Stephen Leon: FOCUS ON FURNITURE

The hat was the first thing I noticed as I approached the older couple intently studying the oval goatskin dining table with its astounding violet color. It struck me a little odd to see such a conventional man and woman so obviously attracted to my newly introduced, out-of-the-ordinary (but nevertheless, divine) table.

Wisps of silver hair peeking out from under her hat along with her tailored two-piece suit instinctively made me think “little old lady from Pasadena”; I approached them nonetheless with my usual warm welcome and explained that the table was custom designed and available in other colors, shapes and sizes.

The gentleman nodded in agreement as the lady sweetly, but emphatically replied, “Custom won’t be necessary as the table is quite perfect as it is and will work beautifully with my new, powder blue dining chairs for my home in Pasadena.” Incredible. She was from Pasadena after all and, though old school in her manner and dress, she instinctively saw the beauty and excitement of pairing powder blue chairs with a violet table. I was enthralled and realized that, as the old saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Yes, the divine spark of inspiration and creativity flowed through this woman’s incandescent spirit and I was once again encouraged to follow my instinct to pair the accepted with the unexpected and to present the traditional with a new viewpoint that would truly bring design to life.

To this day, I keep the thought of powder blue chairs and the violet table tucked away somewhere deep in my psyche and, coupled with my own innate need to create and design, always welcome the challenge to reinterpret a classic or give the familiar a fresh and unexpected twist.

And while there have been a number of designers who have gone on to fame and fortune by reinterpreting classic designs scaled larger for the modern man, I seem to have focused mainly on unusual and imaginative finishes for traditional and contemporary pieces coupled with rather surprising upholstery treatments.

For example, the time-honored bergère, probably the most typical of the Louis XV chairs, is normally seen as a wide, low and deep armchair. It first came on the scene sometime around 1720 and is characterized by solid sides, meaning there is no opening between the arms and the seat, and usually features a loose seat cushion.

When I decided to offer an updated version of the bergère, I chose to maintain the loose seat cushion. But, I also decided to make two distinct changes to its traditional appearance. Rather than a gilt or wood finish (which is still preferred by many traditionalists), I chose a high-gloss black lacquer, and thought the chair would look more “now” with the sides open. I certainly got a jazzier look when those changes were complemented with black kid leather upholstery. It was definitely not your typical Louis chair, but rather a more dynamic one.

Stepping out of the box and going beyond the traditional felt great and the chair was warmly received by those clients who embraced the concept of adding some zest to the tried and true.

In the recent American Society of Interior Designers’ Showcase house, talented local designer Laura Fullow created a wonderful, highly creative design scheme for a young lady’s bedroom that featured, among a number of exciting and unusual pieces, a traditional chaise lounge (from Andre Originals at the Las Vegas Design Center) finished in black lacquer and upholstered with zebra stripe fabric.

Funnily enough, in designing the master bedroom of the same home, I utilized the identical chaise only with a more time-honored worn-wood finish with a leopard fabric for a quieter and more elegant effect. I truly doubt if anyone ever noticed that the same chaise appeared in two different spaces, separated by only a few hundred feet. It’s proof of the profound results that can be achieved by looking at familiar objects in a fresh, new way.

This concept of using atypical finishes for a more dynamic looking traditional piece is now more than just a passing trend in European design, and it’s my fervent hope that this creative slant toward the more daring in color and contrasts will soon become less of an oddity here in America. I know that Andre Originals has embraced this trend and its showroom features a number of traditional, classic designs refreshed in super shades of red, pink and lime along with some very exciting fabric choices.

I exhort all design enthusiasts, whether professional or dilettante, to try and think out of the box — at least some of the time — for results that will not only put a new spin on the too familiar, but may very well lead to a whole new way of looking at the world.

Stephen Leon is president of Soleil Design International and has been designing and manufacturing custom furniture and cabinetry for more than 25 years. He is on the board of directors of the Central California/Nevada Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers. Questions can be sent to soleildesign@cox.net.