Alan Becker took us to his stunningly beautiful home, at dusk, after a multi-hour delicious lunch. Not unlike most grand Mexican homes, you enter through a discreet door, on a treelined street. A small rectangular window, in the dramatically illuminated foyer, allows for a glimpse at what appears to be a mile-long Great Room, filled with art. Dimly lit, it takes the eye a second or two to adjust. And, what an eyeopener! The house, hugely spacious, multi-leveled, cavernous, and meandering, through the sharp eyes of its proprietor, manages to always remain very intimate and welcoming.
An avid collector, Alan built a home that not only houses a widely diverse range of art and design objects but importantly maintains cohesion, by restricting the number of colors. Accents of red abound; dark calming blues, a little yellow, a bit of gold and of course plenty of black, white and neutrals. Warm earth-colored walls are accented by slashes and swaths of light. The collection itself spans rare global and indigenous artifacts, streamlined and lithe furniture, as well as master and modern paintings. Ancient Asian sculptures cohabit beautifully with Brancusi-esque and organic forms and objects. An indoor, underground pool and breathtakingly lush gardens beckon.
