Before and After: A Sleek and Sexy Midtown Apartment

MAT SANDERS / DECEMBER 14, 2015

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ADAM MACCHIA

 

For their latest renovation, Dan Mazzarini and Brian Humphrey of New York–based interior design firm BHDM found inspiration in a unique place: how their client dressed. The homeowner—a lawyer—had a distinct personal style that was polished and put-together whether in a suit and tie by day or in a more casual look by night.  The result? A space that, in Mazzarini’s words, is “manicured and masculine but approachable and livable.”

Scroll for the full before and after of this modern Manhattan home! 

BEFORE

Photo: Brian Ferry

AFTER

2.jpg
3.jpg
4.jpg

BHDM set an edgy, modern tone with a Gotham-inspired fireplace design in the living room. “We wanted something that would update the apartment but still acknowledge the original deco origin of the building,” explains Mazzarini. Mixing new and vintage pieces gave the room a layered look that balances sharp lines in the architecture and furniture with soft texture in upholstery, rugs, and pillows. A sleek, masculine vintage TV cabinet lacquered in black added the perfect finishing touch.

5.jpg
6.jpg
7.jpg
8.jpg
9.jpg

BEFORE

12.jpg

AFTER

13.jpg
14.jpg

Given their client’s love of books, BHDM reimagined the second bedroom as a dark, sexy library with charcoal walls. To strike the perfect balance between polished and comfortable, Mazzarini and Humphrey juxtaposed custom bookshelves made of wood, bronze, and leather with plush seating and drapes.

BEFORE

19.jpg
20.jpg

AFTER

21.jpg
22.jpg
23.jpg

BHDM balanced bold color with grounding neutrals, giving each room its own signature pop. “Orange leather lined the bookcases in the library. A bold, red piece of art by Karen Revis marks the kitchen, while navy-blue drapery and bedding help nurture the master bedroom,” says Mazzarini. The duo then accented each room to build the color story through wall art, tabletop décor, and throws in the same hue.

BEFORE

26.jpg
27.jpg

AFTER

28.jpg
29.jpg
30.jpg
31.jpg

Throughout the apartment, BHDM approached artwork content and layout thoughtfully in order to enhance the personality of each room, including finding new homes for existing art.  According to Mazzarini, “Reframing and relocating them to new homes in the renovation helped to breath new life into these pieces.”

32.jpg
33.jpg

BEFORE

35.jpg
36.jpg

AFTER

37.jpg
38.jpg

Above all, BHDM prized the homeowner’s personal style as inspiration throughout the space. “The goal for our projects is to have our designs be as unique as our clients,” remarks Mazzarini. “If there is a thread that seems to run across all our work, it seems to be a residential, livable quality.”