Home Concepts: Beautiful in Brooklyn
One of New York City’s architectural icons has been transformed into beautiful abodes for New Yorkers that live for skyscrapers
Prior to its first launch 80 years ago, at 37 stories and 512 feet, this building was once the tallest building that stood in Brooklyn. Although it was recently surpassed in height by another tall structure, it still remains to be among the tallest four-side clock towers in the world. It is undoubtedly one of the Big Apple’s iconic buildings. What was once built as a bank circa 1929, this architectural icon has now been newly renovated into chic luxury apartments.
This two-bedroom, two-bath loft residence is situated in Brooklyn, New York, which is just a stone’s throw away from Manhattan. Ten years having lived in Manhattan, the interior designer extraordinaire decided he wanted more light, space and value.
Another feature that attracted Willey to this luxury apartment is the 12-foot high ceilings and expansive views of the New York City harbour, lower Manhattan and the glorious Statue of Liberty, viewed from the 23rd floor. In terms of value as well as the aura surrounding the living space, panoramic view is everything when it comes to high-rise residential buildings.
In the living room, Willey maximized the height and played up the drama to its full potential with the décor. The brown drapery sets the mood for the mixture of eclectic yet masculine furnishings with a bold statement. Willey left no holds barred when it came to playing with colours as he infused gold, black and pale blue as the key tones in the living room.
The main finishes for the furniture are teak wood, travertine tables and an abundance of gold and polished chrome accents. Knowing which wallpaper was appropriate for relaxing as well as suitable for hosting parties, Willey chose gold foil paper to offset the rough plank ceilings, immediately transforming the space into a dressed up loft. Hung over the living room wall is a life-size charcoal drawing done by an unknown artist and discovered at an art fair, adding classicism to the space. Instead of letting the space fit the accessories, Willey chose to custom-make the sofas and rugs that were tailored to fit the measurements of the living area.
The dining room’s main star, however, is the elegant dining table in black, paired neatly with a vintage set of Thonet chrome chairs from Los Angeles. Sculptures bought in Mexico were given Lucite Plexi-glass bases, thus elevating them to high art when illuminated under the vintage black sconces. The teak bookcase boasts an impressive collection of reading, and plays the role of an instant feature wall.
In the den, the walls are covered in patterned-suede wallpaper, keeping the look of the room classy yet with an edge. Instead of relying on the wallpaper for atmosphere, travel photos from around the globe gives personality to the room. Undoubtedly, the den is a relaxing oasis for a lazy Sunday and an unfinished book or film.
Much like the other parts of the home, the bedroom has a retro vibe even though it maintains a measure of modernity; the mixture of chocolate and brown leather combined with orange accents really takes one back in time. The bedside lamps and neon-orange bedding play off the Italian 60s era, providing some eccentricity in the bedroom. Above the bed is a collage of more travel photos, and the Turkish wool rug works to unify the various décor elements successfully.