AquiloCarmen René Smith
Family room with a graphic painted ceiling, emerald velvet sectional and midcentury credenzas

AFROCENTURY

A future with a long memory.LOS ANGELES
Bold portrait canvases above a sculptural tan leather chair
Behind The Story:
Afrocentury is a celebration of Black creativity, culture, and fearless self-expression. Rooted in the clean lines of midcentury architecture, the home layers iconic vintage design with contemporary art, bold color, expressive pattern, and custom moments that reflect the family's identity. Every room was designed to feel joyful, personal, and unapologetically alive, proving that maximalism isn't about excess. It's about creating spaces where every object, every artwork, and every color has something meaningful to say.
Leather lounge chairs around a fluted coffee table on a teal rug
Designed for conversation.
Leather lounge chairs around a fluted coffee table on a teal rug
Entry console with a gold biomorphic mirror and cobalt lamps
Designed for conversation.
The full family room: sputnik chandelier, gallery wall and a wall of windows
Sculptural leather armchairs gathered on a blue rug
Entry with a cascade of chrome pendants above a red velvet chair
Black Voices
Art became one of the home's strongest design elements. Throughout the project, we intentionally sourced and celebrated work by Black artists, allowing each piece to contribute to a larger story of identity, creativity, and cultural legacy.
Dining room with a tulip table, green cane chairs and a starburst chandelier
Kitchen shelf styled with art, ceramics and fruit stands
Everyday Moments
Even the most functional spaces embrace the project's philosophy. Midcentury influences, rich materials, and carefully composed artwork make everyday routines feel joyful.
Dining room with a tulip table, green cane chairs and a starburst chandelier
Kitchen shelf styled with art, ceramics and fruit stands
Everyday Moments
Even the most functional spaces embrace the project's philosophy. Midcentury influences, rich materials, and carefully composed artwork make everyday routines feel joyful.
Living room with a grand piano, orange sofa and floral wallcovering
Vintage record console beneath a framed print
Office wall of street-art canvases above a walnut credenza
Desk vignette with graffiti-style canvases and a green ribbed chair
Office wall of street-art canvases above a walnut credenza
Chrome tulip chair against an ochre graphic wallcovering
Breakfast room with cane chairs and a large abstract canvas
Art in Conversation
From the moment you enter the home, artwork becomes part of the architecture. Bold contemporary pieces, vintage furnishings, and expressive wallcoverings establish a dialogue between history, culture, and modern living.
Primary bedroom with a patterned teal ceiling and olive headboard
Olive velvet bed against textured wallpaper with a sputnik wall sculpture
Bedroom corner with an orange lounge chair and a dried palm
Primary bathroom with a teal circle-tiled vanity wall
Orange outdoor chairs and a striped side table on the lawn
Girls bedroom under a hand-drawn bird wallcovering
Hanging bubble chair in a yellow and teal bedroom
Boy's room with green walls, comic-book art and a purple egg chair
Bunk beds against a graphic black-and-white wallcovering
Designing for Imagination
The children's rooms celebrate curiosity through playful color, graphic pattern, and iconic forms. Each space was designed to grow with its occupant while encouraging creativity, individuality, and joy.
Boy's room with green walls, comic-book art and a purple egg chair
Bunk beds against a graphic black-and-white wallcovering
Designing for Imagination
The children's rooms celebrate curiosity through playful color, graphic pattern, and iconic forms. Each space was designed to grow with its occupant while encouraging creativity, individuality, and joy.
Sneaker shelving and a yellow built-in desk under a patterned ceiling
Arched wood headboard in a pale blue room hung with photography
The ceiling deserved attention too.
Office with Mondrian-print armchairs and a blue door
Office with Mondrian-print armchairs and a blue door
Pool-house bar with terrazzo counter, yellow stools and gilt palm pendants
Carmen at the pool-house bar in a printed jumpsuit
Layered Maximalism
Every room was composed through intentional layering of pattern, texture, art, vintage pieces, and contemporary design. Nothing was added simply for decoration. Every layer contributes to the larger story of the home.
The full pool-house bar on a checkerboard floor
Coral ostrich-feather lamp above a black patterned daybed
The feather lamp reflected in a mirror, framing the pool beyond
Fearless Color
Color was treated as an architectural tool, creating rhythm, contrast, and emotion throughout the home. Every palette was selected to amplify the personality of the space rather than simply decorate it.
Coral ostrich-feather lamp above a black patterned daybed
The feather lamp reflected in a mirror, framing the pool beyond
Fearless Color
Color was treated as an architectural tool, creating rhythm, contrast, and emotion throughout the home. Every palette was selected to amplify the personality of the space rather than simply decorate it.
Carmen reclining on the black-and-white patterned daybed
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