design et al are delighted to announce that Leonora Mahle, LLC have been shortlisted for Interior Design Scheme – Global Award within The International Design and Architecture Awards 2018.
This project involved the remodel of a residential duplex apartment located in a Manhattan Cooperative building on 65th Street and Madison Ave. The clients on this project are semi-retired and spend their time between Florida, Vermont and New York and the designers have stated that they really enjoyed working with them on this project. The NYC apartment is a pied-à-terre for them, he is originally from New York and she is Austrian. Both love design and were very involved in the selection process.
The clients wanted a space that felt “calm and peaceful,” with a neutral scheme that was warm and welcoming. The living room area rug, which is a 19th Century Kerman antique purchased from Beauvais Carpets, determined the colour palette for the lower floor, where the den and dining room are also located. Leonora Mahle liked the idea of using classic modern design pieces with the antique rug and accessories, keeping things open and airy, with the focus on the views and art.
The existing living room, den and dining room built-ins were of very poor quality and craftsmanship, with cheap adjustable shelves. While the clients liked their general layout, Leonora Mahle agreed to remove them and start from scratch, making the shelves thicker, the crown and baseboard mouldings simpler, and adding sconces to the den built-in, where the TV is located. The designer also agreed to replace the existing flooring throughout the lower floor, which was a combination of poor quality parquet and marble tiles, and replace it with walnut planks throughout to unify the space.
While the living room and den are large open areas, the dining room in this apartment is actually quite small and enclosed, so Leonora Mahle needed a table with a simple design. The Saarinen table worked out well there, making the small room look uncluttered. Both table and chairs also worked well with the Asian-inspired pendant from Carpyen and many of the Asian artefacts the clients collect and have on display in the dining room. Leonora Mahle believes that the design works so well as it is a perfect reflection of the clients’ taste and style, and it seamlessly met the requirements that they had briefed Leonora with when the project commenced.