Attracted to the quirky, contemporary architecture of the Pier 4 development in the Seaport, Jon Andersen’s longtime client requested that the designer reflect a similar spirit of fun inside his condo there. “He loves the thrill of seeing powerful colors and forms combine and contrast in exciting ways,” Andersen says of the local biotech executive. Maharam wallpaper kicked off the bedroom scheme; exuberant color followed. “The eye zings back and forth between the elements in the room, which helps keep it interesting,” the designer says.
1 The Paola Lenti felt rug is a perfect orange circle with a smaller fuchsia circle within it. The shapes echo those on the wallcovering. Felt cubes present a similar geometry and offer a perch to the harbor view.
2 “Expanses of white allow the eye respite amid concentrated color,” Andersen says of the walls. “The design is about balance; white keeps the room from feeling overwhelmed.”
3 The homeowner acquired the custom calligraphic artworks in the early 1980s from a street vendor who set up shop for a day at what was then called the Beijing Language Institute.
4 The wallpaper depicts watercolor florals that reference wild pansies in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The design sweeps across a subtle background of sheet music of Mendelssohn’s score for the play’s concert overture. “The client appreciates interiors that give you more as you get deeper into them, like a good painting,” Andersen says.
5 The Louis Poulsen domed lamp mimics the shape of the fan painting from Beijing.
6 The custom upholstered bed softens the space. “As you get closer to the bed, you see the sheen of the silky velvet,” Andersen says.
Marni Elyse Katz is a regular contributor to the Globe Magazine. Send comments to [email protected].
