I N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H Y!

“I am a liar who always tells the truth” Jean Cocteau

JORGE CANETEI N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H YC h i m e r a

Invitation to enter the SBID International Design Awards 2012

I N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H Y!

This quotation o f C o c t e a u could have been the preamble of the realization o f t h i s v i l l a w h i c h h a s required more than two years’ w o r k . Everything in t h i s b u c o l i c G e n e v a n country house was devised to d e f y appearances… C h i m e r a

I N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H Y!

The genesis of this project was inspired by other reading, a book part icular ly loved by his clients: L ’ é l é g a n c e d u h é r i s s o n ( T h e E l e g a n c e o f t h e Hedgehog) by Muriel Barbery. In this novel, the hidden secrets are unveiled to those who are patient…

The same is true in the latest work of the S w i s s i n t e r i o r designer: poetry and modernity play hide-and seek to better s u r p r i s e u s .

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I N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H Y!

Indeed, if you pay attention, you can find golden dragon flies fluttering in a wal l l ight , and bookshelves that a p p e a r t o fl y. B e n e a t h t h e mercury dye of an ( 1 7 t h c e n t u r y ) antique mirror, you c a n m a k e o u t m o d e r n technology. And when night falls, some walls glow to reveal their amber o n y x v e i n s .

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I N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H Y!

I t is a constant game of contrasts in which luxurious m a t e r i a l s a n d textures play off e a c h o t h e r harmoniously and sensually, such is the signature of this h o u s e .

T h e I r a n i a n travertine dialogues with the solid oak parquet, bronzes contrast with the palette of golden s h a d e s …

I N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H Y!

A subtle play of c o l o u r s a l s o melts into the deco r : wa rm, w e l c o m i n g shades spread t h r o u g h t h e living quarters and react to the more nocturnal o n e s o f t h e private levels, to t i n g e d r e a m s b l u e .

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I N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H Y!

The chimeras had to be present; what c o u l d b e t t e r i l l u s t r a t e t h i s p r o j e c t ? T h e s e m y t h o l o g i c a l creatures, mistresses of i l lusions, are p l a c e d i n t h e different quarters of this contemporary space: a Garuda welcomes you in the kitchen, Nepalese lions fiercely survey the dining-room and even the l ibrary hos ts a wooden beast of Burma…

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I N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H Y!

The choice of works of ar t , as every thing i n v o l v e d i n t h i s project, has not been left to chance: the paintings and other w o r k s w e r e c o m m i s s i o n e d t o Spanish artist Silvana S o l i v e l l a .

She works on the theme of the memory and the marks it leaves on our subconscious…

So many reflections of by-gone worlds or the e m o t i o n o f t h e i r recollection are not far a w a y …

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I N T E R I O R D E S I G N P H I L O S O P H Y!

Special care was taken in selecting the antiques: old Chinese polylobed mirrors (from the Song period) resemble pebbles, a Japanese Suiseki placed on the book by Muriel Barbery, in recognition of her character, Kakuro Ozu, the Japanese culture b u f f .

This dialogue between t h i n g s a n d t h e i r a p p e a r a n c e , t h i s excessive taste for “mise en abîme” is a permanent feature of Jorge CAÑETE and of this project, so rightly called “chimeras”.

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