From the outside, almost all New York homes tell a similar story. Pre-war facades and brownstones align side by side to front the look that is synonymous with big apple living. But like the truism, “Never judge a book by its cover”, this Gramercy park apartment by nune reiterates that true changes start behind closed doors first.
DESIGN | nune PHOTOGRAPHY | Nicole Franzen
Originally built in 1945, this New York couples apartment underwent its first phase of renovation during the early 2000’s. Undertaking dark red woods, heavy shuttering and wrought iron details as its leading interior medley, nune saw what had to be done to reinvigorate this dated but high potential space. “The triplex faces an interior courtyard which is very private and quiet. It boasts beautiful greenery in the spring and summer months but it’s a little dark especially since the unit’s main living space is on the lower level of the property” nune tell us. “Because of this, one of our main priorities was to open up and brighten the home”.
‘Opening up and brightening’ is without a doubt one of, if not the most highly prioritised goal on designer’s lists and with good reason – it injects energy, movement and life into any space. The home’s residents, a couple who work in fashion and finance sought after a new modern take which would reset the tone for the future of their living experience. Their requirements? A re-do of the master suite including both bathrooms, a double vanity and a larger walk in closet.
Knocking down a pantry which stood in the center of the main living area bought immediate relief of space which paved the way for the attention that the staircase deserved. “We wanted to treat the stair as a special feature of the home since it spans three floors and is the first thing you see when you walk into the home” say nune. “It was originally very dark and closed in with an outdated railing detail. We reconstructed it to have floating steps, a venetian plaster wall and a blackened steel railing; this really helped to visually open up the entire home”.
Keeping things simple restores a tranquil and linear living intentionality and so for nune, colours and palette ranges were kept to a minimum but did not hinder on opportunities for creativity. Texture and dimension rose to the challenge to secure personality within the home combined with darker colour ways and metals which intermingled to create drama and glamour. The couple were big on designers for this project and has interjected the space with pieces from some of their favourites. Apparatus provided the lighting and coffee tables, Egg Collective created the living room sofa and mirror, BBDW were the creators of the chic master night stands and Marmorino Depot were responsible for the plaster finish next to the stairwell.
The future looks bright, both figuratively and literally for this Gramercy Park home thanks to this well executed and stylish restoration.
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Light and bright choices create a modern New York City chic style
