This three-bedroom New York condominium was renovated by designer John Beckmann to showcase the owner's collection of contemporary artworks. Beckmann divided the 3,400 square foot space into intimate gathering areas and used proportioned furnishings in a muted grey and beige palette to provide the artwork with a flawless canvas. Colorful pops in furnishings like a yellow chair and orange cushions enlivened the space without distracting from the artworks, which include paintings, photographs and mirrors. The successful redesign achieved an unpretentious yet purposeful and artistic living space that highlights the artwork in each area.

1. T HE BE ST OF CI T Y L I V I N G
MALAYSIA EDITION 2
MAISON&OBJET
ASIA 2015
DESIGN ISSUE
ISSN2289-3768 PP17836/08/2013(032963)
2015EDITION2RM15 (incl.GST)
DRESS
YOUR HOME IN
SS15 RUNWAY
LOOKS
-page TrendReport
6TOP
COVETED
CONTEMPORARY
HOMES OF THIS ERA
249 772289 376008
02

2. Pictures tell a thousand words, and
so designer John Beckmann let the
artwork guide his design for this
New York condominium.
TEXT clara ling IMAGES COURTESY OF MARK ROSKAMS
DOMICILE
of artistry
Metropolitan Home | 7574 | Metropolitan Home
| inside | apartment

3. H
oused in a historic building located along
Bond Street in New York, this three-
bedroom condominium embodies a wealth
of impressive attribution that would woo any art
collector. Built in 1871, the building features an
ornate cast iron façade and stunning blue mansard
roof. Recent addition from previous owner includes
a concrete feature wall and a master bath enveloped
in hot-rolled steel. Aesthetics aside, the building
also has remarkable provenance – it accommodated
a manufactory of watch cases. It was these unique
attributes that enticed the current owner, a director
of a global hedge fund to make it his home.
An art collector himself, he desired a luxurious
and liveable space that emphasises his growing
collection of young emerging artists the likes of
Aaron Curry, Jonas Wood, Hugh Scott Douglas and
Adam Pendleton. Thus, a luxury minimalist backdrop
with a neutral palette was his main requisite. Liking
the way Axis Mundi’s clean modern interiors always
provide a flawless canvas for contemporary art, the
owner hired John Beckmann, the principal of the
inter-disciplinary design firm to renovate his home.
An apartment full of provenance, the new
owner couldn’t lay his eyes off its foregoing
chronicles AND unique aesthetics.
76 | Metropolitan Home Metropolitan Home | 77

4. An art collector himself, Michael
sought assistance from Director
of Metro Pictures to curate the art
collection for his new home.
Pretty much a clean canvas to begin with – all the main
works were already in placed aside from repainting
and removing some wallpaper – the main design
challenge lied in achieving a sense of scale in such
a colossal space that could easily feel cavernous, or
somewhat dismal. On top of that, John had to create a
social area decked with a variety of seating options
Unfazed, John and his team devised a two-pronged
approach. One: break the 3,400 square feet floor plan
into more intimate gathering areas; and two: organise
proportioned furniture that filled out the space. As
suggested by the owner, a muted colour palette was
used. The warm greys, taupe and beige furnishing
tones of the furniture lend a refined materiality with
the condominium’s salvaged elements (concrete wall,
cast-iron columns and steel details).
Imbuing some glamourous pops of colours within
the clean-lined contemporary furnishings helped
enlivened the condominium too. The B&B Italia
Metropolitan swivel chair in lively canary yellow is
accompanied with punches of turquoise cushions
in the living room; and Poltrona Frau Ginger chairs
covered in Hermes-like orange leather at the dining.
With that, every artwork takes center stage in the
dwelling space. The Adam Pendleton’s enigmatic
mirror painting of a woman takes on a powerful
graphic quality in the living room; Seascapes
photographs in the master bath lend a tranquil
ambience; and a surreal Jung Lee photograph
dominate above the bed.
But what makes the project successful is neither the
high-end furnishing nor the colourful artwork. It’s
the unpretentious and seemingly positive manner
that tied everything together – contemporary without
being cold and glamorous without being overly
decorated. It’s a purposeful and artistic abode that
will soon acquire its own distinct provenance. ❖
www.axismundi.com | +1 212 643 2608
Every artwork lends and speaks delightfully
for each living space, GIVING the
apartment charisma and artistic style.
78 | Metropolitan Home Metropolitan Home | 79