THE TRAVELERS’ HOME

Inspired by her time living in London, the homeowner of this Clayton condo wanted to create a space that was modern yet classic with an English design influence. Working with her designer, she set out to turn two condos into a single unit while injecting the space with a chic urban penthouse vibe.

The new design had to take the condo’s structure into account. The greatest challenge was creating a functional floor plan that worked seamlessly around the building’s existing concrete pillars. In the kitchen for example, two concrete pillars are cleverly hidden in casework and cabinetry to create a continuous open feel.

The catalyst for the design scheme was the black lacquer finish that appears throughout the condo. In the newly expanded kitchen, the black lacquer finish gives presence to a large and central island topped with gray quartzite countertops. Blue notes appear throughout the condo as the sophisticated black-and-white color palette is mixed with blue and white touches.

The family room and office are divided with a double-sided fireplace flanked with bookcases and glass-paneled pocket doors on either side that allow the office to be easily switched from private to open space.

In the guest room, black-lacquer French doors open up to reveal the custom blue velvet Precedent bed and striking Philip Jeffries wallcovering, a mosaic of gray grasscloth pieces with metallic detailing. The designer brought new life to the homeowner’s antique side tables by painting them a lacquered gray and using them as nightstands. The pillows are a mixture of Cowtan & Tout’s Miro and Serengeti prints, while the bedding calls back to the family’s blue-and-white pottery collection.

The en suite bathroom features plenty of storage, and so do the mirrors, medicine cabinets from Robern’s Maine Line collection. Newport Brass fixtures in polished nickel are used both here and in the powder room, another element that creates visual continuity throughout the home.

Classic yet contemporary, this new condo is a beautiful case study in English elegance.