ethereal: marked by unusual delicacy or refinement
light: a particular expression of the eye
above, Johannes Vermeer, Girl with a Pearl Earring, oil on canvas, c. 1665 -1667, Mauritshuis, The Hague, Netherlands, 18.25″ x 15.25″ ~ photo from artinthepicture.com
When architect and interior designer John Saladino was asked to create an interior inspired by cinema, he decided upon the 2003 film Girl with a Pearl Earring directed by Peter Webber. This visually stunning cinematic experience explores the life of 17th century Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer and the events surrounding the creation of the painting “Girl with a Pearl Earring.” Each frame of the film is a painting in and of itself, quietly capturing the beauty that inspired Vermeer’s masterpieces. Drawing inspiration from Vermeer’s purity of light and form, John Saladino created a masterful interior using a carefully orchestrated color palette, sumptuous fabrics, layered textures, and dramatic lighting. I hope you enjoy this artful interior as much as I do…I find so much joy in the exploring the details of his design…simply breathtaking
“I followed Vermeer’s philosophy, which was to take vernacular objects and imbue them with transcendence…I tried to give these rooms an almost ethereal light.” ~ John Saladino from an interview with Veranda, Jan-Feb 2010
below, quotes from, The 2009 Designer Visions: Cinema Style at Soho Mews, sponsored by Veranda ~ Interior Design by John Saladino
Editor-at-Large of Veranda, Carolyn Englefield, speaking about the Saladino showhouse, “the townhouse really is very reflective of Veranda’s brand, which is timeless design and something that is classically modern at the same time, and I think it has a real understated elegance…”
below, “This is the living room, and so what I did here is to create a feeling of time from the past…the scratch coat brown plaster walls, which is really cement plaster, is quite ancient and that was even used by Romans…”
below, Speaking of the heavy muslin curtains separating the living room and the kitchen, “What I’ve done here is to be theatrical…”
above and below, Speaking of the kitchen, “The wonderful wood floors here were given to us by Exquisite Surfaces…and so I think that the stainless appliances and the modern pewter all sort of work together, so that I’m not really turning my back here on the modern world, I’m simply using some references from the past that I’d like to think bridge that area between Vermeer and the 21st century…”
above and below, Crackled paint detail ~ the scratch coat brown plaster walls speak so perfectly to the texture and color of the painting
above and below, “I do believe honestly that when you don’t have natural light, you have to compensate with mirrors, so here I’ve used the largest possible mirror to open up the space and because I think the floors are so beautiful I’ve left them just as plain as possible so that you really enjoy them as you ascend the stairs…”
below, “The little delft pieces, of course, are alluding to Vermeer’s life and what he would have had at his house…”
“I am always thinking of how light affects how we use a room, and I believe Vermeer did the same thing…at least I hope I followed in his footsteps…”
photos from Veranda
danielleboudrot
a thoughtful eye 