Acrylic pieces catch the eye in an eclectic setting

A little acrylic can make a big statement when we're talking about furniture.

Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz knows this.

His furniture collection designed for Metropolitan Home magazine is showcased in Trend House 2007 at Macy's on State Street in Chicago. It will remain open a year.

Stephen Barnes, senior designer at Macy's, and Sanda Matosic, designer, gave a Chicago twist to the work of Noriega-Ortiz, whose love for whites and ocean colors might stem from his Puerto Rican roots.

A small, round acrylic end table is $2,250, with each matching stool priced at $1,875. These are retail prices, and currently Macy's is selling its Noriega-Ortiz furniture at 30 percent off.

The pieces catch the eye in the master bedroom, despite the distractions of a large mirror, layered bedding and a sheer curtain wall.

"We have a day bed, and you might pull one table up or even pull two to do whatever you want to do," said Barnes.

The designers also placed an end table and a few stools in the entry, and stools stacked on bases serve as lamp tables in the conversation room.

Other acrylic touches include acrylic shelves in the bookcases.

Recessed acrylic legs on a coffee table can make it float rather than feel heavy, said Barnes.

And a large round acrylic table that could anchor a dining room is a work table in the library.

"It's an eclectic group," said Barnes, "You can interchange pieces from one grouping to the next."

The duo started with the wallpaper in the master bedroom -- a tree scene in chocolate brown and silver, a key color trend.

"Everyone is going into their '70s archives for metallics and big florals," said Barnes. "They want a sharp, classic look with lots of browns and taupes and silvers."

Noriega-Ortiz is educated as an architect, and he uses classical shapes like urns in his contemporary furniture.

The urn is the base for a table and the back for dining room chairs, and half an urn edges a sideboard.

The conversation room stands as a retreat for the battered metropolitan dweller.

It features the Shelter Me sofa, which resembles a modernized wingback expanded into a sofa. Its retail price is just under $3,000. The chair version is also shown in another room.

Art is used profusely throughout the space.

In the conversation room, Barnes placed a copy of a centuries-old Madonna and posters with large photographs of flowers on opposite walls to illustrate his principles of using art.

"Art is very awkward thing for people to approach," he said. "They think you have to have original or unique art.

"We say mix photography with copies of the classics. If you love a painting, buy a great print. If it speaks to you and makes you feel good, use it."

And Matosic pointed out that this room features a mixture of traditional and contemporary art.

Large floral patterns are used throughout the rooms, such as wallpaper in the entry. A throw in the conversation room has silk flowers in multi-colored thin stripes.

"Every designer likes a stripe here and there," said Matosic. "This is like a rainbow."

The lighting is a highlight throughout the home. In the dining room sconces with cascades of crystal balls and beads glow and sparkle. Each is $4,698.

Matosic called them clear and clean, while Barnes compared them to jewelry.