduced simple lines as well as the element of mix into the furnishings, which is a very bold approach. Despite, the fact that “the original building plans did not allow for the best flow, the kitchen had been I’ll conceived in the plan, the master bath was not very spacious, and the decorative details which did not show off the best aspects of the house, we were able to overcome these challenges by taking the architect’s plans and redistributing scale and space.”

Not only did they overcome the challenges from the original plans they also had to design the home to meet the needs of the home owners, who specifically requested for “a living room that could sit up to 15 people, a kitchen that was open, but still separated the staff from the guest, a master bedroom that was inviting and soft, a library that was intimate but still comfy.”

A living room is a living room, there would always be the seating area and then a coffee table – but the ultimate challenge is the selection process. Rather than placing a large portrait or painting on the wall of the living room, Wolf has placed mirror panels that not only camouflages the spatial surrounding but also serves as an element to make any space seem larger than it is. Wolf wanted “the house to have a sense of the past but still contemporary.” They achieved this “by incorporating traditional pieces into the house.” Take for example the dining table, which carries with it a rustic attitude but its look is soften with the use white seats and also the space.

The home is fitted with brightly hued rooms that look elegant and traditional pieces for that timeless effect. But all in all, this designer proved to be an influence in the works of many designers as he has been nominated as one the top 100 designer in Metropolitan Home’s “Design 100” – a renowned magazine in the United States, honoured as the “Design Icon of 2009” at the Las Vegas Market to name a few. It is certain that this designer is aging well.

逃离繁忙城市，享受温馨舒适

Vicente Wolf在设计行业待了38年，可以发现他的设计随着时间的推移，越来越散发出丰富且独特的成熟韵味。此外，除了室内设计师这个身份，他也是个充满激情的摄影师、艺术收藏家和旅行家。“我需要得到更多灵感和启示，而我大多数的灵感是从旅行、展览和纽约市的生活所得来的。”Vicente Wolf说。

环视本案室内，屋主想拥有一个可以暂时逃离繁忙城市生活的空间，所以设计师以简单的线条及家具，搭配许多混合的元素，为屋主打造出一个温馨舒适又不失优雅的家。宽敞的客厅，以暖色系的简单家具为主，加上鲜花及绿色植物点缀，温暖的阳光从窗口照射进室内，带来温馨感，让整个空间充满英式田园风；田园风再延伸到卧室，木质家具搭配白色的窗帘及床上用品，让人犹如处于度假的心情，忘却烦恼。用餐区以白色椅子搭配实木餐桌，简约的风格让人心情自然轻松。
工作室及接待区以褐色为主，设计师大胆地把混合元素融入进这个整齐舒适的空间，接待区的墙面装饰，散发出浓浓的中国风，不但没有冲突，反而让整个居家的生活品质无限升华。