2024
Brooklyn, NY
A gut renovation from top to bottom. Right in the center of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the house is home to a young family.
A family home nestled in the heart of Bel Air, Los Angeles. Photography by Here and Now Agency, LA
Hudson River Valley
2020-2021
A mountainside home on the edge of Black Rock Forest for two creative professionals, two small dogs, and a baby.
The outside comes inside while everyday life spills out.
Using discovered specimens and inspiration from outdoors, the home is crafted with a nod towards the fleeting seasons.
Based around a large kitchen and several bedrooms, the home will host extended family events for a generation.
New York City
2020-2023
Construction by Think
Metalwork by SAS Fabrication
Photography by Perry Hall
As you walk along 5th ave in New York City admiring the historic architecture, sometimes it’s easy to forget there is an entire universe that lies beyond those storied walls. Beautiful, richly designed homes and glamorous apartments fill the townhouses throughout the Upper East Side. You may catch a glimmer of a chandelier or an ornately decorated ceiling and wonder what other treasures lie beyond.
One such apartment, directly across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, ties together stories of travel, mid-century materials and contemporary art. The owner of the apartment, an LA-based father of three, bought the unit during COVID with the plan to move his pied-a-terre from a rental a few blocks away. He brought on NY-based Handwerk Art and Design to handle the project.
“We’ve worked with this client for years and he has a really interesting background. He spent time living in Mauritania, so we incorporated antique west African pottery. He owns property in Venice, Italy and is funding the restoration of a historic church there. He also has an impressive understanding of ancient and contemporary art, and his art collection is always growing and evolving. These were all important factors in our design” Says Fiona Sanipelli, co-founder of Handwerk and DesignSpec.
Handwerk wanted the space to emulate the client’s personality and love of art and distant cultures. “Our first step was to come up with a concept that tied together all of his interests. We drew inspiration from the homes of well-known artists like Julian Schnabel who use their personal spaces as galleries.” Says Gregor Bugel, Handwerk’s other founding partner. “And of course we looked to the Met – one of the premier art collections in the world which is right across the street.” The highlight of the apartment is the 20’ long wall showcasing Warhol’s Electric Chair series; a vibrantly colorful yet eerie piece from his repertoire that the owner recently acquired.
A few of the art pieces were created by Handwerk for the space. An undulating landscape of paper strips follows the contours of Mauritania's border. A dissected NYC subway map charts the routes taken by the designers while working on the project. Remnants of quartzite from the client’s previous home were fashioned into an eclipse side table.
Aside from art, travel is an integral part of the owner’s life. Italy and Japan are his two favorite cultures to explore, so the team took cues from Japanese paper lighting and zen-like environments. The living room features a ceiling lined with cylindrical paper lanterns that envelops the wall of Warhols in an inviting glow. The guest bedroom is a study in restraint and the celebration of natural materials, evoking the serenity of a traditional tea room. A gorgeous hand-blown Barovier and Toso chandelier hangs in the entry. The hand blown glass is infused with gold leaf and sparkles when you enter the apartment at night.
The concept of color immersion played into the color story for the space as well. Many of the rooms are designed around a specific palette of playful, surprising color combinations. The bathroom for the boys features blue tile, a green vanity, a maroon door and pink terrazzo that come together in delightful harmony. “We made sure to incorporate terrazzo in a few places, since the owner has a strong tie to Italy.” Handwerk sourced stone for the kitchen floor that was inspired by Carlo Scarpa’s mid century terrazzo design. The Venetian architect was also a source of inspiration for some custom hardware the team designed.
Overall, the project tells a story of the client’s love of life, culture and all things beautiful. The space will continue to grow around the treasures he collects from around the world, as the city outside speeds along to become something familiar yet new.
Manhattan, NYC
2017- July 2018
A two bedroom private residence for a bi-coastal professional.
Using one of NYC's most coveted domestic amenities, ample closet space, we’ve created pocket-rooms for the home, including a speakeasy, hidden library, and dressing valet. These are hidden around the home and only discovered by the most curious guests…
The client lived in Mauritania when younger, so we’ve worked objects and textures from the region into the design to remind him of those days.
Much of the art in the space is designed, fabricated and installed by Handwerk.
Featured as Space of the Week on New York magazine for 1 November 2018.
Interior design: Handwerk
Art curation, design, installation: Handwerk
Contractor: Atlas Construction
Metalwork: SAS Metal Fabrications
Custom blown glass: Josh Raiffe
Millwork: Daniel Vespa, Great Will 88, Maxsun
Photography: Perry Hall
Westchester County, NY
2016-2018
Design and styling for a home studio in Westchester County, NY.
The goal was to create two distinct but open spaces adjacent to each other.
Our work involved new finishes for all surfaces, programming of the space, custom shelving, furniture selection, and custom art feature.
The coins on the wall are an installation of over 120 Morgan Silver Dollars that the owner’s grandfather gave to him, installed on red mallee burl from Australia.
Inspirations include the kunstundwunderkammer, mapmaking, and literary clubs.
As seen on Lonny.
Harlem, New York City
2017-2018
Total remodel of a pre-war building kitchen in New York City.
The design included a new floor plan, custom cabinetry with both open and closed storage, new counter sitting layout, corner bookshelf, all new surfaces and colors, new appliances, and a custom pegboard wall.
The localized floor plan of the home was also altered to improve flow and access to the kitchen and adjacent rooms by way of changing door layouts.
The owners, a documentary filmmaking couple, came to us with some uncertainties. They wanted a kitchen that was finely tuned to their space and way of living, and were suspicious of off-the-shelf cabinets and how well they might perform in a small New York City kitchen.
Starting with a study of their cooking habits and spatial needs, we designed a set of custom cabinets for the whole kitchen that placed everything specifically and precisely. Working iteratively, we hit on a design that allowed the clients to use their kitchen in a much more efficient and performative way.
We moved part of a wall and changed the layout of doors to adjacent rooms to improve flow into and around the kitchen. The sitting counter functions as a peninsula on the side of the larger living and dining space.
Open storage, including cubbies for frequently-used kitchen tools and spices, and a tall corner bookshelf, further increase the functionality of the space, which is always important in New York City homes given the tight quarters.
The clients wanted something that brightened the home and acted as a focal point, so we went through an extensive color study before deciding on the palette of green, blue, gray, and natural wood.
Interior Design: Handwerk Art and Design
Contractor: Great Will 88
Millwork: Great Will 88
Photography: Perry E. Hall
As seen in Dezeen, Contemporist, Houzz, 88DesignBox.
Stone Canyon, Bel Air, Ca
2020-2023
A new-build pool house for Stone Canyon in Los Angeles.
The house will act not only as a place to enjoy the adjacent pool, but a separate guest house for the owner’s many friends and family.
The common space fully opens with large sliding doors, while the bedroom is given privacy via exterior sun shades and interior drapery.
Roof deck will over extended gathering space for larger parties.
Combining two Greenwich Village apartments units into one home.
Design began April 2019.
Construction began June 2021.
Wainscott, NY
July 2014
Interior design, styling and art selection for a secluded house in the Hamptons newly-built for entertaining guests. Colorful accents highlight the serene environment in this oasis from the city.
Montclair, NJ
2015-2016
Interior design, art curation, and art feature design and fabrication for an airy weekend home outside of New York City.
Brooklyn, NYC
2014
Interior design and art curation for a five room home in Crown Heights of two Brooklyn professionals with their poodles. The space is filled with treasures from their travels, and highlights the couple’s eclectic style.
