Freeze Frame

A closer take on the hottest solutions from April

Staff -- Interior Design, 4/1/2002 12:00:00 AM

1. Material Economy

Robin Elmslie Osler's use of unconventional materials to design the New York apartment of Elizabeth Gillett and Tom Klinkowstein satisfies both aesthetic and practical concerns. For the wall that curves around the couple's bathroom, Osler, principal of EOA/Elmslie Osler Architect, sandwiched insect screen between layers of glass for a scrimlike effect at a fraction of the usual cost. Covering a wall of the master bedroom, acoustical foam tile ordinarily used in recording studios is an inexpensive form of insulation. "Research into materials is crucial when you're on a budget," says Osler. "One of the most important things I do as an architect is edit. The process has to be extremely focused to retain the design sensibility." Also note the master bedroom's synthetic carpeting, similar to the industrial-strength floor covering used in hospitals and airports. It softens without venturing outside the realm of minimalism. "Pure, Purer, Purest," page 204.

2. Glimmer and Color

In his design for Salvatore Ferragamo in Venice, the city of flux, Michael Gabellini of Gabellini Associates appropriately alluded to themes of suspension and illusion. On two levels, the 2,150-square-foot shop houses full collections of sportswear, shoes, and accessories for women and men. This last category includes a lucrative merchandise component, ties. Appearing to float, they are imaginatively displayed on a ribbonlike metal construction to read as a color-field painting. On a more silvery note, the architect used chain mail as a translucent membrane to back window displays. Farther inside, the material marks departmental divisions and serves as a full-height backdrop to the stairway, concealing structural stringers. "Stage Right," page 196.