Details Make It a Home
Nine years ago, a family visiting the Upper Valley from Manhattan stopped by our showroom. They were renting a vacation home on a farm in Vermont that we had designed and had looked us up. I came to realize that the sense of “home” we worked so hard to create in the place they were visiting had made a significant impact and spurred thoughts of how they could bring that same feeling back to Manhattan.
Soon, a request for a few accessories blossomed into multiple projects, each with its own design challenges that would continue to deepen our relationship with this great family.
Floor-to-ceiling glass wraps the corner of their living room, encouraging you to gaze from Central Park North across the green expanse and down the island of Manhattan. Although the structure and breathtaking setting of this apartment may seem like an easy canvas, creating a warm and inviting home was a challenge.
In particular, we wanted to infuse the apartment with the sense of peacefulness they felt in Vermont. To create such an environment, we gravitated toward textures, natural materials, and organic shapes to contrast the sharp lines of the skyline. We used Upper Valley craftsmen to fabricate furnishings from a range of woods and metals, bringing some of the natural beauty of our area to the Big Apple.
In addition to creating places to comfortably relax, we needed to design spaces for a busy family with two young boys. Sports equipment, books, and musical instruments all needed specific storage solutions. When they were younger, the boys needed space to play and work in their shared room, so we fabricated bunk beds with storage as well as built-in desk space, bookcases, and lighting. As the boys have grown, we worked to transform the TV/guest room into a second bedroom so that everyone had their own space. In the new bedroom, we again fabricated the bed with built-in lighting, storage, and desk made in New Hampshire.
As with any design project, the final challenge is transport and installation. Over the past 50 years, we have gotten comfortable with projects that are located coast to coast and on the islands. Final installation of anything in Manhattan is always a bit of an adventure, but it’s one our team relishes.
While working on projects, I am often asked what part of my job I like best. Although I do love the design process and overcoming the challenges of each project, getting to know our clients is really the highlight. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing them enjoy the spaces we’ve created.
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