20 DIGS.NET | 11.12.2021
EDIT
AD: ARCH PROFILE
Athena Caledrone
4 pages
P R O F I L E | AT H E N A C A L D E R O N E
is with the entirety of her townhouse. With its meticulous textures,
tamped-down palette and highly nuanced use of space, it is
the ultimate expression of Calderone's eye, and the result of
her longstanding courtship with decorative tension. It has her
confidence, the best of her abandon.
It is also something of a miracle considering that, as a rule, the
typically narrow townhouse does not lend itself to the openness
where Calderone's aesthetic flourishes. Undaunted by the pros-
pect of what a project of its scope might require (and indeed what
awaited her), Calderone embarked on a full-gut transformation of
the space conducted over three years. She did what she could
to retain the house's history, which had been largely stripped,
salvaging, among other hard-to-relinquish elements, original
mantels and an elaborate ceiling medallion that frames a fantastic
chandelier, while simultaneously retrofitting it for modern living.
She had walls removed to create spacious, breathable exposures
for entertaining, for example, and graced the space with a kitchen
that kills. This one featuring open shelving, a la an exquisite Paris
apartment, and a glass doored entrée to an outdoor terrace fit for
a sunny West Coast aerie. And she daringly lined her bathroom in
white marble with pink veining, pulling it off as one of the space's
many masterstrokes.
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Despite a few curvaceous forms in the space, there is little by way
of exaggeration, and no excess at all. Good taste is pervasive.
Calderone did not here—and seemingly does not ever—miss a
beat. The lady loves a good light, with a flair for the sculptural,
and paired audacious contemporary pieces, like a fabulous
living room cocktail table by Apparatus, with an array of intriguing
vintage selects, many with French roots. The mix is modern meets
classical, with nods to tone and texture, and a eternal elegance
brought to bear by a modern hand.
In this fastidiously finished milieu, Calderone's Broken Symmetry
floor coverings make for a beautiful and inspiring addition, high-
lighting the space anew for those looking to freshen up their floors.
The newly launched line of high pile Beni Ourain styles consists
of 12 geometric designs in custom dyed, sun-faded shades
of sienna, sage, fawn, desert rose, and bone, and speaks to
