It goes without saying that the color palette can make or break a design. What happens when a design team known for their bold and dramatic use of rich color whittles their selection down to a minimalist scheme of gray, black and white? In the hands of Drake/Anderson, it yields results that are anything but dull. The interplay of volumes, textures, light and yes, even color, combine in a fascinating design story on the power of perception.






Drake/Anderson

French herringbone floors and deeply coffered ceilings are rich architectural details that are a feature throughout the apartment. The streamlined profile of the walnut and polished stainless steel Stilett console by Niedermaier is complemented by a large round mirror. Below the console, a yin-yang pair of Stéphane Parmentier’s Hekla and Etna lava stone stools adds sculptural interest. The matte, absorptive sheen of the stools contrasts with the sparkly, reflective mirror.   


The living room is grounded by a lush hide rug in shades of pearl gray by Kyle Bunting. A pair of Anne Lindberg’s “spot drawings” created in graphite and colored pencil hang over the sofa and introduce a bright accent color. In addition to the sofa, a pair of vintage Lucite lounge chairs, a pair of mirror-polished stainless steel Sigmund benches from Inox with Mongolian sheep fur cushions, and a Tre Pezze armchair, a 1959 design by Franco Albini and Franca Helg, offer a choice of seating options and enliven the space with varied textures and volumes. To the right of the sofa, the kinetic energy of an anodized aluminum Lampes Gordes, designed circa 1962 by Henri Mathieu, is juxtaposed with the solid and monolithic vintage 1960s Hansen Lighting marble table lamp on the left. 


A view from the dining area in the living room area. Steel framed windows with northern exposure, coveted by artists for the balanced, nuanced light they admit, run along the entire long wall from the living area through to the kitchen. 


The Table YBU dining table is by French designer Christophe Delcourt, designed circa 2007. The base is modeled after tree trunks with supporting branches angled in asymmetrical fashion. Dining chairs are a design by Jacques Guillon, circa 1953, and feature leather seats and cord backs on minimalist tapered frames. The Sarus Mobile chandelier is by David Weeks Studio, the serpentine-textured black ceramic vase is by Gaetano Pesce, and the artwork is a print by Matt Keegan, whose work frequently features jumbled alphabets, as shown here. 


Moving away from the neutral color palette, the moody indigo library/media room is themed around an Alpha Workshops-designed wool and silk rug in shades of blue, produced by Edward Fields. Jamie Drake is Chairman of the Board of Directors for Alpha Workshops, an atelier and and school that teaches and employs HIV-positive people to design and craft wallpaper, furniture, lighting and luxe decorative finishes. "I try to involve the Alpha Workshops in every interior I do," said Drake in a recent interview, “I love that you can commission one-of-a-kind works or adapt their designs to make them bespoke.” The owner’s library fills the wall of shelves and supplies colorful accents. With so many books at hand, a comfortable sofa and deep blue leather ottoman offer the perfect spot for putting feet up, and reading or watching television. 


The primary colors in three works from photographic artist Ellen Carey’s Polaroid 20x24 Monochrome series glow in the light provided by windows on two sides of the corner master bedroom. The platform bed and black leather swivel chair were designed by Antonio Citterio. A pair of 1970s-designed Tizio lamps top pale gray lacquer nightstands and the custom rug in shades of gray is by Edward Fields.


To view the entire project click here


To view more projects by Drake/Anderson click here