HOW TO MAKE A COLOR INFUSED APARTMENT FOR A SOPHISTICATED, DESIGN OBSESSED, ALMOST COLOR BLIND CLIENT? THIS WAS THE MISSION CRINA ARGHIRESCU ROGARD HAD TO FULFILL AS SHE EMBARKED ON REIMAGINING THE ARCHITECTURE AND DECORATION OF A TRIBECA THREE BEDROOM APARTMENT LOCATED ON THE 21ST FLOOR OF A NEW GLASS CLAD BUILDING. THE BUCHAREST BORN, MILAN EDUCATED, PARIS TRAINED AND NEW YORK BASED ARCHITECT AND INTERIOR DESIGNER IS KNOWN FOR A UNIQUE AND HIGHLY PERSONAL STYLE THAT IS BOTH PARED DOWN AND INFINITELY LUXURIOUS. HER MAGIC COMES FROM CREATING AN EXACTINGLY PURE ARCHITECTURE, WHERE SPACES SEEM TO SERENELY FLOW INTO EACH OTHER, AND POPULATING IT WITH A WILDLY CREATIVE, CHIC, UNEXPECTED MIX OF FURNITURE AND OBJECTS THAT LOOK LIKE THEY BELONG TOGETHER. THE RESULT IS SHOW STOPPING, AS EVERY ROOM BECOMES AN UNEXPECTED TABLEAU CONSISTING OF DREAMY COMPOSITIONS WHERE RANDOM OBJECTS, PIECES OF FURNITURE AND LIGHTING SEEM TO COME TOGETHER, HAVING SURPRISINGLY REACHED THEIR UNEXPECTED AND YET BEAUTIFUL FINAL DESTINATION.
 
WALKING THROUGH THE SPACE, THE MIX OF RIGOR AND PLAYFULNESS IS EVIDENT AT EVERY TURN. THE ARCHITECT’S TRADEMARK MINIMALIST ARCHITECTURE IS REFLECTED IN THE HARMONIOUS FLOW BETWEEN THE KITCHEN, DINING AREA AND LIVING ROOM. THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY THE OPEN PLAN KITCHEN IS DEFINED BY SEMI-CIRCULAR BRUSHED STAINLESS STEEL ISLANDS DESIGNED IN COLLABORATION WITH ITALIAN ARTIST HENRY TIMI. THEY FORM A PERFECT BACKDROP FOR INFORMAL COCKTAILS. MADE OF BURNT WOOD, THE ADJACENT DINING ROOM TABLE CREATES A DEFINED WARM AREA THAT CONTRASTS WITH THE COLDER ATMOSPHERICS OF THE KITCHEN MATERIAL.
 
AN OVAL SILVER METEOR FALLEN FROM THE SKY HANGS ABOVE THE DINING TABLE, AND ITS MULTICOLORED COMPONENTS ADD A POETIC NOTE TO THE SPACE. BARCELONA BASED ARTIST GUILLERMO SANTOMA DESIGNED THE CLUSTER OF LIGHTING FIXTURES IN GEOMETRIC SHAPES AND A MULTITUDE OF COLORS AND LIGHT METHODS, BINDING TOGETHER NEON AND LED STRIPS, EUROPEAN LINE VOLTAGE EDISON LIGHT BULBS, AND PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC LIGHTING MATERIALS. GUILLERMO LOVES CONNECTING DIFFERENT ERAS, TECHNOLOGIES, AND A MULTITUDE OF MEDIUMS. FROM THERE, GUESTS CAN MOVE TO THE LIVING ROOM WHERE THE ROSE SOFA BY JORIS POGGIOLI DRAWS THE EYES TO THE VIEW, AND WHOSE ASYMMETRIC FEATURES MIRROR THOSE OF THE WINDOWS.
 
THE FLOOR OF THE APARTMENT IS MADE OF RECLAIMED WOOD FROM FRENCH RAILROADS THAT BRINGS WARMTH AND AN INTERESTING KNOBBINESS THROUGHOUT. THE CONTRAST IS PARTICULARLY STRIKING WITH THE LOFTY, RATHER SOLEMN LOOKING FLOOR-TO-CEILING BURNT WOOD AND STEEL DOORS THAT LEAD TO THE MASTER SUITE.
 
THE ELECTRIC BLUE LOUNGE CHAIR BY STUDIO 94 ARTIST MAX LAMB GIVES A HINT OF THE BOLD COLOR SCHEME SELECTED FOR THE MASTER SUITE. THERE, VIBRANT BLUE TONES AND TEXTURES REIGN, WITH A GRADIENT BLUE RUG, A DECONSTRUCTED BLUE PAINTED FRAME HEADBOARD BY ARTIST HERNAN ARDILA, THE PURPLE COW HIDE SEATING FOR THE JOE COLOMBO HISTORIC LOUNGE CHAIRS, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, A CAREFULLY SELECTED TINT OF CUSTOM BLUE FOR THE LARGE CUBICAL RESIN BATHTUB THAT PROTRUDES FROM THE GLASS AND METAL WALL SEPARATING THE BATHROOM FROM THE BEDROOM. THE YVES KLEIN INSPIRED HUE, A CLIENT’S FAVORITE, REQUIRED NO LESS THAN TEN RESIN SAMPLES TO ACHIEVE THE PERFECT SHADE. THE SHAPE AND COLOR WAS STUDIED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE BROOKLYN BASED DESIGNER QUINCY ELLIS FROM FACTURE STUDIO.
 
WHY THE YVES KLEIN BLUE, AND WHY ARE PRIMARY COLORS SO PRESENT IN THE PROJECT? ANSWERS CRINA ARGHIRESCU ROGARD, WITH A SMILE: “MY CLIENT IS SLIGHTLY COLOR BLIND, AND ONLY BOLD AND VIVID COLORS REGISTER WITH HIM, SO WE TOOK ON THE CHALLENGE AND IT WORKS."
 
THE ROOMS FEEL LIKE INTIMATE ARTISTIC COMPOSITIONS RATHER THAN TRADITIONAL INTERIOR DESIGN REALIZATIONS. PROBABLY IT IS BECAUSE CRINA ARGHIRESCU ROGARD IS A STUDENT OF HISTORY. THERE ARE VERY FEW PIECES OF FURNITURE CREATED IN THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY THAT SHE DOES NOT KNOW AND HAS NOT STUDIED, THERE ARE VERY FEW NIGHTS SHE DOESN’T SPEND SCOUTING AUCTIONS IN EUROPE AND THE US TO IDENTIFY PIECES FOR HER CLIENTS. FULLY IMMERSED IN THE CREATIVE SCENE, SHE ALSO KEEPS CLOSE TO YOUNG ARTISTS, AND SHE HAS OFTEN BEEN AMONG THE FIRST TO COMMISSION PIECES FROM THEM, SUCH AS MINJAE KIM AND LIZ HOPKINS - BEFORE THEY GET SNATCHED BY WELL-KNOWN GALLERIES. 
 
THROUGHOUT THE APARTMENT, FURNISHINGS CONSIST OF AN ELABORATE BLEND OF VINTAGE ITALIAN PIECES FOUND AT AUCTIONS, LIKE THE FRANCO ALBINI AND GAE AULENTI SCONCES, OR THE LUIGI CACCIA DOMINIONI FLOOR LAMPS, JOE COLOMBO LOUNGE CHAIRS 4801. MANY PIECES FALL IN THE CATEGORY OF ART DESIGN, MANY ARE LIMITED EDITIONS, AND SOME ARE CUSTOM DESIGNED OR BESPOKE PIECES BY ESTABLISHED OR EMERGING ARTISTS - SUCH AS THE LIVING ROOM CUSTOM SHELVES DESIGNED BY CRINA ARGHIRESCU ARCHITECTURE’S STUDIO AND REALIZED IN COLLABORATION WITH LIZ HOPKINS.
 
IN MORE THAN ONE WAY, CRINA ARGHIRESCU ROGARD’S PRACTICE IS REMINISCENT OF THE WAY THE BEST ART COLLECTORS APPROACH THEIR COLLECTION, WITH AN EYE FOR HISTORY AND FOR CONTEMPORARY TALENTS. THE RESULT IS A SEEMINGLY EFFORTLESS INTEGRATION OF 20TH AND 21ST CENTURY ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, AND A DISTINCTIVELY POETIC AND AUDACIOUS STYLE THAT STAYS WITH YOU BECAUSE OF THE UNEXPECTED HARMONIES IT CREATES AGAIN AND AGAIN.