SOMETHING OF A
cliché in interior circles, the idea of ‘bringing the outside in’ is all about transplanting nature into the home to suitably verdant effect. But what do you do when your outside is Tribeca, Manhattan – an industrial forest of concrete behemoths, red-brick apartments snaked with steel fire stairs and lustrous skyscrapers? For celebrated industrial designer Lee Broom, ‘bringing the outside in’ meant embracing new york’ s ubiquitous lines.
‘I was inspired by the architecture around here,’ says the London-born designer from his cloud-like living room, a neutral space that is bright, airy and distinctly clean-lined. ‘There is an incredible brutalist skyscraper, the Long Lines building, with no windows, no doors. It is almost apocalyptic looking, and people either love it or hate it.’ Lee fell firmly into the ‘love it’ camp, and brought the outside in using features from the minimalist monolith. ‘I took details from the building and brought them into the elements of the furniture in the living room,’ he explains.take the fireplace and plinths, for example, which have deep grooves that mirror the building and the drops of curtain with undulating pleats. even the‘ carousel’ suspension lamp is on theme.
‘I like that I was being influenced by the architecture while working within the constraints of the room.’ Most of the pieces you will find in this apartment were designed by le eina new collection aptly dub bed‘ penthouse ’( you can find the designer’ s work locally at créma design). so, what came first, the chicken or the egg? ‘When I got the penthouse, it forced me to do a furniture collection. I have not really designed in that way before,’ says Lee .‘ w he ni am designing pieces on their own,iamfoc used on shape, silhouette, materials and just ideas. In this case, it is very site-specific.the sofa needed to have a certain footprint and si tina certain configuration. the materials needed to reflect the surroundings .’
offsetting the strong lines are Lee’s signature spheres, predominantly in the lighting fixtures. It is the brightest zone in the home – and if anyone knows how to work with light, it is Lee, whose bold concepts have put him on the map as one of the world’s foremost lighting designers. here, he accentuated the natural light using a white and ivory palette differentiated by textures such as ash wood, beige travertine and very soft bouclé that you cannot resist brushing with your fingertips as you walk past. owing to this and the custom furniture that – despite its size – seems to float above the ground, there is a palpable sense of weightlessness in the living room.
Yet despite all this restraint, the home is still injected with a serious dose of drama, an attribute that the designer credits to his past life in the theatre and fashion. ‘I see my work as a sort of performance, so if I am creating a ‘hanging hoop’ chair, it demands attention when you walk into the room, and everybody wants to sit in it.’notably, Beyoncé and daughter Blue Ivy swung in this very chair in her visual album Black Is King.
each room feels a little like a set, and while these spaces could be considered little distinct vignettes, nothing feels out of place. ‘I think, to strike that balance creates something with longevity that is not trend-driven and that you can pass down to generations,’ Lee explains.
The dining room, clad in a tactile deep blue moiré walpaper, is full of retro glamour, conjuring images of ’70s newyork. one of the stand out pieces here is an ’80s room divider by steve chase for the chase residence in laguna beach, which had to be carefully air lifted in. It works harmoniously with the orchestrally influenced ‘Musico’ dining table and chairs.this room leads out to an open-air terrace where jaw-dropping views of oneworld Trade center and the Jenga-like 56 Leonard skyscrapers abound. From the bedroom – a sophisticated yet retro space featuring a 1960 sb ed that takes pride of place–you are treated to vistas of theempire state Building.
The only area in the home to give you a visual break from the city’s urban skyline is Lee’s study, which has almost no view outside, just prized pieces from his personal art collection peppered throughout. although‘ it is a study, so you immediately connect that with work, it is a space to create and design. It means getting lost in my thoughts and ideas,’ he explains. With such strong verticles defining this home both inside and out, this is the one zone that offers the designer a true sense of escape. ‘It is very therapeutic.’ n
Leebroom 8 leebroom.com