For her clients’ second home, designer Tina Ramchandani wanted to give the couple a classic New York City feel, with muted, modern edges that were perfect for entertaining friends before going out on the town. Though the building it inhabits is a new construction project in the West Village, the apartment itself wasn’t well established for home automation, meaning Ramchandani’s job was part designer, part contractor, and part home tech wiz. Scroll to see how she devised a sleek, masculine-inspired space that’s ideal for making the most of life in Manhattan.
“I feel very lucky that these clients had a strong eye for design,” says Ramchandani. “They had an appreciation for the process which is uncommon and we were able to take our time sourcing the right pieces for the space.” In the living room, the chairs are from Design Within Reach, the side tables are from Palecek, and the media unit is by Lepere.
“The initial inspiration for the design was a cognac leather chair that the clients saw and fell in love with that they showed my team during our very first meeting,” Ramchandani says. “They were clear about their overall vision of muted, neutral tones, and since they loved that cognac color, we decided to bring it into the main living area. We did this in the dining chairs, flowers, and subtle touches in embellishments including throw pillows and art.” In the dining area, the table is by Studio Twenty Seven, the chairs are from Design Within Reach, and the pendant is by Lee Broom.
As is the case in many Manhattan apartments, drilling into the ceiling wasn’t allowed. As a workaround, Ramchandani’s team created a soffit in the bedroom to hang pendant lights, by Workstead. “I try to avoid floor lamps in New York City apartments as they take up valuable floor space that can be used for other things,” Ramchandani says. Also in the bedroom, the grasscloth wallpaper is from Stark; the rug is by Crosby Street; and the bed is from ABC Carpet and Home. The painting is by Josette Urso, through the Mason Lane Art Advisory Service.
“We wanted the bedroom to feel connected to the open area in a soft way,” Ramchandani says. “We found a grasscloth in a shade of ginger that felt like a natural progression from the cognac color. We created a ginger-toned bedroom that feels as though it belongs when seen from the living room.”
In the kitchen area, the sleek counter stools are by Sossego; the chair in the background is from Design Within Reach.
