Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1508059
H ouston interior designer Nina Magon's tantalizing interiors are showcased in her first monograph, Nina Magon: Evoke (Monacelli), released in September. Magon's inspiration for her interiors transpired from international childhood trips when her family would chart a different course to visit the world's cultural capitals. She brings this travel-tripping worldview to her award-winning work, in which she mixes high-gloss modernism with old world grandeur. The book focuses on eight projects in her diverse portfolio. For a beach retreat on Saadiyat Island created for a design-loving member of the royal family of Abu Dhabi, Magon looked to architecture- defining interiors by Zaha Hadid, Piero Portaluppi, Julia Morgan, and others. For Houston's Solaya Spa & Salon, Magon translated the historic vernacular of iconic wellness institutions — such as the Széchenyi thermal baths in Budapest and the Friedrichsbad Spa in Germany — into a contemporary setting, juxtaposing aged verdigris mirrored metal doors and antique ornately carved doors with chic velvet chairs and a wall installation of Murano glass droplets. Magon will sign her book Tuesday, October 10, 10 am, at James Craig Furnishings at Houston Design Center; tickets at thdd.org. Magon leaned into Piranesian principles utilized in Rome's Colosseum when composing the jewel-box Nina Magon Lounge at Zadok Jewelers. A sinuous hallway is wrapped in a Wall&decò wallpaper featuring a soft, watercolor-like mural of robust blossoms at Solaya Salon & Spa. EVOCATIVE JAY MARROQUIN JULIE SOEFER By Anne Lee Phillips In the grand entry of a project on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi for a design-enthusiast member of the royal family, Magon added frames of molding to create a modern interpretation of French boiserie without the fanfare of filigree. JULIE SOEFER JULIE SOEFER Nina Magon