boldness in their design with supreme comfort in their
engineering, he is obsessive about detail, whether it be the cut
of a rare gemstone or the precise way an earring sits on the ear.
He also believes it is the reason he is drawn to midcentury
design of all forms. “I’ve always been fascinated with how things
were made then,” says Vartanian. “They are a marriage of
functionality and great design: what you see is what you get.”
Above all, he admires the way products of the period were
built to last. “I see my jewellery in the same way,” explains
the former financial trader, who launched his brand in 2002
after racking up experience as a gemstone buyer in his family’s
wholesale business. “I don’t design on CAD. I design all the
pieces myself, and I select all the stones.”
Vintage furniture stores are not for him. What Vartanian
loves is “the thrill of the search” – a thrill that might manifest
in a Jean Gillon chair discovered on eBay while in Britain
(and currently residing in his London flat), or hunting down
an original upholstery fabric with which to renovate another
Jean Gillon piece, this time acquired in São Paulo.
In another inviting seating area, an Italian Space Age
lounge set from the 1970s sits comfortably with Hollywood
Regency side tables and a pair of French 1960s faux-bamboo
lamps by Jacques Adnet. A Meiji period Japanese embroidered
silk wall hanging and a 1960s woven tapestry by French
artist Hervé Lelong complete the picture. “I am hand-picking
things from many different periods and places and putting
them together,” he explains. “If I combine what I like, it’s
always going to have a balance of the elements – the spaces,
the furniture, the ambience.” Urbinati believes Vartanian
was born for the role. “Ara is one of the best interior designers
of the vintage era that I have ever met,” he says.
For many years, Vartanian has also been restoring vintage
bikes and cars, such as the 1947 Indian Chief and 1972
Porsche 911S that are among the gleaming machines standing
in his subterranean James Bond-style secret lair of a garage.
He realised early on that their restoration was a healthy andstimulating counterbalance to his usual work. “It wasn’t just
a hobby: it was food for my brain and my creativity,” he says.
It is a pastime he thrives on still. “With machines from that
time, you’re obliged to get yourself involved with them, as
they frequently challenge you to give them a bit of love. If
you’re not serious enough, they just leave you stranded on
the side of the road.”
For most of us, the word “garage” conjures images of a
dark, dank space crammed with all the junk not wanted in
the main house. Here, however, vast windows opening on
to the pool area mean that daylight floods in, so that even
downstairs, the Vogue team is able to shoot without additional
lighting. The influx of sunshine and proximity to the pool- along with the Brazilian rosewood bar – also make it ideal
for weekend gatherings, hanging out with a small group of
friends beneath the giant Jean Gillon tapestry, or partying
with up to a hundred people. The bar was another lucky
find: the street’s security guard spotted it being removed
from a neighbour’s place that was to be demolished, and Ara
gladly gave it a new lease of life.
The designer’s obsession for detail extended to the point
that one day, Vartanian and Urbinati could be found
measuring the steps of the famous art deco staircase at
Claridge’s, just round the corner from his Mayfair boutique,
in order to recreate its graceful declivity in São Paulo.
The planks of wood used to imprint a textured pattern
on the building’s concrete ceilings all measured precisely
25cm, since that is the date on which Ara, Sabrina and Lily
all celebrate their birthdays. “We wanted everything to tie
in with our family. I wanted these personal details throughout
the house,” he says.
For now, at least, Vartanian is happy to draw the project
to a close and spend time at home enjoying the fruits of his
labour with Sabrina and their children. It also gives him
the opportunity to revisit his day job. “Now I can go back
to designing jewellery,” he smiles. Q
Opposite: the main
living room – with
midcentury modern
sofas and chairs
by Sergio Rodrigues
and Jean Gillon – is
Sabrina’s favourite
room in the house.
Left: Ara’s underground
garage, home to his
vintage cars and bikes,
features a large Jean
Gillon tapestry and
a Sergio Rodrigues
table lamp, both
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