Can’t Pinpoint Your Personal Style? Go on a Shopping Spree in Paris
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When Benjamin Vandiver first met the owner of a circa-1900 SoHo loft, he didn’t have much to go on in terms of design direction. His client, a bachelor at the time, was relocating from San Francisco to New York City with a handful of tees, some jeans, and little else.
“He wasn’t sure what he was looking for style-wise, but I latched onto something he said about wanting his guests to feel like they’re walking into a safe space where they can be themselves,” says Vandiver, who had been introduced to the client by a friend who brokered the deal on the 3,150-square-foot loft. “He was describing a warm sense of home, with lots of soul and character.”
To capture this feeling, Vandiver knew that filling the apartment with a bevy of brand-new contemporary furnishings wasn’t an option. “During our first conversation I suggested we go shopping in Paris,” recalls the designer. “I took him to the flea market, and instead of being overwhelmed, as many are, he became deeply invested and interested in the provenance of different pieces. It was a sweet moment for me to watch his eyes open to collecting. We ended up buying about 85 percent of the home’s furnishings during those few days.”
The vintage finds (from Paris as well as the Hudson Valley), along with a new rug or two and a few antiques, sit within a shell that required only some minor cosmetic changes, thanks to an extensive renovation by the previous owner. “There were many beautiful aspects, but we stripped back some of the dark, shiny finishes to better suit this client’s taste,” explains the designer. “We lightened up the floors, which had an ebony finish, switched out the fireplace surrounds, and introduced paint and plaster.”
Living Room
In the living room, the vintage Marsala sofa and loveseat are by Michel Ducaroy. The rug is a vintage Oushak, from Upstate Rug Supply, the cocktail table is by Willy Rizzo, and the pillow (on the loveseat) is by Jed Johnson.
TK
The outsized vintage basket is a find from the Paris flea market. The French work table was also acquired in Paris; the urn is Willy Guhl.
TK
In the primary bedroom, the mid-century Danish chair is from Finch, in Hudson, NY. The bed is carved wood Louis XVI and the table lamps are from Stephane Olivier, in Paris.
Living Room
One wall is dedicated to a full-height work by the artist Chelsea Culprit. The vintage ceramic telephone (atop the pedestal) was found in Vallauris, France.
Living Room
The painting is by the artist Sol Summers. The vintage chair and ottoman are by Arne Jacobsen, acquired in Paris; the vintage low cocktail table is by Charlotte Perriand.
TK
In the primary bedroom, the wall tiles are reclaimed Spanish encaustic tiles from Paris Ceramics. The painting is by Louis Latapie; the table is antique Senufo; and the rug is vintage, from Madeline Weinrib.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, the flush mount fixtures are vintage Italian. The urn is cast iron, from Stephane Olivier, in Paris.
Living Room
In this small living area vignette, the wall finish is by Portola Paints, and the vintage handmade beaded armchairs are Yoruba.
Dining Nook
The dining nook table abuts a banquette upholstered in a vintage Kuba cloth. The vase is by Gustave Reynaud and the painting is by Emilio Villalba.
Dining Area
The back wall of the dining area is a focal point for another painting by Chelsea Culprit. The table is by Karl Springer from Lobel Modern, the sconce is a vintage Ingo Maurer design, and the pendant is by Mauro Marzollo for Itre. The antique dining chairs are upholstered in a Cowtan & Tout mohair.
TK
In the living room, one wall is dedicated to a full-height work by the artist Chelsea Culprit. The ceramic telephone (atop the pedestal) is vintage, from Vallauris.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, the flush mount fixtures are vintage Italian. The urn is cast iron from Stéphane Olivier.
Living Room
In the living room, the vintage Marsala sofa and loveseat are by Michel Duroy. The rug is a vintage Oushak, from Upstate Rug Supply; the cocktail table is by Willy Rizzon; and the pillow (on the loveseat) is by Jedd Johnson.
Breakfast Nook
The dining nook table abuts a banquette upholstered in a vintage Kuba cloth. The vase is by Gustave Reynaud, and the painting is by Emilio Villalba.
Sitting Room
This more intimately scaled sitting room is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke. The rug is by Campbell-Rey for Nordic Knots, the sofa by Alberto Rosselli for Saporiti Italia, the vintage bar by Paolo Buffa, and the vintage ceramic pendant is from Furlong.
Dining Area
The back wall of the dining area is a focal point for another painting by Chelsea Culprit. The table is by Karl Springer, from Lobel Modern in New York. The sconce is a vintage Ingo Maurer design and the pendant (above the table) is by Mauro Marzollo for Itre. The antique dining chairs are upholstered in a Cowtan & Tout mohair.
The painting is by the artist Sol Summers. The chair and ottoman are vintage Arne Jacobsen, acquired in Paris; the vintage low cocktail table is by Charlotte Perriand.
Primary Bedroom
In the primary bedroom, the midcentury Danish chair is from Finch. The bed is carved wood Louis XVI, and the table lamps are from Stéphane Olivier.
TK
The TK room is painted in Farrow & Ball's Green Smoke. The rug is by Campbell-Rey for Nordic Knots; the sofa is by Alberto Rosselli for Saporiti; the vintage bar is by Paulo Buffa; and the vintage ceramic pendant light is from Furlong, in Hudson, NY.
Primary Bedroom
In the primary bedroom, the wall tiles are reclaimed Spanish encaustic tiles from Paris Ceramics. The painting is by Louis Latapie, the table is antique Senufo, and the vintage rug is from Madeline Weinrib.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, the wall finish is by Portola Paints. The vintage beaded armchairs are Yoruba.
Primary Bedroom
The outsize vintage basket is a find from the Paris flea market. The French work table was also acquired in Paris, and the urn is by Willy Guhl.
Vandiver was practical and methodical when it came to deciding what would stay and go, opting to save as much as possible while still taking the homeowner’s penchant for warmth into account. For instance, the client had originally anticipated that he would need to rip out the existing kitchen and start over, but Vandiver was intent on making it work.
“The kitchen was impressive—someone decided on a maritime theme and really went for it,” he says of the existing space, which features black lacquered cabinetry. “We stripped the floors, added a rug, and reupholstered the banquette with textiles I purchased from a man who was selling random bits and bobs out of his van in SoHo. I love the idea of pairing hard-to-find collectible items with sidewalk finds.”
One of the apartment’s biggest surprises can be found in the primary bedroom, where a checkerboard array of reclaimed Spanish tiles provides a graphic backdrop for a French settee. “This space doesn’t feel like a bedroom, but rather a cozy nook. In fact, people end up hanging out there during a party. In an open loft, it’s important to create multiple destinations.” Case in point: What started as a home office evolved into a moody, smoky-green salon, which serves as another spot for an intimate conversation or a place to unwind with a drink and play a record.
Throughout the residence, a growing art collection injects even more interest and life into each space. “We bought some pieces in Paris, either at galleries or rummaging through stacks of prints and paintings, and I also introduced the client to an art adviser in New York,” explains the designer. Contemporary artists such as Sol Summers, Wolfgang Tillmans, Chelsea Culprit, and Emilio Villalba are represented, along with photographs taken by the homeowner’s grandfather and even a painting by a seventh grader that the client purchased during an auction at the Drawing Center. The result, says Vandiver, is “a home that feels as though it has been lived in for 20 years.”
“The client, who is now one of my best friends, still sends me photos of art and furnishings on a weekly basis,” he continues. “It has been fun to witness his curiosity. Collecting has become a true passion of his.”
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