Ode to England

 When Alfred Dell’ario came to paint his living room walls, he knew exactly what colour he wanted – camel – and, to make sure he got exactly the shade he was after, he took his favourite Ralph Lauren camel coat with him to have the paint matched exactly.

 

 

That sort of attention to detail is reflected in everything about Alfred’s Christchurch home. It’s a place of cool refinement and classic elegance and a home that would not be out of place in the 1800s, the 1930s – or in 2009.

 

“Like most Americans I am totally enamoured of English style. I like its refinement and its classicism,” says Alfred. “This is a traditional interior with mostly 18th century antique or reproduction English furniture. It wouldn’t be at all unusual in the United States; it’s just what Americans do. They like to emulate English aristocracy, especially in Texas where I come from.”

 

But Alfred wasn’t always attached to the traditional. For many years his design aesthetic was the complete opposite – total minimalism or, as he describes it, “all white interiors with a single white rose in a single bud vase on a glass table”. Then, during the excesses of the 1980s, he went “totally over the top” with Empire furniture, lots of gold, rococo, tassels and fringes.

 

Simply put, Alfred embraces change. Interior design is a passion and he jokes that, when he has changed the draperies for the second time, it is time for him to move. During his 14 years in New Zealand he has had several houses.

 

Early on, Alfred wanted to be an architect but, drawn to medicine, he trained as a psychiatrist and now specialises in addiction medicine. In the 1980s though, he took a year out of medicine and worked full-time as an interior designer.

 

“I always wondered what would happen if I followed my heart, so when the opportunity arose to work on 65 houses for oil executives in Saudi Arabia I put a locum in my practice and went for it. It ultimately lacked the purpose of my work as a doctor though and, having gotten it out of my system, I realised interior design was best kept as my hobby.”

 

Alfred’s hilltop home exudes all the confidence of someone with a sure sense of “home” and a keen eye for visual harmony.

 

“As soon as I stepped into this house I liked the drama of the entry hall and the wide staircase; every room had a view and an appropriate scale and it was very well constructed. But I knew I would change everything. I think very visually and I can always visualise the finished colours, forms, textures; I always know where everything is going to go.”

 

His colour palette is true to the earth colours – grey, camel, fawn, chocolate – and he is a great believer in every room “having a touch of black and a touch of the Oriental”. His love of ancient Chinese culture can be seen throughout and is most evident in the stunning lacquered wood Chinese Coromandel screen from the 1800s that he bought in the United States at auction.

 

Despite his various design phases, many of Alfred’s favourite pieces have stayed with him for more than two decades: Persian and Afghan rugs, the large collection of English and American art and the living room sofa – “I’ve had that sofa for more than 20 years and it’s probably been reupholstered 20 times,” he says with a laugh.

 

Alfred also chooses furniture styles for their timeless qualities – the Chesterfield sofa, the bergčre chairs, the 18th century Gainsborough chairs and the 1870s inlaid Victorian table in the family room for example. Or the reproduction 18th century mahogany dining table with its American Baker Charleston chairs and the Victorian settee and 18th century Italian drawings in the main bedroom.

 

“I got very tired of my minimal phase and when my partner of the time asked if they could have one comfortable chair in the bedroom, I was introduced to the world of auctions. I never looked back.”

 

Finding just the right spot for his acquisitions and highlighting them with well-designed lighting is paramount for Alfred. “I’m a stickler for good lighting because it creates the mood in a room. And I like neutral draperies with luxurious ‘puddles’ throughout to unify the interior.”

 

Alfred admits to loving this house more than any other he has lived in. “I travel a lot and it’s wonderful to come home to a serene environment that gives you a sense of excitement and pleasure. That’s what a home should be all about.”