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Bachelor’s Home – Upper West Side
Upper West Side – NYC
Bachelor’s Home
This comfortable, graciously-scaled apartment, purchased by a new-media maverick, came with a rather imaginative client brief: Create a New York apartment that felt like a European magazine editor lived there.
Rising to the challenge, Glenn Gissler Design began by establishing a refined palette of burnished jewel tones: topaz, aquamarine, citrine, garnet, and amethyst. Taken collectively, the colors draw the eye from one surface to the next in much the same way the 18th-century gentry traveled from London to Paris to Rome and then on to points East. The furnishings extend the concept with silhouettes and finishes that reference many of the far-flung locales to which our itinerant client has decamped.
And as for far-flung locales, items purchased abroad–from art and artifacts to furniture and textiles–were incorporated into the design. The result? A serene haven perched above the city’s frenetic streets, deeply reflective of the homeowner’s wanderlust lifestyle.
A melange of textures inflects this stylish living room–a nubby bouclé tub chair, crisp linen curtains, a sumptuous velvet sofa, and a thick pile rug. Wooden pieces, and the marble coffee table, add an organic quality, all nestled in a subtle envelope of barely-there blue-gray walls and ceiling.
A Chinese scroll painted by Shanghai-born, Singapore-based artist Hong Zhu takes pride of place above an expansive four-seat sofa in the style of Jean Michel Frank, which is upholstered in lush velvet. Framed and hung in landscape format, the work creates a horizon, establishing a dialogue with the striped club chair seen to the left. The small Isamu Noguchi lamp enhances the linear motif.
The Choros Chandelier, designed by Barry Goralnick, strikes a serpentine counterpoint.
Crisp geometries forge a masculine edge in this corner vignette, which is subtly mitigated by the barely-there curve of the club chair arms and the sinuous brass lamp fashioned from a Late Qing Dynasty Chinese urn. A matching lamp illuminates the dining room.
The richly patinated mahogany finish on this Chinese Chippendale breakfront lends a note of historical reference while housing a collection of Asian pottery and cherished books. A single carved side chair, which compliments the cabinet, stands at the ready to be pressed into service for guests.
In the apartment’s entryway, an arresting painted-wood Lanna Thai Buddhist manuscript holder, which once held contemplative texts, now provides a surface to display an ever-changing montage of books, flowers, and object d’art. The ink-on-newspaper drawing above is by the Vietnamese artist Dinh Y Nhi.
The multipurpose seating area does triple duty as a combined dining room, sitting room, and office. “Join The Circle” 2003, a joyful, exuberantly kinetic work by the artist Pacita Abad, informs the color palette.
Anchoring the opposite side of the entry, an expansive collection of oft-referenced books, housed on oak shelves, creates a pleasing rhythm while revealing the interests of the homeowner. Donald Sultan’s “Eight Red Poppies” 2002 hangs above. The Chinese infant is actually a porcelain headrest from Beijing.
A more expansive view includes a bronze sculpture titled “Dancers” by the late Israeli artist Noemi Schindler, who reimagined the human form. The armless sofa was chosen to reflect the space’s casual, eclectic vibe. The orange lumbar pillows were fashioned from a textile purchased in Myanmar.
The silhouette of this bronze table lamp can be traced to prehistoric China when potters modeled their work after organic forms. The adjacent lacquered box, in the shape of a deer, is from Cambodia and is one of our client’s favorite treasures.
Hand-engraved hardware set against patinaed wood defines this Korean blanket chest, which historically held a bride’s wedding dowry; the modernist table lamp provides a counterpoint.
White subway tiles and a hexagonal black-and-white patterned floor evoke a retro-sensibility in the master bath. Their graphic lines are set against a naturalistic malachite-patterned wallpaper designed by Piero Fornasetti, which can be seen in the mirror. The surprisingly glossy cinnabar ceiling warms the architecture.
A pair of Korean blanket chests, one taller than the other, serve as bedside tables in the master bedroom. The walls are sheathed in muted sapphire and are complemented by the terracotta-toned pic-stitched bed cover. A seagrass area rug and a canvas by Southeast Asian artist Eric Chan anchor the room.
Senior Designer Craig Strulovitz
Photos by Gross & Daley
PROJECTS
Grand Country Residence – Westchester
WESTCHESTER, NY
Grand Country Residence
These Manhattan clients acquired a horse farm in upstate New York and decided to build a house from scratch. We were commissioned to invent the interiors, and were involved almost from the inception. The gabled rustic stone house, with vast expanses of steel casement windows, was designed by Tasos Kokaris Architects, and is reminiscent of a country manor house designed for William Randolph Hearst in the early 20th century.
With an abundance of space to work with, the challenge was to create unity, flow and meaningful yet understated decorative relationships from room to room. This we achieved by concentrating on a repertoire of rich, resonant materials–artisanal plaster, cerused oak paneling, planed stone floors–and a muted palette of taupes and driftwood greys which, rendered in the pigmented plaster, achieve a subtle glow. Accents of burgundy, red and persimmon are provided by fabrics and objects. Dark wood floors and sisal carpeting and rugs assure continuity throughout the house.
The overall effect of these rooms is manorial, the reenactment, in 21st century America, of great country houses, both here and abroad. The public spaces invite entertaining on a grand scale, yet they never lose their warmth and dignified informality.
In furnishing these spaces, we looked to eras much earlier than his favorite late 19th and early 20th centuries. The scale and mood of the rooms seemed to demand a more massive, even rugged approach, with 16th and 17th century European carved oak chests and tables an appropriate choice. Interestingly, the use of these pieces from a remote time did not result in period rooms, but in an aura of timelessness. Combined with comfortable large sofas and club chairs upholstered in highly textured fabrics such as washed linen and chenille, the early pieces take on a new relevance, even modernity.
The living room is a study in soft greys and mellow burgundies, with sofas by Jonas Upholstery. The stool is 19th century, made from whale vertebrae; the tree-trunk table is of petrified wood, and the mirror over the fireplace is from Herve van der Straaten. The custom chandelier from Daniel Berglund is made partially from discarded jet-engine parts.
A custom daybed features a leather surround trimmed in nailheads; the mattress and bolsters are upholstered in linen, with an intricate Suzani textile from Uzbekistan for color. The lacquered steel table is designed by Konstantin Grcic; the delicate low-voltage floor lamp is as minimal as a lamp can be.
A 17th century Spanish altar table with one deep drawer to hold a bible sits in front of a large steel casement window, simple steel lamps with paper shades offer light and a sculptural piece of vintage African currency on a stand.
In the guest bedroom, diamond patterns form a leitmotif in the structure of the steel headboards and in the woven sisal rug. The chairs, by Thomas O’Brien, add a modern incarnation of the Arts & Crafts period.
A sofa upholstered in dark green chenille complements the grey of the artisanal plaster walls, adding textural interest. On the table, a Tibetan vessel in vibrant red-orange is juxtaposed with an ancient Greek sculpture fragment.
In the hallway, artisanal plaster walls in a pale cocoa offer a variation in palette. A massive 16th century Roman Renaissance table hosts an array of bone-colored artifacts, including a large stone lamp, pottery of various eras and a work on paper by James Siena.
The double-height dining room, with a library catwalk above the dining area, is a tour de force of light and shadow. Above the mantelpiece is a photograph of the interior of a cave by Jeff Whetstone, which, in tones similar to that of the cerused oak paneling, seems to have been created just for this room. The chairs are French, c. 1900, with their original leather upholstery, from Lucca Antiques. The enormous refectory table is custom; the chandeliers, vintage Sarfatti.
Warmth, informality and honesty in materials infuse the Kitchen, where open shelving holds white porcelain and hand-made tiles face the wall behind the stove. Other materials include Uba Tuba granite, stainless steel and cerused oak.
The kitchen, graced by vast steel casement windows, is grandly rustic, with its long line-edge table prepared for eight in vintage-style wicker chairs.
Rugged elegance characterizes the master bedroom, where the rug is of woven suede, the bedcover of handwoven raw silk. The sling back chairs are by Frederik Kayser, c. 1950. The antique trunk is Korean.
In the master bath, a solid stone tub is complemented by the carved marble stool, from Stephanie Odegard. The aluminum chandelier is titled “New Growth,” from C. P. Lighting.
Senior Designer Craig Strulovitz
Photos by Gross & Daley
PROJECTS
Family Home – Westchester
WESTCHESTER, NY
Family Home
Mixing it up in the Suburbs
In a leafy suburb of New York City, we designed the interior of a spacious 1920’s Colonial Revival home for a family of five. The décor is a blend of classical elements, with contemporary items reflecting the tastes of the young family.
Rich wood tones, golden hues, and the color purple are favorite elements for these owners which were skillfully woven into many rooms in a variety of ways, whether in large pieces of furniture, curtain panels, pillows, piping, or accents giving continuity to many spaces.
The seating arrangement on one side of the living room balance a baby grand piano and an antique French daybed on the other side of the room. The tailored furniture is upholstered in golden hues, deep purple, and vibrant leafy green has the room feel luxurious yet inviting.
A circa 1820’s antique French-Empire daybed layered with rich pillows and antique textiles create the ideal corner for respite in the spacious living room
The seating arrangement on one side of the living room balance a baby grand piano and an antique French daybed on the other side of the room. The tailored furniture is upholstered in golden hues, deep purple, and vibrant leafy green has the room feel luxurious yet inviting.
A large center table from the 1940’s inspired by the Chinese Chippendale style draws you in to the bright and spacious Living Room with windows on three sides. The center table offers a rich tableau of books, objects, and plants, but also serves as a buffet for food during larger events. A small scale work by photographer Robert Mapplethorpe mimics the form of the large scale bronze Asian style urn set upon the center table.
The graceful center hall foyer is a warm mix of neutral tones that invite you into the home. A luminous painting be female abstract expression painter Mary Abbot hangs above a circa 1850’s Chinese alter cabinet Shanxi province of China to create a complex cultural mix in the traditional space.
The home’s original paneled Library was painted a glossy aubergine to create a rich backdrop of the owners’ collection of black and white photography and antique leather bound books.
Formerly, the Sun Room was essentially unused. After a complete make-over, it is now one of the favorite spots in the house in all season. The large mirror strategically placed above the L-shaped seating area reflects the view and light from the large flower garden.
Bold-scaled furnishes including the 18th-century French armoire and a new wood four-post bed were put into the spacious Master Bedroom to anchor and break down the scale of the generous volume. Both the soft palette and hand-embroidered drapery with a delicate pattern give the room a counterpoint to the more bold elements.
In the corner next to the grand scale armoire sits a cozy reading chair upholstered in a soft blue. A grid of photographic prints by Karl Blossfeldt, a brass topped Austrian table, and a lamp made from a bronze Chinese vessel complete the area.
A seldom-used guest room was transformed into a playful media room for the owners’ three daughters. The room combines a graphic mix of patterns with a vibrant color palette to create the perfect place for the teens to hang out with friends.
A collection of mid-century glass vessels in vibrant hues of acidic yellows, oranges, and lavender add preverbal pops of color to the colonial style dining room fireplace mantel.
A grid of framed 19th century pressed botanicals was added to breakdown the scale of the large white family kitchen and brought in the texture and warmth of the homes beautiful landscape.
Senior Designer Craig Strulovitz
Photos by Gross & Daley
PROJECTS
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