sf`s design coup - Leverone Design

m o d e r n luxu ry™
$4.99 February 2010
www.sanfranmag.com
How UC’s
most hated
man could
save the day
THE Q&A:
Gordon
Getty
composes
himself
SF’S DESIGN COUP
The breakout movement toward
lighthearted, curated interiors
The new
Quince
versus
the old
Quince
FALL BACK:
Vera Wang’s drape
dress is just as striking
seen from the back,
revealing the season’s
most brilliant trend.
See page 160 (ck).
THE END OF UNIFORMITY:
Interior designer Brenda Mickel infused
a Pacific Heights living room with a
new aesthetic, playing to the owners’
wraparound Sol LeWitt wall painting.
She is one of 11 talents from established
local firms who are forging a bold
21st-century eclecticism. See page 56.
Out of the shadows
56
san francisco february 2010
For up to 29 years, they’ve paid their dues at the Bay area’s Best interior-design Firms. now they’re Big
names in their own right, and it’s clear that they are pioneering a 21st-century aesthetic all their own.
portraits by paul trapani
february 2010 san francisco
By Diane Dorrans saeks
57
san francisco february 2010
Diane Dorrans saeks is san franCisCo’s Contributing
interior design editor.
car e n alp e rt
66
21st century has brought them. “We aren’t
losing the ability to set boundaries for ourselves,” says Elich.
I asked Greg Stewart, of ODADA, how he
dreams up the spectacularly original, detailed,
and luscious decor for which he’s known. His
reply was a testament to creativity. “I’m working
on a house in the country that’s an exploration
of blues,” he began. “It starts with a fairly comme il faut hand-painted, Portuguese-blue-andwhite-tiled kitchen. The kitchen island and
stove hood were tiled in white, with one-anda-half-inch-wide patterned blue tiles around the
edges to make it crisper. The living room has
a peacock blue linen–draped center table and
aqueous blue-green Oushak rugs, livened up
with green linen drapes. The master bedroom
was done in a pale blue-gray glazed linen. All of
that is unified with beige integral plaster walls
and pale limestone floors, and bronze doors
and windows.”
Given the foundation of his talent and his
training under Diaz-Azcuy, Stewart has clearly
enjoyed the blessing of creative freedom—he,
Oldroyd, Quiros, Elich, Brenda Mickel (of the
Wiseman Group), Matthew Leverone, Greene,
and Steve Henry are working on projects
around the globe, including private houses in
Hong Kong, apartments in New York, a hotel
in Mumbai, and houses around California.
Taylor, believe it or not, never had access to
such an international range of commissions.
Bob Garcia, a partner at Therien & Co., a
32-year-old antiques firm based in San Francisco and L.A., says he envies these designers.
“There is such freedom of style and expression
in their work, which I could never have imagined during the ’60s and even up through the
’90s. My generation’s rigorous training established defined parameters of taste and style,
but these designers relish the looseness of a
look, defying an established style but remaining
grounded in principles of proportion, appropriateness, and plain old good design.” Long
live this new aesthetic. n
Matthew Leverone
including Barbara Scavullo Design,
Hendler Design, and Wheeler Design
Group. calling card: “I have a more
modern aesthetic, and my rooms tend
to have tailored details and a sophisticated edge. I use textured fabrics,
neutral linens, fresh, clean colors,
and nothing muddy; scale and proportion are really important.” new
direction in design: “Designing
custom furniture with knowledgeable and talented Bay Area artisans
and craftspeople lets me focus on
surface details, such as the addition
of perfectly placed welts, flanges, or
nail heads on chairs or sofas, or on
structural details, like adding a handforged iron leg to a console. I love to
combine materials—like designing
a cabinet using natural walnut with
upholstered linen doors.”
“i Can’t—an d Wo n’t—J ust p i le it o n. e d it,
e d it, e d it.” —MattH eW leVe r o n e
leFt: leverone artfully combined a
custom-crafted armless tufted sofa and
a massive teak coffee table in an elegant
living room at 2008’s san francisco decorator showcase. see page 99 for resourCes.
february 2010 san francisco
g utte r c r e d it h e r e
years toiling: 25 for various firms,
67