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GREENWICH VILLAGE, NEW YORK
The clients, a British couple whose careers led them across The Pond, had limited
instruction for London-based Jo and her team other than there should be little
in the way of colour, while the space was to feel calm, serene and intimate —
potentially no simple request given the size of the space.
But also, just like when the couple first visited the property on a summer’s
weekend morning and fell in love with the sunlight pouring in through the huge,
dilapidated windows, there were to be no curtains or blinds.
The stunning end result is a play of patterns and texture because although Jo
wanted the room to feel calm and serene, equally she wanted it to be interesting.
She used different textures with the glass of the pear crystal chandelier contrasting
with, for example, the antique glass in the mirror — a discovery by Jo in a New
York antique market which she fell in love with immediately.
The grandiose chandelier might not be what you’d have expected initially from
this New York apartment, but it further adds to the elegance of the scheme with
its wonderful hand-made, artisan feel.
The mix of patterns comes through not least with the Andrew Martin wallpaper
behind the bed, which adds interest and gives a bit of personality, and the geo
theme rug from the Rug Company. Of course, the bold pattern of the Andrew
Martin fabric on the cushions and fireplace chairs stands out, while the turquoise
cushions and bedside lampshades met the brief for limited punctuation of colour.
Those huge rejuvenated windows and height of the room exude New York cool,
but in order to create the intimacy that the client wanted, the ceiling was painted
dove grey, thereby visually bringing it down and making it feel a more cosy space.