Who Lives Here: Usheen Location: Kips Bay — NYC Size: 647 square feet
What is your favorite element of your Small & Cool home? It's hard to pin-point only one element. I love so many things in my home. The ideas (and items!) have come from all over the globe (via the internet and few well-timed trips!)…hammered "white metal" chairs from India, cushions and fabrics from Pakistan and Dubai, art from a trip to Egypt and a subway ride to SoHo, cut velvet floral upholstery from the UK…and yes, a stop in Sweden (well, sort of) via the Brooklyn IKEA. Inspiration ranged from Gossip Girl to the vibrant colors/glamour I would see in the pages of Indian magazines.
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…The apartment was new and had the proverbial good bones, and some great details that gave me a head start in the style department. But a bit of a desire to get some personality and "girly glam" into the hard-edged space (with its dark woods and straight-lines), and merging my own organic-global style, and my passion for intricate Middle Eastern textiles, with this VERY modern "white box" apartment was a challenge, to make it all look intentional, cohesive and unique. And then there were the issues of storage, media, and lighting!
I love how the end result is so calm, just as modern as the space itself, but still very tactile, luxurious, functional, flexible and very personal.
What was one of the biggest challenges you faced in furnishing your Small Cool home? My answer will be familiar to anyone who’s moved from a larger to a smaller home…Getting rid of unnecessary clutter and lack of STORAGE! Also, a floorplan that puts you right smack into the kitchen! Getting my closet space redone professionally, my designer's (known to AT readers as "patrick (the other one)")concept for a club-inspired built-in banquette, and his advice that "Not all storage needs to look like storage!" were the most helpful components to (mostly!) conquering the storage challenges of Manhattan living.
One of the biggest changes came from that custom cream banquette, created to match the kitchen cabinetry directly opposite. It has concealed storage in the base, and because one side is up against the wall, it makes the most of every inch of the entry area. It also turned what was once just my "kitchen table" into a real and elegant dining room. And the chandelier hanging above makes it beautiful space.
Designer: Patrick James Hamilton Designs
Images: Jody Kivort
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this is stunning! it is so elegant.
mods: i'm unable to vote for this!
I wanna vote for you so bad, but it won't let me yet! ;_;
Lovely place - the colours are to die for, and you have some amazing pieces here.
give it a moment after AT post these it takes a bit to post your vote.
Ok this apartment is so glamourous and I love your use of color and materials. Love the white tufted wall seat combo.
love the artwork above the sofa.
Yes, glamorous. Perfect description!
By the way, love the slippers by the bed; you certainly couldn't wear your Uggs in this place. ;)
oooooooh. I want to see the kitchen.
I love this apartment! It is so bright & airy. The living room seems so big & comfy. And I like the TV bench. I like the simplicity. BUT the area I like the most is the dining area! I love that bench, cushioned wall, oval dining table, chairs and that adorable chandeliar! Big thumbs up!
Beautiful colours and fabrics!
OMG! This place is amazing... absolutely amazing!
Love it. Great job.
modern, vibrant.... SEXY !!!!!!!!!!
This really stands out among the 2010 entries. Truly "cool!" I would love to know where you got the white metal chairs. They're fantastic!
Very Chic - I like it!
Refined and edited, with a nicely handled color scheme. The upholstered wall is especially gorgeous!
Beeeeautiful colors and textures, love it.
ditto TheoJ
This place is ready for a magazine shoot! Nice!
Beautiful. I love the room with the cut velvet chair/couch/whatever and the blue abstract portrait. Just gorgeous!
Where is your stuff? I'm curious to know how you managed to store things. Like the apartment though! :)
So lush and glamorous, wonderful colors and textures. And that banquette and tufted wall...when I can afford it, I'm calling Patrick (the other one). Love that you took just enough risks (the banquette wall, the hot pink burnout velvet upholstery) to make this sing without looking too precious. Really lovely.
ohh its so lovely! almost too lovely.. almost as though i would feel guilty walking around in sweatpants & missmatched fuzzy socks..
you have great taste in furniture, not cheap for sure. these things make the place elegant and understated. design elemets down to the shoes by the bed are awesome! love the use of color too.
I wish P(2) would design for me, I wish I could afford a designer. This is wonderful, love the colors and texture. Winner for sure.
As I clicked through your pictures, I kept saying "wow." This is glamorous, spectacular, fully realized.
So incredibly glamorous, light and airy. I love your textile choices!
Very well done Usheen. Quality, quality, quality.
I especially love the choice of fabric on the chair. I assume it's a Butterfly. But I want the carpet. Any hints?
A gorgeous mix of pieces with perfect color. Elegant. I love it.
"Where is your stuff? I'm curious to know how you managed to store things."
Notice the 2 credenzas in the living room?
The cabinets supporting the banquette in the dining area?
The dressers used as night tables in the bedroom?
The closets, kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanity in the floorplan?
Gorgeous mix of textures, colors, and furniture pieces here. From all over the globe but each compliments the other. You have a good eye and great taste! Beautifully luxurious and yet not too stuffy. I could actually relax here without worrying. Loves.
Lovely, lovely apartment. And I try not to be influenced by the quality of the photographs, but these great images really do make it easier to appreciate the home (compared to some other dark and grainy images we've seen around here lately).
I have the same CB2 coffee table, but mine doesn't look at nice as yours...
Love the purple-ish accents!!!
The first pic - meh. The second? Okay YEAH
Oh gosh, I could gush about this apartment all night. I love the bedding, but love the fabric on the chair by the balcony. Lovely, lovely apartment. The only thing I would add is some kind of overhead lighting in the living room. I envision a gorgeous chandelier. Since it is new construction, you probably have a cement ceiling and would have to chisel out a groove to run the wiring (I know that is a pain-my husband did it for my brother (and others))
So fantastic, I love its classy souk vibe. You win, hands down.
Completely FAB.U.LOUS. I especially swooned over the dining area!
Very sophisticated and feminine, but still assertive. Well done to all concerned!
Very pretty! Thumbs up.
Wonderful style. I love it!
Totally chic sleek! Love it!
Oh myyyy
What a gorgeous place!
Last year I bought 6 of the carved metal chairs you have in your living room and unfortunately 4 of them never made it out of their boxes because we moved to a smaller place!. I'm selling them brand spankin' new in perfect condition!
If anyone is interested, email me at anaskay@gmail.com
Is this a small, cool entry? This looks like it was ripped from the pages of Elle Decor (my favorite shelter mag). I love it!
Wow !! I agree, looks straight out of a magazine...love every piece......
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! For all your votes and wonderful comments. Really appreciate it. Hope I make it to the next round!
Some answers to questions above---
nycwife--- i had to have a part of my ceiling cut/channeled to get the wiring correct in order for the light fixture to hang right above the table. but i'm glad it did it, as i am really happy with the end result.
bpsf & minchee---i actually have a lot of stuff. its just really well hidden. i wanted storage that would seamlessly blend in. The banquette has storage (the bench part), the cabinets under the tv actually ended up holding a lot of my books, etc (i even have my phone hidden in there), theres also that white lacquer storage unit on the side of the couch and yes, the big nightstands in the bedroom actually do hold a lot of my folded clothes along w a closet i have (photo not shown). And not to mention all that space under my bed (have tons under there!).
This house looks like it belongs in a magazine! I am so sad I missed out ion the voting, this space deserves to make it through many more rounds!
:'( Missed the thumbs up window (again). This is beautiful though. You definitely had me at hello...lol.
To those who missed voting, Usheen has made it to the Semis, so make sure to give her your vote on April 29th!!!!!
And thanks, all for the great response. I always hold my breath when posting client work... not for me, but for them!
I'm very proud of a lot of the small-space trickery employed here... a coffee table that disappears, four dining room chairs that can work anywhere in the apartment, storage side tables that disappear into the wall yet function fully as end tables, floating cabinets (with underlighting!) that make the most of the limited width of the room...
I'm mostly proud that so many solutions came from known retail sources (Ikea, West Elm, CB2), yet we've manage to yield a high-end look.
Is the sofa Ikea
Very nice! Would you be able to provide the name of the purple/lavendar color paint behind the sofa, please? Thanks.
WHERE IS THE HANGING CREDENZA FROM??????
The hanging credenza is from Ikea.
The sofa is not. :)
Was the credenza meant to hang? Or was that a cool hack?
The individual cabinets are usually shown at Ikea with feet or on stands, but they are wall hung on cleats/brackets sold by Ikea for hanging them, soooo... yes, and yes. :)
Hello Patrick (the other one)!
Can you be specific re: Style of Cabinet and door or provide a link. Sorry Ikea gets me all wiggly looking for things.
Thank you!
I'd have to look it up confirm. Will do when I get back home (traveling right now!).
The frame is the Besta Shelf Extension from Ikea. Two of them were put together. The doors were Besta Holmbro. You have to get the wall brackets separately and hinges for the doors.
Usheen and Patrick, this is beautiful. I just love the use of color and texture. Very fresh and sophisticated.
Thanks Patrick :)
Thanks to all those who voted, and thanks for being so gracious to my client! I was very nervous to throw someone ELSE into the fray!! :)
Sorry we didn't get to the next round but Nicole and all her blog followers were tough to beat in that last round!
Thanks for posting the shelving information!
like a homier, color pop injected take on Jody Foster's "Inside Man" character's office, which is to say so elegant..."shimmering, warm bright," (to lift a Bel Canto song; the finest places get me name dropping every time).