NYTIMES: Ad-Hoc Minimalism: Antonio Vieira scrounged much of the furniture for his Jersey City apartment from sidewalks

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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/14/garden/14ajp5.html
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Ad-Hoc Minimalism

By TOM DOLBY -- Dec 14
New York Times: Home & Garden Section

In assisting Christopher Coleman at his Brooklyn design firm, Antonio Vieira, 33, generally has more space to work with than the 400 square feet afforded him by his Jersey City apartment. Mr. Vieira, who is from Venezuela, lives in the one-bedroom with his partner, Carlos Rivas, 31, and their tiger-striped tabby cat.

The shortage of space did not deter the two in their ambitions when they moved in five years ago. After refinishing the floors and painting the walls, they moved on to more serious creative challenges presented by the lackluster pair of rooms.

In the kitchen, they covered an uneven, crumbling plaster wall with white plastic place mats that cost 50 cents each. Mr. Vieira then spent two weeks painting the wall with yellow spirals, making it look like Op Art wallpaper and brightening up an otherwise unremarkable dining nook. They found nearly every piece of their furniture on the street, and Mr. Vieira often did the refinishing or reupholstering himself.

?We have a lot of friends, and we always tell them, ?If you see something on the street and you don?t want it and you think it?s beautiful, please take it and we will go to your apartment to pick it up,? ? Mr. Vieira said.

With its colorful vases, glass orbs and boldly graphic black and white throw pillows, the living room is reminiscent of Mr. Coleman?s style, which is notable for a strong rectilinear use of color that creates spaces that are minimalist but not cold. In Mr. Vieira?s version, though, materials and objects have been put to particularly unorthodox use: the wrapping paper from Moss in SoHo that has been framed as art, for example, and the mirror from Mr. Coleman?s line of children?s furniture that hangs in the dining area. (It sells for $1,950 but was given to Mr. Vieira by the designer.)

Another unusual solution appears in the bedroom. When Mr. Rivas realized that a double bed would take too much space, he decided the couple should instead buy a $349 Ikea bunk bed, which they outfitted with grown-up accessories like coordinating red and white pillows that Mr. Vieira sewed himself.

?Before, I was a little upset, because he was like, ?We?re going to have two beds,? ? Mr. Vieira said. ?But now I?m so happy. I can sleep better.?