It was a pleasure to interview Eric Kuster, famed Dutch interior designer whose inimitable style has led his work to be highly solicited for key projects. Eric has given life to ventures all over the world – from Curacao to London – designing homes, hotels, and luxury yachts. He has worked on important commercial interior projects as well, including legendary Amsterdam club Jimmy Woo and Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium.
On the day of our meeting, Eric was hosting an event to present one of his most recent commissions: a newly designed three-bedroom apartment in Sierra Blanca. “Metropolitan luxury” is how Kuster defines his style, and the term certainly hits the spot in this home, designed for a family with a teenage son. One can easily sense the extent to which comfort can be a perfect partner to sophistication. Thus, the inviting living room space boasts a cream hued sofa, wall mounted flat screen TV and fireplaces, and special touches such as a pink ostrich feather lamp, glass candle jars on a discreet sofa table, and a designer lamp reminiscent of a jellyfish. Playful and serious elements combine perfectly and everything has a purpose. The star section of the living room, for this observer, is the space adjacent to the terrace, featuring a bar/table with gorgeous chair stools dressed in a metallic turquoise fabric, a lovely contrast to the pink hues of other accessories in the home.
Eric Kuster Brings Urban Luxury to the Coast
On the Coast, Kuster is perhaps best, known for his work at Palo Alto, a development comprising over 200 luxury apartments and penthouses together with a five-star health club and spa and exclusive members’ social club. Currently, he is working alongside Palo Alto (by Villarroel Torrico) on the latest phase of their development: Las Jacarandas, featuring 60 contemporary apartments and penthouses with spacious rooms, wide terraces, roof terraces, and lush private gardens. The design is stunning, the techniques high-tech, and the view from the terraces spectacular.
Designer Features Adjoining the entertainment space is an elegant marble dining table graced by a shelf containing designer décor pieces of all kinds. The unique grey veins of the marble are complemented by similarly hued rugs. Above the table, flirty transparent pendant lights in various shapes and lengths are reminiscent of bubbles floating in the air. The playfulness of these areas contrasts wonderfully with the ‘seriousness’ of the upstairs bedrooms, which are predominantly grey in hue and more minimalistic, in line with the bedroom’s primary purpose: that of rest. Stunning are the framed black and white photographs that abound in one of the bedrooms of icons such as Muhammad Ali or the Rat Pack. Surprising, meanwhile, is the use of free space; beneath the stairs, for instance, there is a small but appealing desk area that makes most of the natural light that floods the apartment. It seems like the perfect spot to check one’s email or surf the Net away from the hustle and bustle of the common living spaces.
Some Things Were Meant to Be
When viewing his work, it is clear that Eric was always meant to be a designer. Oddly enough, his career began in marketing. “I never received formal education in design,” he tells me, “but I worked for various years in the textile industry and my interest in design grew from my passion for fabrics.” Indeed, all of Eric’s interiors boast his brand’s curtains, rugs, and bespoke pieces. The pendant lighting mentioned above, which is arguably one of the most appealing décor pieces of the home, is brand-designed and made. “There is a signature, but every project is bespoke like creating an haute couture dress or tailored suit. It has to be the perfect fit. I do not do copy and paste,” says Eric. Indeed, his exquisite taste can be seen in every corner of his spaces: from the artwork to the wall finishings, luxury bathroom fittings, and lighting.
Finding Inspiration
Eric is a frequent traveller, and that is one of the best parts of his job. “It is important to keep moving because there is so much inspiration to be found in every country I visit.” He definitely doesn’t miss being in one spot: “I chose this lifestyle over any other because it is so important for my work to visit places and see, feel, and experience different materials, design styles, and ambiences.”
Home is London
When asked if he is much like the quintessential Chef, who whips up haute cuisine meals yet couldn’t be bothered to prepare himself a boiled egg, Eric laughs and tells me of his up until now main place of residence in Amsterdam: a stunning apartment across from the Amsterdam Opera, “I used it as one big closet.” He is a keen lover of fashion and dresses with runway-like precision and detail. “I didn’t have any furniture at all, just clothing.” After over a decade in the business, Eric has finally found his dream home in London, where he is based, which is decorated in the timeless artistry his brand is famous for. “I do believe that design should be for life and that means choosing quality materials that should last the entire lifetime of a home.” Indeed, if you view past projects on his website or see his vision for Palo Alto, you will notice that light and grey tones, jazzed up with designer décor items, spell a kind of elegance that was built to last – very much like the Eric Kuster brand itself.
WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS