interior design by ernie sulpizio produced by harry greiner photography by peter vitale written by david masello

Transcription

1 interior design by ernie sulpizio produced by harry greiner photography by peter vitale written by david masello

2 Santa Fe Serene When a creative director set up home in New Mexico, he fashioned interiors that are as dramatic as the natural landscape that lies beyond. Serenity prevails inside. Lola, a French bulldog, was barking at something out the window. Homeowner Ernie Sulpizio peered through the glass doors overlooking an arroyo on his Santa Fe property. I m glad the doors were closed, says Sulpizio, the creative director for a major women s fashion company, because a huge pack of coyotes were loping along just outside and looking over their shoulders at the house. Lola wouldn t have had a chance with them. But that s the kind of sight you see when you live here in the Southwest. Four years ago, Sulpizio decided to take a professional and personal sabbatical from his life in New York and spend time in Santa Fe, a locale he knew well from numerous visits. After many nights there of seeing star-filled skies and experiencing the Zen-like silence of the surrounding hills, he bought a house that he characterizes as modern adobe. Unlike the typical local Whether it s for his own home in Santa Fe or those he designs for clients, Ernie Sulpizio often begins with black, a signature statement of his. Included in his dining area is a B&B Italia wenge-wood table, leather dining chairs, a Noguchi sculptural floor lamp, and a carved wooden African chair. 85

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5 Sulpizio describes his aesthetic as serene modern, which he says translates as, I like to live clutter-free.

6 architecture, with its softly rounded corners and deeply recessed windows, this home has sharper, linear edges and entire walls of glass divided by multiple mullions. One of the reasons the house earned a much-coveted LEED Platinum Certification is that it is sited in such a way as to capture warming winter rays while shunning the desert-hot summer sun. Everything is completely energyefficient, says Sulpizio. The structure and insulation are made of recycled materials, the house makes use of passive solar energy, and even the fireplace is ecosmart, in that it s not vented outdoors, so no heat escapes. Sulpizio painted walls with white paint (free of volatile organic compounds) and was happy to discover that the extra framing elements from the house had been used to fashion such details as a boldly geometric steel stair railing along the concrete walkway leading from the dining area to a guest wing. Sulpizio describes his aesthetic as serene modern, which he says translates as, I like to live clutter-free. I don t like stuff around me. My color palette is black and white and neutrals. In his work as a fashion-industry creative director and interior designer, Sulpizio is saturated with colors, patterns, and prints. By the time I get home every day, I m ready for a minimal, neutral palette, he says. It soothes me. Previous pages: The heart of the house functions as four rooms in one kitchen, seating area, dining room, den. Molinari black-leather sofa and chairs are paired with a Christian Liaigre armchair. Above left: In the den area, Sulpizio has positioned a Molinari Italian leather chaise, a vintage burl-wood Parsons table, and a carved African chair. Right: In the living room area, vintage linen pillows soften the sofa and chair. 89

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8 A mahogany platform bed, fitted with flax-colored linen sheets and a quilted coverlet, appears to float in the master bedroom. Artwork is by Canadian artist Peter Ackroyd. Limed teak bedside tables come from a shop in Manhattan; Tolomeo classic table lamps are by Artemide. After nights of star-filled skies and the Zen-like silence of the surrounding hills, Sulpizio bought a house he calls a modern adobe. 91

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12 By the time I get home every day, I m ready for a minimal, neutral palette, Sulpizio says. It soothes me. Apart from the color palette, Sulpizio fosters serenity throughout the rooms by using minimal, but aesthetically powerful furnishings, materials, and artwork. Key furnishings like black-leather chairs, a quilted daybed, walnut kitchen cabinets, floating stainless-steel shelves, polished concrete floors (with radiant heating beneath), and wenge-wood chairs and tables stand out in the rooms. Sulpizio admits that if his bed were in the house s main openplan room, he might likely never leave that space, whose four quadrants function as living room, dining area, kitchen, and den. Everything I want and am able to do in the house is in that central area, he says. It s a wonderful place to entertain, whether it s six friends for dinner, 100 for a gathering, or just Lola and me watching TV. Although every room and space in the house is defined by distinctive furnishings and decorative details, there is a kind of cohesive, aesthetic rhythm established throughout. Framed artworks mimic the shapes of the windows, vertical steel support beams punctuate the interiors and contrast with horizontal ceiling beams, and low-to-the ground beds and simple table forms create a unity elsewhere. None of the windows in the house have shades because Sulpizio wants nothing to hinder his ability to look to the surrounding landscape and see the full glow of the night sky. Years ago, the city of Santa Fe enacted an ordinance to prohibit light pollution, meaning outdoor light sources must shine downward, not up. As a result, the Santa Fe sky is especially dark and clear. At night, all of the windows become like black mirrors to anyone on the outside, explains Sulpizio. So, I always have privacy. Sulpizio s work has taken him to Florida, where he now lives most of the time. As much as I love my job here in Florida and the ocean-view condo I occupy, I do miss my house in Santa Fe every day. I get to travel all over the world for my job to Paris, St. Tropez, L.A., Milan, and London but that house is my favorite place in the world. It s where I am happiest, most content, and most peaceful. n Previous page: Charles P. Rogers beds in the guest room are adorned with black-and-white striped pillows. Assorted vintage bookplates on the wall are gifts from friends. Left: The guest bath features a Kohler farm sink and faucets and a metal wall mirror. Right: A seating area in the guest bedroom is defined by a chair from Roots Canada and artwork by William Sloan.