‘Our aim was to create a heat and welcoming house the place each room could possibly be used,’ mentioned Christine Retlev. ‘We additionally wished to design an area that was actually distinctive, however represented what you’ll look forward to finding within the West Village, a bohemian neighborhood of New York.’
Retlev – a furnishings supplier specializing in antiques and up to date handcrafted items – spent two-and-a-half years reworking a pair of adjoining Nineteen Thirties flats within the metropolis right into a three-bedroom residence for her and her younger household.
‘I’ve discovered it useful to start initiatives with none preconceived concepts,’ mentioned Retlev. ‘Each house is exclusive and has its personal feeling, so once I stroll into an area for the primary time I attempt to take heed to what my first emotions and impressions are of the house after which start to weave a narrative.’
The result’s a design that pays cautious consideration to the residence’s Modernist origins and Artwork Deco inclinations, however incorporates up to date finishes and oodles of private touches starting from fittings designed by Retlev herself, to an announcement wallpaper that takes your breath away.
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Lobby
‘While you enter, you virtually stroll straight into the lounge,’ defined Retlev. ‘To differentiate the rooms, I coated the partitions with a wonderful rust coloured material by Muriel Brandolini. The wallpaper is a delicate introduction to this cognac coloration that runs all through the house.’
This small entrance space is given depth with a big round-cornered mirror, styled with classic brass sconces and a wood console desk by French sculptor Jacques Jarrige.
Residing Room
‘The lounge is calm. It’s a spot for the attention to relaxation earlier than you enter the eating room,’ mentioned Retlev.
This room is the place Retlev actually delves into the residence’s twentieth century previous. A squared structure options a mixture of Scandinavian mid-century furnishings and up to date handmade items (in addition to a continuation of the aforementioned cognac coloration), together with a espresso desk by Rose Uniacke and sculptural plaster lamps from Blackman Cruz.
Retlev designed the room’s Artwork Deco-inspired Calacatta marble hearth herself, and paired it with a mirror by German-born, mid-century designer Otto Schulz, bought from Hostler Burrows.
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Eating Room
‘My favourite ingredient of the undertaking is the eating room wallpaper from Fromental’ mentioned Retlev, who selected a design impressed by the work of pioneering French tapestry artist Jean Lurçat and screens from the Japanese Edo interval.
‘Not solely did the paper encourage the worldly mixture of furnishings all through the house, but it surely makes the eating room – as soon as a visitor bed room – really feel bigger and extra spacious.’
‘The wealthy rust and blue colours set the palette for the residence. The colours on this design are energetic and fascinating however nonetheless not a lot that it tires the attention.’
Powder Room
Retlev’s powder room is a lesson in rethinking small areas to maximise each their performance and impression. ‘On the best way from the lounge you go by way of a small hall to the eating room. Due to house restrictions, we put in a sliding door – and an enormous slab of marble.’
The dramatic backdrop isn’t just a calling card to the up to date, however creates a helpful optical phantasm. ‘The motion within the marble makes the house seem deeper than it truly is, mentioned Retlev.’
Household Room
This nook simply off the lounge plunges guests into the deeper tones that run by way of the remainder of the house. The wealthy palette not solely helps the room really feel cozy, but additionally accommodates the residence’s peculiarities. ‘It’s a very odd formed room and the darkish blue partitions make you neglect its asymmetry,’ mentioned Retlev.
The room additionally contains a image of her dedication to discovering simply the suitable piece for any house. ‘The classic Khotan rug was impressed by the same Khotan I noticed in Paris on the Dries Van Notan Retailer. I searched for 2 years for one thing comparable.’
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Grasp Bed room
‘Every room incorporates coloration, texture and sample’ mentioned Retlev. ‘I’m very acutely aware of the tactile expertise one has when sitting down or placing your arms or ft on a floor.’
Nowhere is that this extra evident than in the master suite. The room – which performs densely textured flooring, wall and furnishings in opposition to dramatically easy mattress linen – has been primarily based across the rug, designed by Elizabeth Eakins.
‘It appears like pink wool pebbles. Stepping onto the gentle bumpy texture is a pleasant option to begin each day. There’s additionally a moth printed material from Radish Moon on the wall behind the headboard that creates curiosity whereas additionally being calm on the similar time.’
Grasp Toilet
Marble takes centre stage once more within the grasp lavatory, the place Calacatta marble is used as wall cladding on the decrease half of the partitions, paired with gentle taupe paint. The sink is one other becoming custom-designed by Retlev, with the identical marble paired with polished fittings from Waterworks and City Archaeology.
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Children Bed room
It could channel city stylish, however that is very a lot a household residence – with Retlev even giving start to her son half method by way of the renovation undertaking. This youngsters’s room sees the wealthy Prussian blue manifest in a textured rug and thru the porcelain-inspired printed mattress body and blinds. Yellow graphic art work retains the room youthful, whereas the vintage chest of drawers is decidedly grown up.
Kitchen
‘The {custom} kitchen cabinetry was impressed by a pewter and brass bowl from Svenskt Tenn in Stockholm’, mentioned Retlev who, once more, designed this side of the residence herself. ‘The bowl was a marriage present from my aunt and uncle in Sweden.’
The recurring deep blue and marble accents collide right here in a small however well-designed kitchen house, full with a seating space looking onto the town past.
Second Toilet
Within the second lavatory, marble is swapped for monochrome tiling from London-based specialist Ann Sacks, which additionally offered the flooring for the kitchen. Designed as an replace to the prevailing lavatory, the room is customized with the identical mirror used within the grasp lavatory, and continues the black accents within the tiling to the bathe curtain and even the cleaning soap dispensers.
Interiors / Christine Retlev
Pictures / Adam Macchia
