Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

How Marissa Bero Turned This Cold Apartment Into an Inviting Home

How Marissa Bero Turned This Cold Apartment Into an Inviting Home

A kitchen reno turned into a complete home makeover for a design-loving couple.

While some may love the clean, modern lines and sleek finishes of a contemporary new build apartment, there are a few things these so-called "white box" spaces often lack: One, a sense of personality and two, ample storage for books, object, and any other knickknacks the non-minimalist among us might treasure.

            

That was the issue presented to designer Marissa Bero when she signed on to renovate an apartment on Fulton Street in Manhattan for a design-loving couple. While the duo initially tapped Bero to renovate their kitchen, it soon became apparent that the builder-grade apartment wasn't working with their lifestyle-which includes a love of books, music, travel, and entertaining.

"Their biggest issue was not having enough storage for the things that were important to them," says Bero. So, instead of starting with the kitchen, "the first order of business was to design a built-in bookshelf," explains the designer. The resulting full-wall shelf system (inspired by one at the Soho House) set the tone for the rest of the house: collected yet elegant, eclectic yet orderly, and somewhere between modern and traditional.

"It’s an interesting relationship because one of the homeowners leans more traditional and the other is more modern," Bero explains. "They wanted to hire a designer to sort of help them bring those two styles together-and that’s my MO. I love an eclectic mix."

Merging those two styles became the jumping-off point for Bero to create a design that transformed the white box into a welcoming, personal home. Here's how she did it.

Living Area




While the wall-to-wall shelving was initially conceived as a method of dealing with the apartment's lack of storage, it ended up becoming more of a design statement in itself. "It was a fun way to display a lot of their collectibles," which otherwise might be stashed away, says Bero. The couple are avid travelers and have a lot of "tchotchkes picked up around the world," explains the designer. Here, those objects take pride of place alongside an extensive book collection, assortment of records, and mix of art.

Bero designed a custom sectional for the space to allow for plenty of flexible seating, making the room as comfortable for a house full of guests as it is for the couple and their dogs.

Dining Area




Clients coming into a project with a baby grand piano is a major consideration in a not-huge apartment. But instead of stashing the instrument away, Bero decided to make it a focal point. "It was fun to figure out how to create a more defined dining area with the piano," she says. Plus, with it out in the open, it's more likely to get used-especially during dinner parties.

Kitchen




The couple's traditional-modern balance might best be on display in the kitchen, where counters and a backsplash in classic Carrara marble are juxtaposed with sleek white cabinets. To add sone visual interest alongside the minimal hardware, Bero swathed a row of shelves in architectural mesh. Floating shelves in marble also maintain that balance between classic and modern.

Bedroom




The bedroom is where Bero's "eclectic mix" really comes to life. "They had some pieces already that they wanted to incorporate and then the wallpaper and accents really bring it all together," says the designer. She repurposed certain pieces (the armchair was once in the living room), and spotlit others, like the Queen Elizabeth artwork above the bed. The subtle wallpaper provides texture without competing with the mix.

Guest Room




In the guest room, Bero focused on establishing luxury within a small footprint. "It’s not large but it has all the bells and the whistles," she says of the space: "The luxe finishes, custom drapes and wallpaper, the beautiful accessories-I think it feels very special and unique and like a place I’d want to spend time as a guest."

To maximize space, she swapped nightstands for two floating shelves, each fitted with narrow lamps, and employed a campaign-style chest to serve as combination console/dresser. In space that size, she says “it’s important to make every piece count.”


AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
×