HAUTE HANGOUT
RENDERING COURTESY DEBORAH BERKE PARTNERS
While technology brings people together online, it’s believed to have an isolating effect in real life. The solution: a proliferation of public social spaces so well-designed that residents will want to linger. “People are looking for a feeling of community, especially in hectic cities,” says New York-based architect Deborah Berke, whose project at 40 E. End Ave., features dramatic communal spaces. “The lounge area is glamorous, with high-quality materials and rich textures, so we hope people will use it for gatherings rather than just as a pass-through,” she says. “After all, amenity spaces don’t have to feel bland.”
ARTFUL ACCENT
PHOTO COURTESY CIRCA LIGHTING
Attractive fixtures offer visual interest and much-needed light–important factors when selling a house. A statement-making piece, such as the Viaggio sconce by designer Sean Lavin (shown above), can immediately infuse a blank wall with a serving of style. Opal glass globes shine diffused light, which adds ambient illumination, subtly drawing attention to a room’s focal points without creating harsh shadows.
GOLD STANDARD
PHOTO: PAUL JOHNSON, COURTESY DEANE INC.
For today’s buyers, no detail is too small for the stamp of personalization: Take this Connecticut kitchen, where designer Ingrid Becker installed a faucet at the island sink that also serves as an eye-catching feature. “The fixture is from Waterstone and the pull-down design is both beautiful and functional,” she says. “It makes a splash and complements the unlacquered brass hardware and Lacanche range, which will develop a pleasing patina over time.”
