Collection by Diana Budds
How to Design with Red
Did you know that red was the first color after black and white to be named? It has been found in cave paintings dating from 15,000 B.C., is the most frequently found color on national flags, and is rife with symbolism (the Red Scare anyone?). Here, we offer a look at residences that make the most of the bold hue.
The kitchen features many built-in and hidden features. A Miele integrated refrigerator and freezer are sheathed with custom wood panels and Sub-Zero under-counter refrigerator drawers offer extra space for chilling food. Since the family cooks a lot, Fisher worked with them to incorporate specialty appliances including a Wolf Duel Fuel range, a Wolf deep fryer set into the countertop, a Miele wok burner and dishwasher, and a Panasonic microwave. A custom hood by Best keeps the space ventilated. Calcutta Gold marble adds a striking contrast to the Modulnova cabinetry and island units are from McDuffee Design. The faucet—which boasts an extra-strong spray—is by KWC.
For the seating area, the couple selected a Charles sofa by Antonio Citterio for B&B Italia in addition to CH07 Shell chairs by Hans Wegner, a PK61 coffee table by Poul Kjærholm, and a Nesta rug from Design Within Reach. The dining table, an original design by Burnette, is surrounded by stools that belonged to a previous owner.
When residents want privacy (from the outside world or from other family members), sliding curtains, like this one dividing the office from the staircase, create temporary walls between rooms. "When you close the curtains, you can't see anything," says Wibowo. "It's more like Asian culture, where you don't want to show everything all at once. We want to be in control of what guests see."
Adrian Jones and Allison Silverman sit at their reclaimed wood dining table. Eco-mindedness is a matter-of-fact part of everyday life for the couple and the designer, Garrick Jones. “Sustainability comes from flexibility and planning for the long term,” Garrick says. “This is not a glammed-up loft.”
When Matthew Trzebiatowski and his wife Lisa designed their own home in Arizona, they created a bathroom whose extreme aesthetic matched the area’s extreme climate. The Trzebiatowskis’ bathroom retains the spirit of Arizona heat with its shocking magenta ceilings, floors, and walls. The vanity is anything but—featuring art instead of a mounted mirror—and is made from sanded and sealed OSB, a waste material typically used in framing.
A dim Toronto Tudor gets an airy new look. The home’s second-story hallway, which serves as an open office and library, was suffering from a severe lack of light. Lifting up one side of the old pitched roof made room for a linear skylight, which faces south to allow in as many rays as possible, and the modification transformed the top floor into a loftlike double-height space. Inexpensive detailing then added texture and scale: Simple plywood panels attached to cold-rolled-steel frames serve as guards along the stairs.