My lens in art and design 

“People, what they appreciate in art, that is their taste. It’s valid as anything else”. – Artist, Robert De Niro Sr.

I have discovered my juxtaposition style and found my place in the world through learning and reflection in past months. My appreciation in art, design and architecture opens a new door. I am seeking a “home” – tranquility, humble and more privacy – combining art and design, also finding a balance between peace and chaos, I chose to stay at the renowned actor Robert De Niro Jr. (Bob)’s soulful place – The Greenwich Hotel in Tribeca, New York City, which I correctly assumed would fit my unique taste very well. 

TriBeCa is NYC’s atelier, blending its industrial past with a contemporary and artistic vibe. The building is located in the heart of Tribeca. The public spaces were designed by Grayling Design, the Flatiron building’s salvaged glass transformed a mirrored wall surface and meticulous craftsmanship reshaped the flooring into a rustic door. 

The aesthetic of design 

I sensed it the moment I crossed the threshold. The old-world atmosphere and charming lighting reminded me of the old house I lived in childhood, warm and cozy.   

For those with an eye for design, its interiors, whilst a new height, also reflect back to the past in respect to artistry and an inherent appreciation of noble materials, time-honored hand craftsmanship, the work of numerous artisans globally, embellished Serge Mouille lighting, leaded glass windows, exposed oak beams and antique wood floors. Immediately I felt it to be a soulful and restful home. The drawing room and open-air courtyard are exclusively for guests, fulfilling my need for privacy.  

I sat at the bespoke George Smith armchair, observing the stunning design details and every piece in Bob’s private collections with curiosity, while other guests just passed by so fast. Each piece exemplifies the quality that comes with sustainably sourced materials, including a vintage short scroll arm leather chair, with nods to nature in full bloom. I gazed at the books, exotic objects, art sculptures and artifacts, all carefully curated and on display in the stylish shelf behind a homey yet elevated space that evoked both the refined and earthly aspects of different styles.  

Timelessness gives the design a second skin. My lens zoomed in from reclaimed wood in ceiling beams to more than twenty different shapes and sizes of the iconic red bricks handmade in Pennsylvania, each one unique, then to the hand-molded tile on the terracotta and marble floors inspired by flooring found in a 14^thcentury Italian palazzo. I sense it’s neither a décor nor a reconstitution, it is designed to be lived in, worn in. 

The color evolves, too. 

The blue and white color of textiles, rugs, sofa fabrics, curtains, the painting palette by Bob’s father DeNiro Sr. and mood lighting add a touch of sublime beauty to this home, bringing a different design language that harmonies and unifies in each corner.  

A home should represent the way you want to live, with unique aesthetic of design to celebrate hand-crafted beauty, private collections and your own color palette. It defines your taste, too. 

Meet the art and artists’ soul 

I have a precious opportunity to glimpse the legacy of Bob’s father, Robert De Niro Sr., an American abstract expressionist painter (1942-1993), characterized by his use of line, gesture and movement. In his paintings,Seated Nude with Arm Raised and Seated Woman with Guitar of 1970, he reflected on the idiosyncratic palette, bold and large-scale rendering with freely brushed areas of color and the figure defined by the thick outlining, his signature feature frees my eye from having to look at small things and offers rich visual anchors. 

I stood in front of his artworks, repeatedly, sensing his uncompromising vision of emphatic painterliness and personal exercitation at that period, more than traditionalist, that’s soaring eager of bold and relief, but revealed his frustration for self-esteem. I felt a little heavy from his artwork. He was largely unrecognized in his time.

The drawing room – an eclectic mélange of art, furniture, one-of-a-kind pieces around the globe, including back-lit cartoons, Asian influenced statue, a mini bronze sculpture of Ezra Cornell, vintage chairs and sofas, along with the varying white candles on the fireplace – transits to a relaxed and artistically inclined beau mode.

It is a home to live in where art is everywhere. I discovered some precious masterpieces by 17^thcentury Flemish artist Pieter Bruegel the Younger. Expressing the chapter of art history of the Brueghel legend: Pieter Bruegel the Elder was one of the most significant artists of Dutch and Flemish Renaissance painting, known for his landscapes and peasant scenes, he was a pioneer of the genre painting. Pieter Brueghel II followed his footstep and painted repetitions of his father’s peasant scenes, one of the most frequently copied works of his father was the Winter landscape with Skaters and a Bird-trap, his production of original compositions increasingly appealing.  

It is an art-filled space, evoking a sense of discretion.

Respect things the way they are 

The light kisses every nook and breathes life into the artistry creation. I touched the rough-luxe textured wall lightly; the moody ambiance and cultivated privacy bring me a sense of depth and emotion. The place, even a boutique hotel, shows Bob’s soul everywhere, each subtle object presents his father’s artworks, including original paintings, drawing hanging on the wall, artwork behind the menu, postcards for guests and the coasters. 

A simple gesture shows Bob’s appreciation for family. I appreciate it so much: Bob uses a most humble way to preserve his father’s legacy, it is a respect and responsibility from a son to an artist father. My version of a home shows, it should be a place to share connection and respectful with family.  

The juxtaposition of nature and city, calm and noisy 

The French door opens onto a leafy terrace, inspired by the Place des Vosges, immediately transports the visitor to a Parisian styled setting. The drizzle fell on potted plants, I breathed in the soothing stillness and lush greenery that found a good balance between oasis and bustling city.  

The gracious, interconnected spaces avoid all ostentation, focusing instead on quality and craftsmanship, as seen in carefully conceived details at its Shibui Spa in the hidden basement, housed within a 250-years old Japanese barn transported from Japan directly. I was obsessed with original wood and bamboo, to soak up the tranquility influenced by these Asian influences, a mystical power that cleansed my mind and body. I forgot I was in a city that never sleeps.

A home should provide a dialogue on natural calmness that resonates with one profoundly. It is my style. 

Juxtaposition creates uniqueness

Iconic Belgian designer and art dealer Axel Vervoordt shares a similar perspective with Bob. Axel Vervoordt, one of my favorite designers, creates the places in a most humble way within luxury, his refined yet elegant interior aesthetics delivers juxtaposition of raw and contemporary, rough and refined that keeps the harmony and calmness in a space. His impeccable taste continues to present in the penthouse at Bob’s place. It was designed in collaboration with famed Japanese architect Tatsuro Miki. 

The raw unfinished woods, stone, finest line fabrics, bespoke furnishing, nature lights, all brought together by a quietly confident color palette of rich, enveloping neutrals. The understated charm and unique simplicity convey Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy, creating a truly seamless aesthetic and experience.   

I think, juxtaposition is central to a designer’s aesthetic, and it is the most unique thing of creation. It might give direction to the artist/designer to think about how to be brave with your juxtaposition to create a singular and initiable style: like place the simple natural materials in contrast to silver or give a relationship with the hard stone in a soft room or airy and moody or juxtaposed against the white old ceramic lamp and a modern orange and red vase. 

The pursuit of harmony of opposite aesthetics evocates the soul. Reflecting myself, a juxtaposition, too, just finds a well-balanced and a rich blend with Eastern and Western, confident and humble, nature and city, modern and renaissance, resulting in the unique, so naturally, myself. 

Through my lens, design has layers itself, a reflection of who we are and the world. An exceptional designer does not just decorate but steers well clear of cliché and instead extends depth and contrast; for the right audience it will not be superficial but unfold each layer of design. The designer and audience, you will find each other, who in turn, will be sensitive to what you share, and to the form of creation proposed, whether that is art, design and soul. I think it is a perfect confluence of good sense and good taste, also, the highest level of appreciation in art, as valid as anything else. 

I might be one of the only people who would fly to the loudest and busiest city in the world to look for a “quiet” place. I know we share similar tastes, and our souls connect at Bob’s place, where they took inspiration from diverse cultures, times, colors, art, craftsmanship and juxtaposition. This is all something to consider until the next time finds me back to NYC, to live with them again, and be inspired by them. 

Now, what is your lens in art and design?