MODERN LOVE
Siglo Moderno’s Jorge Cruzata champions the store’s line-up of talents in his small but bold West Hollywood home
Siglo Moderno’s Jorge Cruzata champions the store’s lineup of talents in his small but bold West Hollywood home.
Quality of space rather than quantity” is designer and store owner Jorge Cruzata’s motto — at least when it comes to his elegant but very small apartment in West Hollywood’s design district. For nearly nine years Cruzata has shared this space with partner Chris Kapogiannis, west coast vice-president at Hermès, and just as its location was the drawcard, a top-to-bottom renovation was inevitable. “It was a 1980s re-do,” says Cruzata, “with a dropped ceiling in the kitchen and a mirror wall in the dining room, which also had an ugly tiled floor.” The transformation required some serious thought to maximise the 70-square-metre space. “Conceptually, the right decisions needed to be made to make it cohesive,” says Cruzata, “and to make the apartment work.” The designer’s eclectic education was a big help. Cruzata first trained in fine art, then architecture for three years and finally industrial design, where he says he “found home”. Perhaps his father was an influence; Cruzata senior — one of the last legal immigrants to the US from Cuba — was passionate about cars and owned mechanic shops all over Los Angeles. He was an avid collector of Cadillacs and their immaculate, crafted interiors left a lasting impression on his son. Fast-forward to Cruzata junior’s own interiors drive, which began with the replacement of all carpets and tiles with reclaimed walnut, and his love for mid-century elegance is clear. The home’s new kitchen, which leads directly off the entry, is a minimal space enlivened by a large print by New York artist Thomas Dozol. The smooth Carrara marble countertops contrast with the blackened bird’s-eye maple cabinets. Conveniently, Cruzata has a great furniture resource at hand in the shape of his own Modernist store, Siglo Moderno, established five years ago and recently moved into a huge converted ’30s church in LA neighbourhood Silver Lake. The business was a long-time dream fulfilled. “The concept came to me years ago, even when I was a student. I always wanted to create a convergence of old and new furniture,” says Cruzata. The work of many of the designers and artists represented in the store can be found in the apartment, resulting in an eclectic mix. In the dining space, for example, a bold chandelier by New York’s Apparatus Studio hangs over a handmade table by artist William Earle and modern Marco Corti chairs. The combination is unexpected but the result is harmonious, thanks to Cruzata’s refined vision. Light streams into the apartment all day and, for the couple, the generous views take the focus away from what is a relatively small home. “What we love about the place is that it’s like living in a treehouse,” says Cruzata. The living room is a lively space filled with art and sculpture. “We both love art,” says Cruzata, who began collecting at auctions but now buys directly from galleries and the artists themselves, many of whom have become the couple’s friends. A handmade timber chair by Brian Fireman and a sculpture in black and red marble by Joshua Tree artist Alma Allen make sufficient statements, as does a ’70s stone coffee table by Silas Seandel. »
« “Pouring bronze into stone is a strong element of Seandel’s furniture,” says Cruzata of the thick veins of bronze running through the vintage table he had so eagerly hunted down. The pair of shearling club chairs by Jean-Michel Frank for Hermès add another note of luxury. “I continued the colour palette into the bedroom,” says the designer, who repeated the blackened bird’s-eye maple on the closet doors, its stain providing a modern look without forfeiting the wood’s texture. Here, black-and-white photographs including a portrait of Kate Moss by musician Bryan Ferry add a rock vibe alongside Cruzata’s own horn-and-silver door handles, the result of a collaboration with jewellery designer Dax Savage. The apartment has only one bathroom, so Cruzata created a streamlined elegant space with luxurious materials, including sconces by Apparatus Studio that feature real horsehair, and mirrors of his own design. Cruzata’s ultimate desire to revisit his design roots has resulted in a debut collection, Primitivo, due to launch early next year. “I love mingling with artists and designers — but I am looking forward to just making things again.”