A couple decided that it was time for an adventure. Rather than, say, scale a Himalayan peak or row across the Atlantic, the husband and wife decided to move—from a classic Upper East Side townhouse to a 38th-floor aerie in a new Brooklyn high-rise. After decades in a brownstone on a tree-lined block—where the husband and wife raised their family, belonged to the neighborhood block association, planted flowers in the street’s tree pits—they wanted a change.
“My husband and I started to think that moving to an apartment like this would be fun,” says the wife. “Initially, we looked for a very different apartment in downtown Manhattan, but I had it in the back of mind that Brooklyn could be a place to live in a new way.” Spurred on by the fact that two sons already lived in the borough, meaning even closer proximity to a grandchild, the couple toured a new building in downtown Brooklyn; upon seeing the views of the Statue of Liberty, downtown Manhattan, and expanses of water, they knew where their new adventure was to begin.
As they have for more than 25 years with their prior homes, the couple commissioned Joe Nahem to design this new home—actually two combined apartments.“Having worked with them for so long, I assumed that since they loved their townhouse so much they would want a traditional feel to this apartment,” says Nahem, “but we all recognized right away that they wanted, and that building dictated, a whole new look and feel.” So intent was the couple on embarking on a new chapter that they left behind most of their furnishings, though Nahem convinced them to take along certain pieces, including a pair of Gustavian chairs.
Chairs from Pierre Augustin Rose surround a custom table from Associated Fabrication.
A love seat and chairs from Finn Juhl surround an ottoman from Marrimor.
In the living room, a sofa from Jouffre is covered in a Knoll fabric. The rug is from Fort Street Studio.
The living room’s custom-designed bar by Fox-Nahem Associates includes a background by Structure NYC and Sublime Living.
The kitchen’s bar stools from Haute Living are covered in a custom leather from Charles Schambourg.
A custom chandelier from Richard Haining hangs above a bed covered in a fabric from Stella. The lamps are from Elyse Graham, and the rug is from Jan Kath.
The bath offers breathtaking views of downtown Brooklyn and beyond.
“Of course, the couple wanted pretty, comfortable furnishings,” Nahem declares, “but they also wanted practicality, with one consideration being that of safety for a grandchild. They didn’t want to be overly nervous about anything in their new home.” Given the strong trust that has developed between the couple and Nahem, he chose the furnishings and accessories down to the utensils. While he presented every choice to them for approval, Nahem calls the couple “students of his favorite school of design,” in that upon showing options for furniture and finishes, they would say, “Joe? Which one do you think is better?”
Knowing their personalities, Nahem infused the home with personality to match theirs. The great room, a kind of space the couple had never before lived with, was fashioned with multiple seating areas. A kitchen island was clad with tri-tone blue and gray tiles that undulate seemingly like the waters of the East River, which are visible from their perch. “We have a joke with the client, who says, ‘I like blue and I like blue and I really like blue,’” Nahem says. “Blues and grays are peaceful,” adds the homeowner. And although the couple had a formal dining room in their townhouse, here they wanted a space to serve its purpose for eating while also working in a living space. “They wanted to eat at the table every day and have the dining room be a place to hang out with comfortable chairs,” he says.
Nahem was responsible, too, for choosing much of the artwork, though the couple brought a collection of works by Navajo artist R. C. Gorman that hangs in the primary bedroom. At the entry, Nahem commissioned Irish artist Sasha Sykes to make one of her signature pieces that involve capturing plants and leaves in layers of resin. A floor-to-ceiling panel sets a natural tone at the front door.
The primary suite presented a challenge in that it was so large—it was formerly the living room of the second apartment the couple purchased—that Nahem designed a freestanding bed to mitigate the scale. Entering the room now involves walking behind the bed, whose backside appears as a low wall covered in fabric.
Now that Nahem’s work is complete, the adventure the couple sought continues every day. “Long ago I had a theory that Brooklyn would once again become the place to live,” says the homeowner, “and I was right.”
