Two Secret Loves: Gaudí & Burton

I’m amazed sometimes when I go into the homes of the interior designers I work with and their style is completely different than the homes they’ve designed for their clients. I think it’s fun to step outside of your own personal style and step into someone else’s mind to create a space specifically for them to enjoy. It makes for a constantly moving range of creativity. I’m sure those designers would agree.

For instance, if I had to choose an interior designer for my own home, it would be…Tim Burton. As in, Tim Burton who has directed movies such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Edward Scissorhands. I love, love, love how in his movies the shapes are irregular, the colors are stunning and the whole thing is just whimsical with a slightly surreal edge.

This is why when I came across the architecture of Antoni Gaudí a few years ago, it was a “No more calls, we have a winner!!” kind of moment.? I believe he is considered Spain’s favorite son in terms of his architecture — it looks like he literally threw out of his head what was accepted form and ended up creating an entirely new style. The new style took the understanding of geometric applications in a new manner, new construction procedures and the finding of materials that would let him physically (and safely) express his creativity. His buildings are different, fun, stop-in-your-tracks-and-stare-with-disbelief kind of designs. Of course, they are not the most practical look but really…we have about 80+ years (if we’re lucky) in this world? Might as well give your heart something to rejoice over for a large amount of that time. His work is greatly debated but like it or not, there is no one who can begrudge his genius.

Here are some of his most famous works in Spain:

Casa Vicens and Sagrada Familia

Casa Calvet and Casa Batllo

Casa Batllo Interiors

Artigas Gardens and Episcopal Church

Casa Mila and Güell

To check out more, go to Gaudi Designer, Gaudi Club or a Barcelona Tour Guide site and look for the Gaudi tours. Or, you can just Google him.

So, I guess I really appreciate the unexpected. To have a home that is warm, inviting and a bit of an oddity, at least for me, has made all the difference.