cool and warm tones (cool, violet-based blues and warm orange-yellow-based browns and beiges) and balancing simple shapes and solid colors. “I love pure geometry,” Gonzalez says. “Almost everything was about circles and squares and the balance between the two.” Gonzalez chose versatile, durable materials; every surface in the living room (paint, nylon, leather, Ultrasuede, granite and even the art made of molded bamboo pulp tiles) is washable. Trademark touches include cut-out, scallop-edged mirrors and butterflies in shadow boxes to add color and pattern much like throw pillows. Reactions to the interior have been positive, and business is better than ever. With a growing client base at home, Gonzalez looks forward to maintaining a strong presence in both New Orleans and New York and is continuing to grow his line. “Designers get better with time,” he says. “When you’re visual, you’re always examining and evaluating your surroundings. I think I’m becoming better at the craft every year.”
ABOVE: DESIGNER REYNALDO GONZALEZ IN THE COURTYARD OUTSIDE HIS FRENCH QUARTER APARTMENT. CUT-OUT BUTTERFLY PHOTOGRAPHS MOUNTED IN SHADOW BOXES (RIGHT) AND A GRANITE COFFEETABLE (BELOW) ARE DESIGNED BY GONZALEZ. THEY ARE AVAILABLE AT WWW. REYNALDOGONZALEZDESIGN.COM.
“I think it’s more fun to design something than to look for it.”
-REYNALDO GONZALEZ
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