The Japanese philosophy of Wabi-sabi guided the redesign of this apartment in SoHo, New York City, by interior designer Lauren Piscione of LP Creative together with long-term friend and homeowner Danielle Bernstein.
The SoHo home of WeWoreWhat influencer and fashion designer Danielle Berstein is anything but the conventional New York brownstone. In close collaboration with Danielle, interior designer Lauren Piscione took to the principles of Wabi-sabi design and wrapped the apartment in warm, natural tones and earthen textures, creating a soothing sanctuary away from New York City’s bustle.
LP Creative founder Lauren Piscione says the home needed to provide respite for Danielle, away from the public eye. “I really wanted to design a space where Danielle could truly unwind and exhale – a space that felt zen, calming and ultimately like home,” Lauren explains.
Instead of the typical exposed red brick walls typical of the area, limewashed pressure-fitted walls now frame the entire home. You’ll find camel coloured limewashed walls in the main living areas and muted olive in the master bedroom, forming a tactile backdrop for Danielle Bernstein’s curation of vintage furniture.
Lauren says she naturally gravitates towards organic textures and materials like reclaimed timber, worn organic linen and limewash paint for their patina. “The more lived in, the better – not only do I love the aesthetic, but I also find that using materials that naturally age and develop over time allows you to live freely in your home,” she adds.
“I’m obsessed with the stories that live deep within antique and vintage furniture – we specifically sourced pieces that had unique backgrounds and processes in how they are made.”
– LP Creative director and principal Lauren Piscione
Lauren Piscone and homeowner Danielle Bernstein worked together to source and commission pieces from around the world, including a custom-designed pendant by Oda and Kit King over the travertine dining table and vintage Pierre Jeanneret Chandigarh chairs.
The living room features a custom-built faux fireplace and bench by Gail Cipriano Designs, a 1930s Persian kilim rug, two 1950s Swedish armchairs and a 1961 Flos Tobia Scarpa Fantasma Piccolo floor lamp. The distinct zig-zag off-white sofa features a unique built-in display plinth, and the linen artwork by Kit Kin doubles as a television cover.
“My favourite space is the living room, which blends into the dining room and kitchen to create an inclusive and large space, perfect for hosting,” homeowner Danielle Berstein says. In this space, you’ll find organic shapes throughout, with a contrast of curvy and straight lines.”
The open-plan living and dining space reveals Lauren’s affinity for sensorial layering, where travertine, clay, timber, linen and cane harmoniously coexist with one another. The distinct zig-zag off-white sofa was born from a collaboration between LP Creative, Danielle and Corvino Designs and features a unique built-in display plinth.
Danielle and Lauren commissioned small business artisans both locally and around the world to create some special pieces for the home which speaks to the ethos of wegavewhat – the nonprofit arm of Danielle’s business she started at the beginning of the pandemic. “I can’t pick one favourite, but the bookshelf in the entryway and the fireplace illusion wall help make the loft incredibly unique,” Danielle Bernstein says.
Artwork on linen by Canadian contemporary fine artist Kit King also serves as a cover for the television, keeping clutter to a minimum. “We were very thoughtful in our selection of wall art; only a few pieces that really evoked the feeling we were after made the final cut,” Lauren says.
LP Creative’s Lauren Piscione has manifested a heartfelt and calming refuge in the heart of New York City through grounding tones and vintage heirlooms, shining a spotlight on the Wabi-sabi belief that beauty is found in imperfection.
A pair of vintage Ingo Maurer Uchiwa sconces frame the master bed, accompanied by custom burlwood bedside tables by Sow Haus.
A Shou Sugi Ban shutter inspired by Jean Prouve’s 1951 aluminium door conceals an uninspiring view in the apartment, fabricated by Georgio Savva Interior Designs.
A custom desk by Sow Haus, Objet LA/NY lamp and a photograph by Danielle’s friend and eminent Studio 54 photographer Allan Tannebaum in the study nook.
Lauren Piscione of LP Creative and Danielle Bernstein
