Black and White Penthouse

Joseph Dirand, a French architect who is infamous for his stunning black and white, lavish designs, is also a master at what’s called “frame and contain”. He uses contrast and framing techniques that I find fascinating and extremely effective at highlighting views, emphasizing importance, and delineating spaces.

This penthouse apartment on 5th Avenue in New York has an amazing living room, in which Dirand “frames” the window by adding thick black mouldings, which contrast the white surrounding space. Your attention is immediately drawn to the most important thing, the view!

The dining room uses the heavy black framing technique between rooms to create a portal, which also draws your eyes beyond into the kitchen, and to yet another wonderfully framed view.

In the bedroom, the same technique is used to create an amazing real life skyline art piece behind the bed.