When a designer gets to do their own residence, it’s an opportunity to indulge their vision fully. For Drake/Anderson Principal Jamie Drake this is his home.
The main living space is a double height square room, with the kitchen open to the two seating areas. Turning the corner from the foyer, one meets a runway of an island, set at an unusual angle to project the eye into the room. A structural column in the middle posed a challenge, but instead of trying to make it disappear, we celebrated it and made it even larger. Clad in a variety of materials—ebonized oak, charcoal lacquer, dark bronze and woven brass and steel—all come together to add richness and interest to this focal point.
One seating group faces the TV, and the other is set up for cocktails and entertaining. In fact, the whole space was designed with gatherings in mind. Furnishings are eclectic, and the art, sculpture and accessories displayed were collected around the world, and evoke fond memories.
The background is a troweled grey plaster, almost concrete in feeling, and the primary pieces (sofas, curtains, millwork) are neutral: grey or off-white. Strong accents of plum, chartreuse and tangerine were pulled from the art. Custom marble cocktail tables attend both areas, each with its own stone.
The main bathroom is coated in a coral shade, and has more of the art collection displayed. The bedroom is lacquered high-gloss dark blue grey. The bed floats in the room, backed by a marble encased dresser with a laser cut cowhide headboard inset. Vibrant coral is used in various shades on the upholstery, bedside tables and rug.
The guest bedroom has direct access to the outside living space, and the leaf green curtains connect them. A custom sleigh bed floats in the middle of the room—a boat in a sea of blue. A comfortable loggia is off the living space and is an extension of the living room, set up for cocktails and conversation. A unique feature in the building are its dedicated garages, en suite with the apartment. It was not given short shrift, and was fully designed as well.
