Taking Minimalism To A Dramatic Place
Purity of form and a focused palette are two hallmarks of minimalism, but that doesn’t mean you have to forego feeling when you’re presenting a streamlined aesthetic. For a touch of maximalism, turn to texture. It’s what bridges the gap between a slim wisp of style and a ka-pow of decor flavor.
Barry Goralnick, a NYC-LA design who works with famous clients (actor John Lithgow and Erica Jong are two) and often fellow architects, sees opportunities to learn from maximalist tendencies without mimicking its intensity. “I’m a rare architect because I love texture and pattern and wallpapers and finishes, " he says. “When working with other architects, I know that they want their work’s details to shine, so they opt for a non-decorative approach with the idea that you’ll see the architecture, not the decor. But if you add decorative painting, or wallpaper or stone, it makes the architecture pop even more,” he says. “The work sings with the contrast!”