There is a particularly delicate balance to strike when creating a room that’s both resplendent and understated—such as this stately drawing room in Princeton, New Jersey. Tip the scales on that delicate clash of color or pattern, and it might come off as unrelatable, or overly “designed.” Alirio Pirela, the interior designer and owner of Pirela Atelier who has a distinguished taste for neutrals, knows how to find that balance, creating spaces that are at once spacious and intimate, joyful and subdued. “Using color schemes within the same tonal family or palette makes for an aesthetically pleasing environment, while still offering variety,” he says.
Throwing shapes via well-placed sculptures is one of the most instinctive weapons in Pirela’s design arsenal. “I have an inclination for architectural, organic and graphic shapes—materials that make your eyes wander around the room,” he says. Here, a form looms in the corner, perched atop a spiral column, another sculpture in stone contrasts the Travertine surface of the coffee table.
Since bringing his sophisticated medley of travel-sourced wares to Chairish—mostly American Art Deco to European mid-century masters—Pirela has found the response “overwhelming,” in a good way. (In fact, it’s become fuel for Pirela to seek out more curios when styling his rooms.) Among his most prized finds is a bleached oak chest of drawers with brass detailing, discovered in Boca Raton. After some buffing, it was revealed to be an original design from French furniture magnate Pierre Chapo—which often retails upwards of $30,000. Not everyone has that luck, of course.
The thing we can all access is layering, something Pirela considers vital when building eclectic spaces using a single tonal palette. He likens adding layers to building a photo album, a collation of memory-evoking pieces that stir emotion. “Layering is key to producing a scheme that’s rich and full of depth,” he says “It’s about using the right combination of shape, color, shade, and size to create a harmonic vibe.”
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Photos by Mike Van Tassell
