Dagmar Holubova

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SPACE WITH A SOUL

Designed by Dagmar Holubova

Designer’s Atelier

Located within the River Crescent the space is bound to celebrate the power of natural elements. Its living areas are dominated by light, air and close proximity to water.

My contemporary design is meant to express the fusing presence of the modern man in such a milieu. As an analogy to any mysterious human, my design contemplates the implicit drama and sophistication. The result is a truly seductive space within, dominated by a winter colour scheme with strong contrasts and extreme shades, including pure white and pure black with supporting neutrals of silver grey. Winter has no need to create a drama, it is inherent without the need to over accessorize.

The selected furnishings evoke a scene seemingly cut out of a dream with an obvious artistic and theatrical effect. They inject sophisticated expression into their composition as well as a playful element, which I feel, is lacking in properties these days. Sensuality and lightness come together in Fabio Novembre’s latest version of his iconic ‘Her Chair’ – a 3D replication of an original plaster sculpture of the female form. An advanced version of this chair seen in the same arrangement is transparent, almost glass-like with chromatic effects underlining the ephemeral magic of a daydream dreamt in the dining area. My choice of tables in the living as well as dining areas was inspired by Roderick Vos’s organic designs. Both tables are custom made to fit the space.  From a distance the whole dining area scene is observed by another beloved piece from Novembre’s collection called ‘Nemo’ (Latin for ‘no man’). The magnificent ‘face’ of every man, or every woman for that matter, is presenting the perfection of the human form, where unlike the Greek masks, Novembre’s Nemo shows no emotion, no sign of age, personality or status.

Living Area as well as the guest bedroom are subtly illuminated and thematically linked by several suspended Fornasetti’s lamps depicting the iconic face of Lina Cavalieri from a 19^th century French magazine. Taking Lina as a muse, the archetypal classic features, and enigmatic expression became Fornasetti’s most frequently used template. Thanks to her quintessential beauty she inspired the spontaneous and ceaseless creativity and became his ultimate enduring motif. The L-shaped sitting area is complemented by another 2 Nemo chairs which offer an opportunity to hold a private conversation during an ongoing public one. Both chairs follow the colour scheme of the whole design – one of them being black while the other one comes in a self-asserting deep red.

Another linking element I have fallen in love with during this project is Fornasetti’s Riflesso wallpaper. It adds sophistication and sharpness through mirroring depiction of classical Italian architecture seen by the author’s surrealistic eye – so called ‘Citta che si Rispecchia’ (circa 1955). The wallpaper is used both in the kitchen as well as the bedroom area.  The barstools in the kitchen, yet another surrealist piece I’ve chosen for my design scheme would make an ideal gift for any Fornasetti-inspired collector. They feature the reinvented whimsical motif of a mouth (bocca). An open-plan kitchen with its appliances discretely positioned diminishes the boundaries dividing the space and underlines the theme of the dream.

The inner structure of the space centers around the master bedroom where the design is at its strongest daring point. Bizzotto’s “Man Lamps” here in shape of a naked full – grown males casually sitting by the four-poster bed discretely turn their gaze from the bed and anything that could possibly happen there. It is though their bold design and their role of a silent companion that I carried in the artistic theatrical statement. This element is underlined by the wide lampshade concealing their head – a concept used in surrealist paintings by Rene Magritte. The acrylic Saturn chairs by Andrew Martin complement the spaciousness and airy character of the room in a very non-restrictive way.

The guest bedroom in comparison to the master bedroom is much more toned-down to enable the guests to enter the inner life of the penthouse at their own pace.

Throughout the project I’ve been drawn to an unusual and surrealist furniture designs as they often take advantage of the most simplistic quirky ideas and make a big visual and, more importantly, emotional impact in any space they inhabit. Unusually decorative as they are, they are best suited to give a dramatic and powerful presence to any contemporary minimal interior.