Wednesday, April 22, 2015

In Madrid, Respecting the Old and Embracing the New By: Shannon Grant

In Madrid, Respecting the Old and Embracing the New

For the past two years, jewelry designer Olivia Terrell and her husband Andrew have lived in this apartment in the Malasaña neighborhood of Madrid, Spain. They have moved a lot during their five years of marriage, but they’ve lived in this space the longest. Olivia says it has always been a challenge to make each new place feel like home, but that was especially true when they moved into this apartment.

The space was new to them, but very old. Built in 1873, it was oddly shaped and had no straight lines or right angles to speak of. Hardly a blank canvas, it came partly furnished with a variety of white IKEA furniture. Olivia, who leans more toward neutral earth tones and antiques, decided to embrace a modern, albeit quirky, white-washed look. She and Andrew sourced a variety of found objects and furniture to infuse the space with their personal aesthetic. They love objects with history and revel in the occasional dumpster find, declaring, “People throw away some amazing things!” This eclectic approach to decorating works for them, especially since Olivia feels unattached to any particular style at this point in her life. This open-minded point-of-view informs her work as well. As her life changes, so does her jewelry design. While the general aesthetic remains, she has evolved from organic shapes and textures to something more architectural and geometric, which she attributes to her surroundings. These days, Olivia and Andrew truly feel at home. Whether they are watching sunsets on the balcony or hosting American Thanksgiving for their Spanish friends, they love incorporating familiar traditions into their new life in Madrid. —Shannon

Photography by César Perez 










via Design*Sponge http://ift.tt/1IIilX2 From Shannon Grant

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