Case Study Type: Residential

West Village II

 

A West Village pied-à-terre in the trendy Manhattan neighborhood gave Tina Ramchandani the chance to show off her chops for designing small clusters around her clients’ desire to entertain and make the most of New York’s cultural scene.

 

Designer Tina Ramchandani took inspiration from the undulating, angular design of the new building her clients moved into when she chose the furniture for her client’s residence. She brought in her “soulful minimalism” design ethos when choosing warm and modern pieces that reflected the personalities of the couple, whose primary residence is in Puerto Rico.

Entertaining at their city home was high on the couple’s list of intentions for the space, so Ramchandani designed separate areas for cocktails, dining, and conversation while taking in city views, creating flow between areas by integrating a neutral backdrop with deep, rich wood tones rather than bright colors.

With space at a premium, the designer chose furniture that was stylish but smaller in scale, such as swivel chairs that took up less space than traditional versions. With clean and curvy lines, the Duda stool sold itself when Ramchandani brought one to her initial meeting with the clients, who sat in it throughout the meeting and found it was not only comfortable, but cast a sculptural silhouette they loved.

“The warmth of the hand-hewn jequitibà wood sourced in the rain forest reflect the craftsmanship of the maker,” reflected the designer. “With many comfortable, good-looking stools on the market, the Duda comes with a story I love sharing with my clients, and they can tell it to their friends.”

MOMA Moments

 

With its sweeping view of the ocean, a California home gave Denise Morrison a chance to use her skill balancing environment, furniture, and an art collection so prolific she named it after the Museum of Modern Art.

 

Designer Denise Morrison recalls connecting strongly with the Corona del Mar home. “From the beginning, the tremendous use of steel, wood, and custom lighting made it a favorite. With a view of the Pacific, it was a real showstopper,” she recalls. The client’s extensive art collection added to the work of balancing and layering it all, putting the project squarely in her sweet spot.

With clients who were “creative, open to all ideas,” Morrison’s design intelligence kicked in as she sought ways to keep the view unimpeded. Things like a slatted office wall and sculptural but unobtrusive furniture worked beautifully. When she saw the Angela armchair and Lily stool at Sossego’s AD space, she knew they would help her play on the contrast between very light whites and strong darks through use of texture, wood, and fabric.

“I had the opportunity to sit in those chairs, and absolutely loved the way they felt. Aesthetically, they’re just so beautiful, they almost feel sculptural,” she reminisced. “The silhouette was so beautiful they complemented these fully elevated artful moments throughout the house. The leather back fold over is textural, pretty, and “gives” comfortably. For the downstairs bar, the leather lends a nice masculine feel.”

Sossego’s modern design integrated well with the art and even the antiques I used, the designer recalls. “I love to surprise people, pushing the envelope to find flow and balance. Layering that way is intentional – but also tricky. A client feels at home and enjoys seeing things that are fun and fresh mixed with the pieces they love. As a design team, we love working with Sossego products. We completely trust in the quality and know we’ll have something extraordinary in its beauty and its build.”