AND THE WORD IS MOD
July 31, 2004 | 12:00am
The term "modern retro" seems like an oxymoron, a glaring contradiction. Something that is but isn’t, everything and nothing, past and future, pushing forward back. Nostalgia sharing a rhetorical sandwich with something futuristic. It is like Marty McFly (that Michael J. Fox character) slipping on the banana peels of time. The term sounds so incongruous – probably like R2D2 and C3PO dancing to the Bee Gees disco falsetto ear-splitter Staying Alive, or maybe sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick rewriting a Dickens novel, or maybe Beethoven using a synthesizer and a sampler to create lush symphonies about space capsules, or maybe Jackson Pollock repainting the Sistine Chapel.
Architecturally, though, "modern retro" is not an absurd term. For interior designer Tessa Alindogan, this style is for people who dig clean lines and muted colors and who hate kitsch and clutter. Modern retro is simple but not minimalist. It never grapples for attention like kitschy interiors (read: dizzying yellow walls with a tacky rug of dogs playing pool), which can be as brutal as a bellowing bullhorn when you got a huge hangover.
"Modern retro has a very calming effect," says Alindogan. We are in her condo unit at One Salcedo Place, which is a hallmark of modern retro design. "I also like the shapes of the modern retro designs, which use lots of squares and circles. I like the colors that are vibrant but muted, and never loud. It’s understated yet very classy," she adds.
Alindogan moved back to her 135-square-meter condo unit only this year after coming back from London. Before that, her place was so kaleidoscopic, more like a restaurant than a pad, actually. "Green, rust, yellow were the colors. It took me a month to decorate the whole place. The floors used to be parquet with a natural finish. I decided to stain it with a dark wooden finish to give it that modern look."
One thing noticeable about Alindogan’s place is the uniform dark-brown wenge hue of the chairs and tables. "It’s a popular finish nowadays with furniture-makers," offers Anna Angara, another interior designer.
Angara is Alindogan’s partner in a firm called A Design Group, which was established in 2001. The two met in Anilao, Batangas years ago and discovered they share a love for two things: Diving and designing interiors. "Tessa told me, ‘Hey, you have a knack for design’," shares Angara, who used to work for the Metropolitan Museum.
"She has a lot of potential because of her background," says Alindogan. "I asked her why don’t we study design together? So we did. We went to London and when we came back, we put up our own firm."
The two took up Architectural Interior Design at the Inchbald School of Design in Chelsea. "The course was just a year-and-a-half, but it was very intensive. Our instructors lectured about structure, not just design cosmetics," explains Alindogan.
When they came back, they got their first job: Designing a log cabin in the Tagaytay Highlands. Since then, the duo has designed the interiors of houses, condos, offices, as well as a Petron showroom.
"I guess we share the same design philosophy," Alindogan says.
"We vary at times, but overall, we get along," agrees Angara. "We respect each other’s opinions. Whether the budget is big or small, the most important for us is striving for quality. We clash over certain things, but nothing major. I am very detail-oriented. Our discussion doesn’t end until I have gone through the nitty-gritty, while she has the overall picture in mind."
Somewhat like a yin-yang partnership, or a Miles Davis/John Coltrane collaboration?
"I guess you could say that," Angara agrees. "I am more laid-back and she is more intense. This helps because we deal with all kinds of people. We’re dealing with contractors, construction workers, painters…"
"And sometimes, they’re late (laughs)," interjects Alindogan.
"We just have to make sure things are delivered on time," says Angara. "Check up on the quality of the materials. And when somebody’s blowing her top, the other has to be a lot calmer."
In design, everything starts from the floor plan. The designers ask clients for preferences and specifications. They show drafts, offer options and suggest furniture and décor. The rest is letting creativity do wonders.
"I think modern art is one great source of inspiration for us, definitely," Angara says. "I am a visually-oriented person. I remember this project where we made this office look like a Mondrian painting."
"Yes," recalls Alindogan. "Because it was a hundred-square-meter office we didn’t want it to look too stiff. It was predominantly white, but we put splashes of colors – yellows, reds and blues." Very Mondrian, indeed.
The two get their share of difficult clients. But as designers, it is important to be part-psychologist, part-best friend. "You have to be intermediary between the suppliers and the clients," Angara adds. "The technical aspect of design is important, but it’s not the primary thing. The fact that we made our clients happy is what’s important. After a project, we feel drained but fulfilled. It can be tedious, but in the end, everything’s great."
The most fulfilling aspect of interior design, adds Alindogan, "is when you let creativity come to life."
And creativity is the operative word when describing Alindogan’s own condo unit – the way she was able to break the monotony of modern retro lines and squares by placing exotic sculptures and unevenly-shaped objects. This proves that contrasts complement each other, that there’s unity in diversity.
In her living room are two Egg Chairs made out of wrought iron wrapped in abaca rope with a chrome base. Those beauties cost around P14,000. And yeah, they swivel.
"The original design of this chair is from Arne Jacobson, a Scandinavian designer. It reminded him of the wings of a swan," says Alindogan. Jacobsen also designed the Ant Chair (‘52), the Swan Chair (‘58), and the Series 7 Chair (’55). (No, no. Not the electric chair.)
Complementing those spherical seats is the Isamu Noguchi-inspired coffee table made of crushed coco shells, curvy forms and a glass top. Other striking pieces in Alindogan’s living room include: Wooden chestboard bookshelf that serves both decorative and functional purposes; blue and white jars from the Ming and Ching dynasty, celadon and Sawangkalok (given by her parents who lived for a couple of years in Singapore); Persian carpets that provide warmth to the retro modern interiors; an H.R. Ocampo triptych; and a clay sculpture by Kiri Dalena depicting a winged Ethiopian man with half a torso rising from the floor. Which proves too disturbing for some of Alindogan’s friends.
In a corner is a cylindrical lamp. This has, pardon the pun, a clear purpose.
"Lighting is one of the most creative aspects of the modern retro design. There is a wide spectrum of lighting, suitable for anything, from work to romance. I think that lighting is critical in any home. It also creates a lot of flexibility and adds character to space."
Plus, she has those funky opium pipes from Vietnam on top of the coffee table, which I naughtily check for residue.
In Alindogan’s dining room is a square table for eight with frosted glass-top. Around it are X-back chairs with suede upholstery. Yeah, they have the same wenge finish. She says, "The square shape of the table makes it more intimate. Thus, it is more conducive to conversation."
Alindogan’s bedroom has blue frost and steel gray walls. Providing accent to the icy walls are two paintings with strong oranges and browns (and with captions lifted from poets Lord Byron and William Blake). A pacifier lamp adds character to the room. So does a chair that resembles Jesus’ fish insignia.
In the study, a Matryoshka doll, a Perpetual Help egg and a wooden goat are necessary breakers against the clinical lines of the room.
"Maybe after four years, I will grow tired of all this," Alindogan muses. "Bur for now, it works. That’s what I always do – just put together the things I like."
And for now, she’s hip to subtlety and squares.
Architecturally, though, "modern retro" is not an absurd term. For interior designer Tessa Alindogan, this style is for people who dig clean lines and muted colors and who hate kitsch and clutter. Modern retro is simple but not minimalist. It never grapples for attention like kitschy interiors (read: dizzying yellow walls with a tacky rug of dogs playing pool), which can be as brutal as a bellowing bullhorn when you got a huge hangover.
"Modern retro has a very calming effect," says Alindogan. We are in her condo unit at One Salcedo Place, which is a hallmark of modern retro design. "I also like the shapes of the modern retro designs, which use lots of squares and circles. I like the colors that are vibrant but muted, and never loud. It’s understated yet very classy," she adds.
Alindogan moved back to her 135-square-meter condo unit only this year after coming back from London. Before that, her place was so kaleidoscopic, more like a restaurant than a pad, actually. "Green, rust, yellow were the colors. It took me a month to decorate the whole place. The floors used to be parquet with a natural finish. I decided to stain it with a dark wooden finish to give it that modern look."
One thing noticeable about Alindogan’s place is the uniform dark-brown wenge hue of the chairs and tables. "It’s a popular finish nowadays with furniture-makers," offers Anna Angara, another interior designer.
Angara is Alindogan’s partner in a firm called A Design Group, which was established in 2001. The two met in Anilao, Batangas years ago and discovered they share a love for two things: Diving and designing interiors. "Tessa told me, ‘Hey, you have a knack for design’," shares Angara, who used to work for the Metropolitan Museum.
"She has a lot of potential because of her background," says Alindogan. "I asked her why don’t we study design together? So we did. We went to London and when we came back, we put up our own firm."
The two took up Architectural Interior Design at the Inchbald School of Design in Chelsea. "The course was just a year-and-a-half, but it was very intensive. Our instructors lectured about structure, not just design cosmetics," explains Alindogan.
When they came back, they got their first job: Designing a log cabin in the Tagaytay Highlands. Since then, the duo has designed the interiors of houses, condos, offices, as well as a Petron showroom.
"I guess we share the same design philosophy," Alindogan says.
"We vary at times, but overall, we get along," agrees Angara. "We respect each other’s opinions. Whether the budget is big or small, the most important for us is striving for quality. We clash over certain things, but nothing major. I am very detail-oriented. Our discussion doesn’t end until I have gone through the nitty-gritty, while she has the overall picture in mind."
Somewhat like a yin-yang partnership, or a Miles Davis/John Coltrane collaboration?
"I guess you could say that," Angara agrees. "I am more laid-back and she is more intense. This helps because we deal with all kinds of people. We’re dealing with contractors, construction workers, painters…"
"And sometimes, they’re late (laughs)," interjects Alindogan.
"We just have to make sure things are delivered on time," says Angara. "Check up on the quality of the materials. And when somebody’s blowing her top, the other has to be a lot calmer."
In design, everything starts from the floor plan. The designers ask clients for preferences and specifications. They show drafts, offer options and suggest furniture and décor. The rest is letting creativity do wonders.
"I think modern art is one great source of inspiration for us, definitely," Angara says. "I am a visually-oriented person. I remember this project where we made this office look like a Mondrian painting."
"Yes," recalls Alindogan. "Because it was a hundred-square-meter office we didn’t want it to look too stiff. It was predominantly white, but we put splashes of colors – yellows, reds and blues." Very Mondrian, indeed.
The two get their share of difficult clients. But as designers, it is important to be part-psychologist, part-best friend. "You have to be intermediary between the suppliers and the clients," Angara adds. "The technical aspect of design is important, but it’s not the primary thing. The fact that we made our clients happy is what’s important. After a project, we feel drained but fulfilled. It can be tedious, but in the end, everything’s great."
The most fulfilling aspect of interior design, adds Alindogan, "is when you let creativity come to life."
And creativity is the operative word when describing Alindogan’s own condo unit – the way she was able to break the monotony of modern retro lines and squares by placing exotic sculptures and unevenly-shaped objects. This proves that contrasts complement each other, that there’s unity in diversity.
In her living room are two Egg Chairs made out of wrought iron wrapped in abaca rope with a chrome base. Those beauties cost around P14,000. And yeah, they swivel.
"The original design of this chair is from Arne Jacobson, a Scandinavian designer. It reminded him of the wings of a swan," says Alindogan. Jacobsen also designed the Ant Chair (‘52), the Swan Chair (‘58), and the Series 7 Chair (’55). (No, no. Not the electric chair.)
Complementing those spherical seats is the Isamu Noguchi-inspired coffee table made of crushed coco shells, curvy forms and a glass top. Other striking pieces in Alindogan’s living room include: Wooden chestboard bookshelf that serves both decorative and functional purposes; blue and white jars from the Ming and Ching dynasty, celadon and Sawangkalok (given by her parents who lived for a couple of years in Singapore); Persian carpets that provide warmth to the retro modern interiors; an H.R. Ocampo triptych; and a clay sculpture by Kiri Dalena depicting a winged Ethiopian man with half a torso rising from the floor. Which proves too disturbing for some of Alindogan’s friends.
In a corner is a cylindrical lamp. This has, pardon the pun, a clear purpose.
"Lighting is one of the most creative aspects of the modern retro design. There is a wide spectrum of lighting, suitable for anything, from work to romance. I think that lighting is critical in any home. It also creates a lot of flexibility and adds character to space."
Plus, she has those funky opium pipes from Vietnam on top of the coffee table, which I naughtily check for residue.
In Alindogan’s dining room is a square table for eight with frosted glass-top. Around it are X-back chairs with suede upholstery. Yeah, they have the same wenge finish. She says, "The square shape of the table makes it more intimate. Thus, it is more conducive to conversation."
Alindogan’s bedroom has blue frost and steel gray walls. Providing accent to the icy walls are two paintings with strong oranges and browns (and with captions lifted from poets Lord Byron and William Blake). A pacifier lamp adds character to the room. So does a chair that resembles Jesus’ fish insignia.
In the study, a Matryoshka doll, a Perpetual Help egg and a wooden goat are necessary breakers against the clinical lines of the room.
"Maybe after four years, I will grow tired of all this," Alindogan muses. "Bur for now, it works. That’s what I always do – just put together the things I like."
And for now, she’s hip to subtlety and squares.
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