“We’re here to tell our clients’ story,” says interior designer Kristen Ekeland of the sprawling full- floor apartment in River North that she—along with partners Melissa Benham and Jennie Bishop—designed for a young couple and their daughter. “This apartment has a very urban feel to it, and they were drawn to that immediately,” says Ekeland, pointing to the unit’s large white walls and expansive windows with black frames. “They knew what kind of aesthetic they were attracted to, but they relied on us to bring it all together.”
After a 10-year stint of living in smaller New York apartments, the couple was excited to find such a spacious unit in their target location. “This is a sweet little pocket of the city that is still within walking distance to all the action,” the wife says. “It enabled us to have the kind of very urban lifestyle that we had grown accustomed to in New York, but it also has a quieter atmosphere, which made it more welcoming for our daughter.”
Creating a low-key vibe wasn’t on the designers’ minds, however, when they decorated the small front foyer with a graphic inkblot wallcovering. Paired with a Lucite console table and a vibrant vintage Turkish kilim rug, the mural-like covering is one of several throughout the home, including one with hand-painted butterflies in their daughter’s bedroom. “The foyer sets the tone for the rest of the apartment,” Bishop explains. “It creates the drama and lets you know that you’re not in a typical space.”
An arched passageway leads directly into the bright and open great room, where a large wool-and-silk rug helps to define the conversation area around the contemporary gray-brick replace and acts as a piece of art in itself. “The rug is painterly, almost like a very saturated watercolor,” Ekeland says. “With the austere architecture, we felt like we needed something spectacular.” Picking up on the rug’s blue notes is a custom sofa that is perfectly proportioned for the spacious room and echoes the sizable dimensions of the gray-stained walnut dining table, which has blackened- metal reveals at either end. “We love to entertain, and before going out to eat we enjoy having our friends over for cocktail hour,” says the wife, “so we wanted larger pieces to accommodate a lot of people hanging out.”
A custom walnut bar cabinet with leather doors facilitates entertaining in the living area and was specifically designed for the husband, an amateur mixologist. Its brass hardware is one of many elements in the room, which also includes a side table made of resin with reflective mother-of-pearl and polished-brass tabletop accessories. “We wanted to add some gold air,” Benham says. “It wasn’t just about incorporating the metallic accents, but it was also in the layering of thoughtful moments that represented the clients’ story. That’s what brings it all together to make it feel like a home.”
Art introduces yet another dimension—and one of critical importance for the owners, who have begun to collect large-scale pieces, including a colorful abstract by America Martin that hangs behind a vintage tufted chair in the living area. “The apartments in New York are smaller than average, so we didn’t have this kind of freedom there,” the wife says. “The ladies at Studio Gild were great consultants, and we valued their opinion and aesthetic.”
The designers also made minor architectural changes, closing off the husband’s offce from the hallway, for example, and adding built-in walnut cabinetry to the den, which doubles as the daughter’s playroom, too. “They wanted their home to be catered to adults, but they wanted it to be comfortable and practical for their daughter, as well.” Benham explains. “So, we juxtaposed sophistication with practicality.”
That balance is especially seamless in the master suite, where a custom white wool headboard—along with floor- to-ceiling draperies and a sculptural chair covered in shearling—offsets a black ceiling and walls. “We created a space that’s really cozy,” Ekeland says. “It’s dark, but it has an ethereal feeling to it, which makes it different than your typical bedroom.” In fact, the owners say it’s their favorite spot in the house, particularly the partially enclosed seating area, where a comfortable white sofa balances the moody walls and various pops of color bring in the jewel tones that the wife loves so much. Additionally, French doors open to a private balcony with views of the bustling urban scene below. “It’s our snuggly nook,” the wife explains. “At the end of the day, we love to go back there and decompress.”
With the owners now happily settled in their new abode, they are over the moon with how it looks and functions. “The black-and-white backdrop was a beautiful blank canvas for us to come in and put our own touches on,” the wife says. “The ladies at Studio Gild took inspiration from our ideas and dialed them up a couple of notches with their signature sophistication to achieve great results. It was a total pleasure and a lot of fun.”
–Tate Gunnerson
