Janet Butler
This boldly colored, east-meets-west apartment design by Galeazzo Design, Brazil draws its inspiration from the crossing and intersection of two cultures. Segmented painting on walls and ceiling is a deliberate “axis” in the space — a break intended to bring to mind the folding of origami paper. That there’s an Oriental influence here is unmistakable: bamboo furniture and flooring, huge stylized dragons on the wallpaper, lacquers and hardwoods, and traditional nods to China in both photography and art draw the eye. Note the large circular shelf unit on the wall, holding a traditional Chinese vase painted simply with small lettering — and black and red fish; lighted by a 50s-era swinging lamp is a cat “mask” with marked Eastern lines.
Those may be among the subtlest elements on the premises; bold deep-blue window shades play off purples and golds on the opposite wall with ultra-contemporary attitude. At the same time, Occidental pieces hold pride of place: a crystal chandelier, abstract geometric art, spindle-backed wood chairs — some with upholstery and more formal finish, some as casual as if brought in from Grandma’s farmhouse. The fireplace is strictly contemporary, solid granite and unadorned rectangles. Contrast it, in turn, with the plush cushioned couch with its own color accents, unusual cylindrical “side tables,” and the picnic-bench style dining ensemble. When east meets west, sometimes they blend without a wrinkle; in cases like this, however, key identifiers are present for each side of the world…in an eclectic mix that’s both playful and dramatic.
