THE INTERIOR DESIGNER

In 2000, after 10 years working in his homeland, Chile, Jaime Beriestain moved to Barcelona, where he now lives and works.

New York City to purchase their own pied-à-terre that they could frequent to enjoy the Spanish lifestyle.

Spread over 125sq m, the apartment occupies the first floor of a building from 1910, so the renovation had to be gentle and subtle, to preserve the soul of the place. Designer Jaime Beriestain led the makeover of the interior with the objective of honouring the owners’ passions for the city, contemporary art and mid-century furniture. ‘My American clients dreamt of this flat in Barcelona,’ says Jaime.

‘I took my inspiration from Spain and its Mediterranean culture and traditions, which I tried to reflect through the art, colours and textures.’

As a starting point, the interior designer focused on understanding the couple’s habits and tastes to create an apartment that would perfectly fit their needs. The technical part of the remodelling proved challenging. It required the preservation of the original architectural and decorative features of the space, including the existing cement tile flooring – this had to be removed temporarily, to install the heating and other engineering elements underneath – and the plaster ceiling mouldings.

‘This apartment couldn’t be more typical of Barcelona,’ says Jaime, who had more freedom to transform the new areas, such as the bathroom and the kitchen, where he chose contemporary materials. The copperplate front-facing Calacatta Viola marblework surfaces predominate in the kitchen while in the main bathroom, the focus was on the Breccia stone, with a wash basin in Marquina marble and oak. ‘The goal was to design a comfortable contemporary dwelling for American clients with a very different perspective to Europeans,’ Jaime says.

The pied-à-terre showcases a relaxing and cosy atmosphere through fabrics, including curtains in red silk velvet from the Romeo and Giulietta collection of Dedar Milano – adorning the living and dining rooms – and silk rugs handmade in India throughout. ‘I sought balance and understatement in choosing the colours for the walls and fabrics, in contrast to the bright tones of the flooring and the art on display,’ Jaime says. Meanwhile, beige and white on the walls and the furnishings combine with blue and red accents to bring in visual dynamism. ‘I loved accompanying and advising my clients to purchase furniture and art at auctions,’ he says.

The result is a mix-and-match of vintage pieces by Carlo Scarpa, Pierre Paulin and Gio Ponti with contemporary artwork by artists such as Toru Kamiya, Caetano de Almeida and Robert Mapplethorpe, which perfectly blend. In the dining room and in the studio, the Stilnovo chandeliers add a sense of drama in this one-of-a-kind apartment, where plants and flowers are the ultimate fresh touch.

‘The main focus for my inspiration was to create a sweet provocation,’ says Jaime. ‘I wanted to trigger an interest for the spaces in both a bold and warm way.’ Designed as an authentic Barcelona home for two foreigners in love with the city, this project is an ode to both the essence of the place in which it is located and the personality of its inhabitants. ‘It is a mix of mid-century spirit with a Spanish twist,’ Jaime says.

With its restaurants, art galleries and the Picasso Museum, among other features, the vibrant atmosphere of El Born – one of the most historic neighbourhoods in Barcelona – convinced a couple from