3 Key Pieces: Midcentury Vibes in a Puerto Rican Living Room
Designer Fernando Rodriguez discusses the 3 stars of this bright and bold living room
Most interior designers will tell you that every piece of furniture and stitch of fabric they select for a room is vital to its overall aesthetic, but there are still those few special pieces that make a space stand out. In this new series, we ask designers to choose the three most important pieces in a room they created. We start with designer Fernando Rodriguez and his midcentury-inspired living room in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
1. Midcentury Masterpiece
The piece: A 9-by-5-foot print of Slim Aarons’ Poolside in Sotogrande (1975). Rodriguez ordered it from the British art website Surface View.
The impact: “The photograph depicts the classic midcentury look and casual-chic vibe we wanted for our home,” Rodriguez says. “I didn’t frame the piece because I wanted the lawn to look as if it flows right into the kelly-green walls.”
You might expect him to choose the pair of large 1950s brass lamps as the second star of the room. But the pieces that produce the most drama aren’t always the ones that make the room. Rodriguez says that, though these lamps grab attention, they would look beautiful in any space. The other standout pieces are what ties everything together. Which brings us to …
The piece: A 9-by-5-foot print of Slim Aarons’ Poolside in Sotogrande (1975). Rodriguez ordered it from the British art website Surface View.
The impact: “The photograph depicts the classic midcentury look and casual-chic vibe we wanted for our home,” Rodriguez says. “I didn’t frame the piece because I wanted the lawn to look as if it flows right into the kelly-green walls.”
You might expect him to choose the pair of large 1950s brass lamps as the second star of the room. But the pieces that produce the most drama aren’t always the ones that make the room. Rodriguez says that, though these lamps grab attention, they would look beautiful in any space. The other standout pieces are what ties everything together. Which brings us to …
2. Coffee-Table Chic
The piece: The midcentury-inspired Molecule coffee table from Worlds Away. It features a glass top and a gold-leaf iron base. The table’s base is a riff on the Atomic Age, a period between the early 1940s and 1960, when developments in nuclear power influenced many aspects of culture and design.
The impact: “The table is perfect for the midcentury look we wanted,” Rodriguez says. “Since the top is covered with a collection of our favorite design and art books, it was important for the base to have a distinct design in order to stand out.”
The piece: The midcentury-inspired Molecule coffee table from Worlds Away. It features a glass top and a gold-leaf iron base. The table’s base is a riff on the Atomic Age, a period between the early 1940s and 1960, when developments in nuclear power influenced many aspects of culture and design.
The impact: “The table is perfect for the midcentury look we wanted,” Rodriguez says. “Since the top is covered with a collection of our favorite design and art books, it was important for the base to have a distinct design in order to stand out.”
3. Bold, Beautiful and Brass
The piece: Milo Baughman-inspired armchairs covered in royal-blue velvet and featuring brass arms and legs. Rodriguez found these chairs at a boutique design store in New York City.
The impact: “These chairs are the first thing you see as you walk into the living area,” Rodriguez says. “The bold blue prepares you for the kelly-green walls. For us, the room is a celebration of color.”
The piece: Milo Baughman-inspired armchairs covered in royal-blue velvet and featuring brass arms and legs. Rodriguez found these chairs at a boutique design store in New York City.
The impact: “These chairs are the first thing you see as you walk into the living area,” Rodriguez says. “The bold blue prepares you for the kelly-green walls. For us, the room is a celebration of color.”
Show us: Do you have a key piece that makes a room in your house? Please post a photo in the Comments and tell us about it.
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Why We Love Midcentury Modern Design
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Who lives here: Fernando Rodriguez and Aaron Stewart
Location: San Juan, Puerto Rico
Size: 294 square feet (27.3 square meters)
Designer: Fernando Rodriguez of Aaron Stewart Home
Rodriguez was born and raised in Puerto Rico but had spent 32 years living and working in New York City. Looking for a new adventure and a change of pace, Rodriguez and his husband and business partner, Aaron Stewart, decided to move to San Juan. After scoring a new condo in a luxury high-rise, they went about creating a bold and colorful midcentury-inspired home. “It’s Palm Springs meets Puerto Rico,” Rodriguez says.