THE FINISH LINE

As children they raced, as adults they collaborated on a beautiful pied-à-terre.

BY PEGGY LEVINSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN KARLISCH

This page: An exceptional work by Bosco Sodi hangs over a Qing dynasty console from George Cameron Nash. Beneath, an ottoman by J. Robert Scott. Opposite: Falling Stars sconce by Stefan Gulassa for Holly Hunt. Oil on canvas by James Austin Murray. A Seguso Murano mirror hangs above the XY Bench by Holly Hunt Studio. Beneath, the woven rug is by Holland & Sherry.; Falling Stars sconce above a floating console in Pietra Grey marble.

They have been friends since childhood, raced on the same track team, and now Graciela and Dieter Maldonado chose to enlist their childhood friend, a world-class interior designer, to create a pied-à-terre aerie in one of Dallas’ most prestigious high rises.

The couple is from the same close-knit upscale community of San Pedro Garza Garcia in Monterrey, Mexico as their good friend Gonzalo Bueno, principal of Ten Plus Three, and they called on him to design a home to their exact and exacting demands, certain his design knowledge and own level of exactitude would perfectly fulfill their needs. “They wanted only the best. We sourced the finest furniture, fabrics, and accessories; great design means the world to them,” says Bueno. “They had also worked with my partner Mauricio Lobeira at Treceavo Plano in Monterrey and knew the quality of our work.”

The Maldonados purchased a construction shell in the Residences at the Stoneleigh on Maple Avenue in Uptown Dallas. “We decided to buy at the Stoneleigh because we were able to buy the shell only, with no walls or divisions, so that we could have an apartment designed to measure according to our specific needs,” says Dieter. “One of our passions is collecting art from our travels, and we wanted the condo to perfectly accompany this art.”

Describing the scope of the project Bueno says, “We designed and placed every wall, decided on every plug and every light to create a perfect background for the couple’s fine art and furniture. Their only request was to make it cozy and elegant.” To that end he says, “We used a monochromatic palette in elephant shades that would enhance and cocoon the interiors.”

The clients’ first decision was to make the kitchen the center of the condo. Bueno offers, “Cooking is one of the passions shared by their family of three sons (one recently married) that live in Monterrey and California. Another shared passion is watching the Dallas Cowboys— to that end they purchased the largest TV they could find, and we made the living room and open kitchen into a TV room.”

The Eggersmann kitchen system in ebonized oak and bronze mirror cabinets blends perfectly with the elegant living room furniture. The dining area with a Tornasole dining table from Promemoria and custom chairs designed by Ten Plus Three provide a

Custom sectional designed by Ten Plus Three in Coraggio silk mohair. Wool drapery by Holly Hunt with sheers by Dedar. Grass cloth is from Phillip Jeffries. Cocktail table and trays are by Holly Hunt Studio.

Eggersmann kitchen system in ebonized oak and bronze mirror cabinets and island, Monopoint pendants, and countertops in Carbono quartzite with Gaggenau appliances. Promemoria dining table with chairs by Ten Plus Three. Seguso custom chandelier with artwork by Florian Schmidt

Custom Steinway Macassar ebony piano with Christian Liaigre chairs and table at David Sutherland; rug from Abrash.

Artwork by Cecil Touchon with an antique Asian desk and a J. Robert Scott swivel chair.

seamless transition from kitchen to living room. Seguso, from Venice, made the custom Murano glass chandelier. A painting by the Austrian artist Florian Schmidt, who creates highly sculptural paintings using fundamental geometric shapes as building blocks, hangs in front of shirred wool drapery that creates another layer of art.

Upon entering the condo, you are enveloped in an intimate atmosphere created by floor-to-ceiling walnut panels. A custom Murano glass mirror reflects the wall across with its arrangement of low-lit Falling Stars sconces in three sizes, which create a golden glow like hot lava. For the reflective black oil painting artist James Austin Murray used only ivory black paint in large, layered brushstrokes; Murray’s paintings are all about light and its relationship to the viewer. The entry opens to a painting of horses by Ashley Collins, a highly regarded artist who uses images of horses as symbols of her own, having emerged from early childhood poverty and homelessness. These images are painted on layers of dictionary pages, creating a textural, collage-like effect.

Bueno’s signature is to create walls that are not meant to just be the frame around the room. Rather, they are an integral part of the overall design, whether they are covered with walnut panels or wrapped in suede, as in the bedroom. Walls and floor are layered in textures, creating a tactile effect. In this way, the grand scale of the living room becomes intimate and inviting with layers of textured grass cloth on the walls and shirred wool drapery that covers and connects the sheerscovered windows. The effect is sumptuous warmth. A custom sectional large enough for the family is in silk mohair velvet and surrounds a square leather-and-Bahia grass cocktail table. The Maldonado children enjoy playing the Steinway Macassar ebony piano, and two Christian Liaigre love seats create an intimate listening space.

Another distinct setting is created with a highly ornate antique Asian desk and modern leather-covered swivel chair. The painting is by Santa Fe artist Cecil Touchon, whose paintings are abstractions based on typography; he transforms verbal language into a form

Clockwise from top left: Custom bed and nightstands by Holly Hunt with Innovations wallcovering and bench through George Cameron Nash; Phillip Jeffries wallcovering with dark walnut vanities; Innovations wallcovering with custom dresser by Ten Plus Three. Bright desk chair in Holly Hunt leather; J. Robert Scott chairs and Marc Phillips rug. Custom bar system is by Eggersmann.

of visual architecture through collage techniques. Touchon speaks of “liberating words from being practical delivering a message into existing purely for their sake as shapes and curves.”

One of the family’s favorite seating areas is the bar next to the living room. In it, Bueno incorporated an integrated bar system from Eggersmann in the same ebonized oak as in the kitchen. The swivel bar chairs are from J. Robert Scott and the pendant is from Monopoint. The wraparound terrace provides clear views of the Uptown area and has a table and chairs and outdoor seating from Holly Hunt. The restful, monochromatic color scheme is extended into the primary suite with suede wall covering, wood-and-stone bedside tables, and a cozy writing area with a custom dresser designed by Ten Plus Three.

From the living room seating area the eye is drawn to an intense black lava-like painting. The heavy texture and infinite blackness seem to capture the light. This painting is by Mexican artist Bosco Sodi, whose work may also be seen in an exhibition entitled La Fuerza del destino at the Dallas Museum of Art. Sodi creates his spherical and rectangular sculptures from clay sourced at this studio in Oaxaca. The clay is dried in the sun and fired in a brick kiln, which shows a natural connection between the artist and his work.

“This and the rest of the inspiring art collection mixed in with all the bespoke pieces has created a one-of-a-kind, timeless home,” enthuses Bueno. P

Holly Hunt dining table and chairs.

Holly Hunt sofa with Cachalot cocktail table and rug from Truett Fine Carpets & Rugs.