Located in the Murray Hill neighborhood of New York City, this 2600 square foot apartment was built in 1976. As typical with many post war construction apartments, architecture is fairly straight forward with minimal embellishment. This apartment for a family of five was in good architectural shape so our job was primarily decorative. The client is a fan of contemporary Belgian design which is celebrated for its minimalist interiors infused with a serene sense of history and timelessness. This became our design inspiration.

We strove to reflect the clients’ life experiences and tastes through the interior furnishings. They had lived in Asia for a while and had a few antiques from their travels which we incorporated. The dining chairs by the French designer Pierre Guariche and the antique Danish Paul Henningsen ceiling light in the Entry add to the eclectic furniture mix. Craft was of the essence. Walls are hand plastered to replicate the interiors of old Belgian farmhouses. The Living Room carpet by Groundworks is hand tufted out of Mohair wool. The Dining Room table was custom made by Lucca out of Belgian Bluestone. Furniture is minimal in design and quantity but comfort was never compromised. The Dmitry sofa in the Living Room and the lounge chair in the Study are both upholstered in neutral colored hand woven linens.

The bare bones architecture of the apartment provided the minimalist backdrop. The soft neutral furniture palette and eclectic mix of antiques helped to create a sense of warmth. Natural materials such as stone and hand woven fabrics provided texture. Together these elements create the sense of a country home in the middle of the city.