To balance the playful elements of the family’s art collection, the designers chose a neutral colour palette in soothing shades of grey and off-white hues to create a sophisticated mood. These understated tones also serve to highlight the natural light that floods into the apartment from the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Next, it was time to work on bringing the artworks to life through the decor, which Humbert likens to “a game”. “The collectors chose the pieces according to the design of the space and the process felt quite playful because it wasn’t all defined in advance. It was like a journey of [finding a common] sensibility between the interior design and the art; a real dialogue to allow us to enhance both,” adds Poyet.

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To ensure that the art would make an impact, they carefully deliberated factors such as where certain works would receive the ideal amount of natural light and looked into how the sculptural pieces would reference the interior architecture. One witty juxtaposition can be seen at the staircase landing where Carsten Höller’s octopus-shaped sculpture appears to be looking up at the lights above it.

While just about every corner of the apartment is infused with art, this is most evident in the living room, where the art and the furnishings have been masterfully positioned to enhance each other. A painting by British artist Aks Misyuta is flanked by fluted plaster walls. The warm tones in the painting are echoed throughout the space with furnishings such as the custom-made sofas designed by Humbert & Poyet, a 1960 vintage Petalas wooden table by Brazilian architect Jorge Zalszupin and an orange rug from Fashion For Floors. On the other side of the living room, the verdant tones in the Dragonflypainting by American artist Hernan Bas complement the hue of the green armchairs.

Humbert & Poyet also designed custom furnishings to display smaller pieces of art. “In the living room, we created a freestanding L-shaped shelving unit to display the owner’s eclectic collection of smaller sculptural pieces. We played with backless shelves facing the windows to allow for a dialogue between the interior and exterior as well as to enjoy the view of the city,” says Poyet. In contrast to the light-filled living room, the dining area’s dark and moody palette creates an intimate atmosphere. A bronze screen catches the eye, while allowing for a play of light throughout the day, adding to the ambience of the space. 

Even with an abundance of treasures to discover in the home, another thing that stands out is that all the bathrooms are designed to be different from one another. “We hate monotony. The apartment is for a family that loves design and each member was involved in the project and the choice of materials. So all the bathrooms are different because it also creates a surprise every time someone enters,” says Poyet.

For instance, in the master bathroom, they incorporated terrazzo tiles as a tribute to Italian architect Carlo Scarpa, who loved the material. In the children’s bathrooms, they used handmade ceramic tiles in a lighter colour scheme to obtain a “fresher and less ostentatious” feel.

It is this alchemy of contrasting materials, unusual choices and various tactile elements that has led to the visual harmony in this unique home. Says Humbert: “We are most proud of the balance between our interior design and their collection—everything works together.”

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