Penthouse 1 is a new high-end modern development condo building at the crossroads of historic Brooklyn Heights and trendy Downtown Brooklyn. The owners are a young professional couple with a baby who moved from a 2-bedroom apartment in search of more space and bedrooms. The 2,500 square foot, 4 bed/3.5 bath residence, which also boasts a 900 square foot private terrace, strikes a balance between decorative (featuring a stone fireplace, crown molding, gilt mirrors and frames, traditional/transitional art, and eclectic wallpaper) and modern (a spotlight on furniture and decor with clean lines, black & white photography, and modern art). 

For the overall design concept of the project, it was important to maintain the integrity of the home, a contemporary new development, while infusing architectural details and other interesting backdrops to an otherwise blank canvas. Despite being a high-end new development with nice fixtures, the main aesthetic problem for the new owners, who were after a balance of styles, was its lack of architectural features.

To address those concerns, we designed a custom Noir St. Laurent Fireplace to add drama, added wall moldings for architectural depth, installed a wild wallpaper in the powder room for some unexpected fun, and added a limewash wall finish in the master bedroom for texture.

Punctuating the space is sculptural lighting (including an Apparatus Arrow suede chandelier in the dining room, a Lambert & Fils Parc floor lamp in the living room, John Sheppard Meteor pendants above the kitchen island) and unique artwork, namely the brightly colored “Donut Mirror” by Zieta.

The overall result is curated yet unpretentious, having incorporated custom pieces to make the home special and personal without making it “too designed” or too precious to live in. All pieces have room to breathe visually and spatially, and while some items have a very strong personality, like the custom marble fireplace or the powder room wallpaper, they’re paired with more neutral pieces throughout.