COLLECTED EXPERIENCE
Blue Carreon’s alluring assemblage of artworks, appointments and objects breathes life into his abode
設計師Blue Carreon的藝術品、傢具與精品為他的宏偉家園傾注生命力
Our homes are more than mere places to live – they also afford us space in which to express our individuality. For some people, that means paring down, stripping back and living with the bare essentials, while others view their abode as a blank canvas onto which they can imprint their personality with works of art, exceptional appointments and objects of great, intimate value. If this stylish Manila residence is anything to go by, designer and former fashion journalist Blue Carreon certainly falls into the latter camp.
However, it wasn’t always the striking space it is today. When Blue and his partner, Bruce Bromberg, first acquired the property two years ago and got ready to move in with their Cavalier King Charles spaniel, Brighton, they faced a soulless white box that’s typical of modern condominiums. But that didn’t stop the designer from seeing its potential. "I fell in love with the foyer," says Blue. "It really sold me on the place. I’ve always wanted to have a scenic mural and never had the right room for it. When I saw the foyer, I knew that it would be the right place. I wanted scenes of India, with temples and palm trees and elephants, all rendered in monochromatic tones so it doesn’t overwhelm."
Blue did just that, enlisting the talents of a local artist to create an evocative composition in a grisaille finish before setting to work himself on the reception area and the rest of the apartment. First, he added millwork, mirrored walls and
家不但是生活的地方，更加是表現自我個性的方式。對部分人來說，低調沉實、只與必需品共存即可，但有些人喜愛把家看成空白背景，好讓能加上藝術品、出色傢具和精緻作品，增添親暱價值。以此時尚馬尼拉住宅為例，設計師兼前時裝記者Blue Carreon絕屬後者。
然而，空間絕非一直也如今天面貌。Blue、伴侶Bruce Bromberg和查理斯王騎士犬Brighton兩年前進駐此物業時，它只是個沒有靈魂的現代盒狀公寓，但仍無阻這位設計師看出空間潛質的目光。Blue表示：「我極愛門廳。它完完全全把我征服了。我一直也想擁有一堵風景秀麗的牆飾，但苦無合適空間。看到陽台時，就知道已找對了地方。我想打造出建有廟宇的印度風
mouldings to endow the space with a sense of history and character, and then came the fun part – furnishing it.
"I always work with what I love," explains Blue. "Fortunately for me, I collect a lot of things, which helped when doing the place. I have a ton of art, vintage furniture and objects. I also have my own home line, so I drew from the furniture pieces and accessories I’ve created. I’m also fortunate to have access to great craftsmen and artisans who were able to execute the special pieces I had in mind."
Blue’s accumulated inventory greets you as soon as you enter the antechamber, where a vintage mirror and console are proudly on display, flanked by an assemblage of ceramics compiled over the years. This area also establishes the colour palette of the abode, introducing the elegant greys and royal blues that flow throughout the space, from the elegant, light-filled living and dining room to the moody glamour of the bedroom.
Form, as well as function, informs each area, often with an item of furniture playing a central role in leading the design direction. For the living space, it was an etching by US artist Richard Serra that defined the aesthetic, with the art deco-inspired sofa being transformed from
景，還有棕櫚樹和大象，全以黑白色演繹，不致太浮誇。」
Blue絕對成功辦妥，並請來當地出色藝術家創作出誘人的灰色裝飾畫，後來再動手處理款客處和單位其餘空間。首先，他加入木工製品、鏡牆和線腳，為空間賦予歷史氣息和個性，然後就來到最有趣一環——裝飾佈置。
「最享受做自己最喜歡的事。」Blue解釋：「幸運地，我收藏了大量精品，有助我裝飾空間，包括藝術品、古董傢具和擺設。同時我也擁有自家家品系列，自然也會從自己創作的傢具和裝飾品中獲取靈感。我也認識不少出色的手藝師和工匠，能活現我理想中的獨特作品。」
甫步進前廳，即獲Blue的珍品歡迎你而來——古董鏡和案桌，還有多年來收藏得來的陶瓷。這空間也為整個住宅奠下色彩方向，引入優雅的灰和皇室藍，從陽光滿滿的客飯廳流動至情調醉人的睡房。
外觀與功能注入每個角落，各以焦點作統領設計。客廳就放有美國藝術家Richard Serra的蝕刻畫，還有從啡改造成黑的裝飾藝術風沙發。
brown to black to complement it. In the bedroom, the brass sconces directed the mood. "I bought them not knowing where to use them because we didn’t have the apartment at that time," recalls Blue. "When I started working on the apartment, I decided to use them as bedside lights instead of table lamps. And to make the impact more dramatic, I went with a graphite wall colour and edged the moulding with gold."
Indeed, the entire abode is testament to Blue’s taste and his eye as an aesthete. However, a collector’s possessions afford more than just visual allure; they appeal to memories, too, imbibing otherwise inanimate objects with character and life. Nowhere is this more evident than in the salon-style library, where an anthology of artworks, books and objects that tell stories of Blue’s experiences and breathe life into the spectacular space. //
睡房的黃銅壁燈亦成氣氛主導。「購買時其實也不知道可放到哪使用，畢竟當時還未購下物業。」Blue回想道：「處理單位時，我決定把它們用作床頭燈而非檯燈。為了營造最佳效果，牆壁用了石墨色，再加上金邊線腳。」
家園處處也是Blue的品味和美學眼光的有力見證。然而，收藏家的藏品不只為視覺效果，也更能勾起回憶，為平庸作品注入個性與生命。藝廊般的圖書室更加是精華所在，空間現已擺滿藝術品、典藏和訴說著Blue精彩體驗的精品佳作，為這非凡住所注入無窮活力。//