Home front

THE DESIGNER

Lea Korzeczek of German design company Studio Oink. She designed this Brooklyn home for Joe and Scarlett, who were then expecting their daughter, Nomia, now two-and-a-half.

THE PROPERTY

A three-storey Brooklyn townhouse. On the lower ground floor is the kitchen-diner, snug/guest room, guest shower room and storage. The addition of a mezzanine has created a raised-ground floor for the living room and study. On the first floor is the main bedroom, dressing area and en suite, spare bedroom, bathroom and child’s bedroom.

when, back in 2018, interior designer Lea Korzeczek of Studio Oink sat down in her Leipzig office with her new American clients, Joe and Scarlett, to discuss a potential project, she wasn’t expecting it to unfold in quite the way it did. For, while both parties were prepared for some of the work to be conducted long distance, no one knew the impending pandemic would make it a fully ‘Zoom’ project rather than an on-site one.

Luckily, as Lea acknowledges, the clients already had Hatchet, an American architect and contractors, on board. By working hand-in-glove with Hatchet, she was able to pull off this leap-inthe-dark way of designing a home. ‘After we sat down with Joe and Scarlett to get to know each other and clarify key points, the design and consultation then only ran from a distance,’ she explains. ‘Hatchet took care of all architectural issues, as well as everything structural and all things requiring approval.’

Lea’s key vision for the house involved ‘creating interesting lines of sight through meaningful openings’, as well as making the rooms look wider and feel more spacious. After that, choosing the right materials and colours was essential to develop the ‘calm palette’ that she was after. Lea is the first to admit that she’s very detail oriented when it comes to her designs. ‘We usually fight very hard for our designs, and this is not always easy in the beginning for our clients,’ she says. ‘In the end, however, they always report back how happy they are that they implemented the details exactly and worked through this process with us.’

Even though the house was originally in a ‘very bad condition, crammed with all kinds of hideous built-in furniture and materials’ – which meant it needed a wrecking ball taken to it (only two outer walls remained from the original building) – the start of the demolition and the process of rebuilding went relatively smoothly. Then the pandemic hit, adding to the geographical constraints the team was already under.

‘It wasn’t very easy to work on a project that we had never seen live on site, but we’ve learnt it is entirely possible!’ explains Lea. ‘In these times it turns out this is an advantage and a blessing for us and our customers.’ While this is the third project Studio Oink has completed in the States, Lea hopes this way of working will now open up the possibility of them being involved in many more similar projects all around the world.

Having said that, Lea loves the way all her American clients enjoy working with a designer: ‘In the US it just seems more socially acceptable to get yourself a professional for a lot of things. People in the US are much more willing to spend a little more money on the beautiful and individual things that surround them, such as the art in this project.’ she says. ‘Often here in Germany people think that they can do everything themselves!’

Lea also thinks her American homeowners enjoy the European sensibility Studio Oink brings to a project: ‘Our customers appreciate our unique European handwriting. The proximity to Belgium, the Netherlands , Italy and Scandinavia is always reflected in our work,’ she explains. ‘Our interiors are not very “American” – here, we even went so far as to try to use other types of windows, doors and door handles than those usually installed in the US. Such small details make the interior look individual.’ They certainly add that signature Studio Oink European je ne sais quoi. And, as Scarlett says, ‘In the end, the project is so special and unlike anything we’ve ever seen – we’re so happy we can call it home.’

CREATING INTERESTING LINES OF SIGHT THROUGH MEANINGFUL OPENINGS HAS GIVEN NARROW AND SMALL AREAS A FEELING OF SPACE

LANDING Neutral colours and unadorned walls allow the architectural features to standout. Walls in Setting Plaster, Farrow & Ball. Journey wall light, &Tradition. Pair of Mira wall lights, Davide Groppi. Get a similar Euphorbia erytrea cactus plant from Hortology

LIVING ROOM Lea describes her design for the house as ‘calm and muted’ and loved being able to embrace every element ‘down to the smallest details’ – like how the rails on the stairs seem to float with no base at the bottom. Marenco sofa, Arflex. Douglas fir floor finished in white wax, Altrufir

BEDROOM Studio Oink custom-made several of the key pieces of furniture in the house, including the dressing table in this guest space. Walls in Setting Plaster, Farrow & Ball. Get similar monstera and fiddle-leaf fig plants from Hortology

BEDROOM The layering of beautiful plaster pinks is tonal and peaceful. Z1 pendant light, Ay Illuminate. Mira bedside wall light, Davide Groppi. Get similar linen bedding from Piglet in Bed

BATHROOM A statement sculptural basin unit and a reeded shower screen elevate the space. Vasco Colonna basin, Salvatori. Wall tap, Vola. Pico Up Natural Blanc tiles, Mutina. Wall in Drop Cloth, Farrow & Ball

MAIN BEDROOM In order to create the calm atmosphere she wanted, Lea took her time selecting the colours and materials. This tranquil space shows how that attention to detail has worked so well. Walls in Jitney, Farrow & Ball. Custom-made bed, Studio Oink

CHILD’S BEDROOM Nomia’s room is lit by an internal window that looks out onto the plant-filled landing. Walls in Skimming Stone, Farrow & Ball. Linen curtains, By Mölle

STAIRWELL A spot under the open-tread stairs leading to the kitchen is the perfect play area for Nomia. Similar play tent, Scandiborn. Get wooden building blocks from Kidly. Smallable sells a wooden tea set like this