PanamaTimes

Friday, Mar 29, 2024

How Marissa Bero Turned This Cold Apartment Into an Inviting Home

How Marissa Bero Turned This Cold Apartment Into an Inviting Home

A kitchen reno turned into a complete home makeover for a design-loving couple.

While some may love the clean, modern lines and sleek finishes of a contemporary new build apartment, there are a few things these so-called "white box" spaces often lack: One, a sense of personality and two, ample storage for books, object, and any other knickknacks the non-minimalist among us might treasure.

            

That was the issue presented to designer Marissa Bero when she signed on to renovate an apartment on Fulton Street in Manhattan for a design-loving couple. While the duo initially tapped Bero to renovate their kitchen, it soon became apparent that the builder-grade apartment wasn't working with their lifestyle-which includes a love of books, music, travel, and entertaining.

"Their biggest issue was not having enough storage for the things that were important to them," says Bero. So, instead of starting with the kitchen, "the first order of business was to design a built-in bookshelf," explains the designer. The resulting full-wall shelf system (inspired by one at the Soho House) set the tone for the rest of the house: collected yet elegant, eclectic yet orderly, and somewhere between modern and traditional.

"It’s an interesting relationship because one of the homeowners leans more traditional and the other is more modern," Bero explains. "They wanted to hire a designer to sort of help them bring those two styles together-and that’s my MO. I love an eclectic mix."

Merging those two styles became the jumping-off point for Bero to create a design that transformed the white box into a welcoming, personal home. Here's how she did it.

Living Area




While the wall-to-wall shelving was initially conceived as a method of dealing with the apartment's lack of storage, it ended up becoming more of a design statement in itself. "It was a fun way to display a lot of their collectibles," which otherwise might be stashed away, says Bero. The couple are avid travelers and have a lot of "tchotchkes picked up around the world," explains the designer. Here, those objects take pride of place alongside an extensive book collection, assortment of records, and mix of art.

Bero designed a custom sectional for the space to allow for plenty of flexible seating, making the room as comfortable for a house full of guests as it is for the couple and their dogs.

Dining Area




Clients coming into a project with a baby grand piano is a major consideration in a not-huge apartment. But instead of stashing the instrument away, Bero decided to make it a focal point. "It was fun to figure out how to create a more defined dining area with the piano," she says. Plus, with it out in the open, it's more likely to get used-especially during dinner parties.

Kitchen




The couple's traditional-modern balance might best be on display in the kitchen, where counters and a backsplash in classic Carrara marble are juxtaposed with sleek white cabinets. To add sone visual interest alongside the minimal hardware, Bero swathed a row of shelves in architectural mesh. Floating shelves in marble also maintain that balance between classic and modern.

Bedroom




The bedroom is where Bero's "eclectic mix" really comes to life. "They had some pieces already that they wanted to incorporate and then the wallpaper and accents really bring it all together," says the designer. She repurposed certain pieces (the armchair was once in the living room), and spotlit others, like the Queen Elizabeth artwork above the bed. The subtle wallpaper provides texture without competing with the mix.

Guest Room




In the guest room, Bero focused on establishing luxury within a small footprint. "It’s not large but it has all the bells and the whistles," she says of the space: "The luxe finishes, custom drapes and wallpaper, the beautiful accessories-I think it feels very special and unique and like a place I’d want to spend time as a guest."

To maximize space, she swapped nightstands for two floating shelves, each fitted with narrow lamps, and employed a campaign-style chest to serve as combination console/dresser. In space that size, she says “it’s important to make every piece count.”


Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
The President of Argentina Javier Mile does not fly private, he flies commercial, with the citizens he represents. And they LOVE him for it.
Bitcoin Reaches $50,000 for First Time in Over Two Years
Belo Horizonte: Brazil's Rising Carnival Hotspot for 2024
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Tucker’s interview with Putin is over 50M views on X within the first 5 hours.
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
President Nayib Bukele has proudly announced El Salvador's remarkable achievement of becoming the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Piñera Dies in Helicopter Crash
This farmer seems to understand science a bit more than the event organizer, Klaus Schwab.
Facebook turns 20: From Mark Zuckerberg's dormitory to a $1trn company
The Coolest Dictator in the World" on the Path to Victory in El Salvador
Macron, France and fake news
Indian-Origin Man 'King' Arrested For Smuggling $16 Million Drugs Into US
Can someone teach Americans that not every person with slanted eyes is Chinese?
Europe's Farmers Feeding the People, Protesting Against Politicians Who Do Nothing for Their Country and Serve Only Themselves at Taxpayers' Expense
Paris Restaurant That Inspired 'Ratatouille' Loses $1.6 Million Worth Of Wine
Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro's Son for Alleged Illegal Spying
Police in Brazil Raid Residence of Bolsonaro Associate Over Allegations of Illegal Spying
Border Dispute Escalates as Texas Governor Vows Increased Razor Wire
OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT-4 Model, Potentially Addressing AI "Laziness" Issue
The NSA finally acknowledges spying on Americans by acquiring sensitive data
Report Reveals Toxic Telegram Group Generating X-Rated AI-Generated Fake Images of Taylor Swift
US Border Patrol States 'No Plans' to Remove Razor Wire Installed in Texas
Bitcoin Experiences Approximately 20% Decline in Value
Klaus Schwab recently appointed himself as the Earth's "trustee of the future."
DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump.
Nikki Haley said former President Trump is "just not at the same level" of mental fitness as he was while president in 2016.
Residents of a southern Mexican town set the government palace on fire in response to the police killing of a young man
Samsung Launches AI-Driven Galaxy S24, Ushering in New Smartphone Era
Judge Questions SEC's Regulatory Overreach in Coinbase Lawsuit
The Ecuador prosecutor who was investigating the television studio attack, has been assassinated.
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends his US election campaign and endorses Trump.
Viral Satire: A Staged Satirical Clip Mistaken as Real Footage from the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Ecuador Reports 178 Hostages in Prison Gang Standoff
The Startling Cuban Espionage Case That Has Rattled the US Government
Two Armed Men in Ecuador, Dressed as Batman and The Joker Storm the Streets.
Armed Gang Raids Ecuadorian TV Station Following State of Emergency Declaration
Anti-Democratic Canada: Journalist Arrested for Questioning Canadian Finance Minister on Support of Terrorist Group
Ecuador's 'Most-Wanted' Criminal Vanishes from Prison
Mexican Cartel Supplied Wi-Fi to Locals Under Threat of Fatal Consequences for Non-Compliance
Border Surge Leads to Over 11,000 Migrants Waiting in Northern Mexico
Outsider Candidates Triumph in Latin American Elections
As Argentina Goes to the Polls, Will the Proposal to Replace the Peso with the Dollar Secure Votes?
Fatal Shark Attack Claims Life of Boston Woman Paddleboarding Near Bahamas Resort, According to Police
×