g Canada West Jan/Feb 2014

MUSI C ON HEARTSTRI NGS

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BUI LD YOUR DREAM HOME
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CANADI AN L ANDSCAPE,
EUROPEAN SPARKLE
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SHEN YUN LEAD DANCER
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A NEW OLD SOUL
Interior designer Mark Cravotta layered sophisticated textures, eclectic shapes and time
periods with such efect that this second residence now feels more like home than home.
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Above: A diverse combination of styles achieve balance: a
massive linear cocktail table by Holly Hunt softened by the
elegant curves of Jean De Merry lounge chairs; Steel and
white oak dining table by Cravotta Interiors. The dining
room chandelier is 1960s vintage. Top right: Dry bar by
Cravotta: South American Rosewood cabinet, mahogany
and brass base. Bottom right: Lively plum blossoms, half-
painted, half-embroidered with silk thread on hand-paint-
ed silk wallpaper by London-based Fromental glamorize
this otherwise stark powder room.
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Sheer linen-strip couture drapes provide a striking
backdrop to a fun space and foreshadow the triptych
artwork created with India ink-blowing techniques.
Bold pigments in the Moroccan rug enhance a vin-
tage pod chair in this fresh, pattern-strong lounge.
The hand-blown-glass-shaded ceiling fixture echoes
the pattern in the pillows.
Below: A linen-covered entry wall is a warm and luxurious background to four
antique Chinese military rank badges hung above a 1940s vintage modern
cabinet in the curvaceous style of Ico Parisi. Bottom: Red accents compliment
Chinese keepsakes in the study.
76

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A
bachelor Texan ranch owner purchased a
Four Seasons residence in Austin for the
occasional getaway from his home on the
range. But when Mark Cravota of Cravota Interiors
was done with the 4,200 square foot residence, it be-
came his favorite place to stay.
He needed a place that was sophisticated yet still
very comfortable for entertaining, said Cravota. He
likes the place so much now that he only spent six
days in the last eleven months at his ranch. Tats no
surprise. Cravota transformed the space into a luxu-
rious, laid-back seting.
Cravota achieves his welcoming atmosphere by in-
corporating an extensive variety of textures and art as
well as vintage and antique pieces into a polished en-
vironment. Art and antiques identify a period in time,
age gracefully, and espouse comfort and ease.
Te linen-covered main entrance wall showcases
dynastic Chinese military-rank textiles that were al-
ready in the clients possession. Te wallcovering sof-
ens and warms the space while newly-applied bricks
on the opposite wall give it a lived-in character.
I really want the space to appear as if its furnishings
are collected over time rather than assembled like a
showroom. I dont want a visitor to knowthat this was
all produced inside of a year. I want it to appear as if it
could have developed over a generation but was very
well maintained.
Te open-plan living and dining room ceiling is fn-
ished with wallpaper textured with plaster, handmade
by Studio E. Its deep tonality and granular shagreen
texture evokes intimacy. Shapes and colors repeat
throughout the apartment with such delicacy, providing
Left: The textural wall
behind the headboard is
a hand-made paper by
Larsen. Two 1950s Ger-
man oak and stainless
steel side tables flank the
Cravotta bed. The Jean
De Merry Lumiere Chan-
delier echoes the pillow
pattern. Right: The patio
calls attention to Austin,
Texass hip landscape.
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78
continuity between the rooms for a restful atmosphere. A
lacquered linen cocktail table plays into dining roomceiling
textures and juxtaposes beautifully with a high-polish, high-
gloss tomato red lacquered side table. Te same unabashed
red can be seen on the shelving in the nearby study.
In the media room, circular paterns in the drapes, a curvy
table lamp, and other slender echoes direct the eyes around
the room. Oranges and greens, when paired with the chan-
delier, add a whimsical and faintly retro touch.
Cravota is inspired by his clients, spending signifcant
time with themin conversation and sharing images.
What I want, more than anything, is to feel like I under-
stand who they are and how they want to be expressed in
the world.
Ima very deep listener. I listen to more than their words.
I pay atention to their body language. I look for emotional
cues, and then Ill test my theories. I am looking for their
eyes to light up and say, Tats it!
His wish is for his clients spaces to become the outward
expression of their inner image of themselves.
Top left: The sofa, 24 feet long, pampers ten peo-
ple snuggling up watching a movie. Bottom Left:
A wine cellar was cleverly created in this Texas
bachelors apartment after lowering its ceiling to
install the proper storage tools.
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