“The rooms are really gracious, carefully laid out to be furnished and light-filled.”
Deborah Talks Describe the experience of the lobby.
We want it to feel familiar to the residents. The idea is that it’s not a gargantuan space, but an intimate space. It’s a very private world once you walk through the door. It’s as elegant as the apartments above. The materials are warm, yet luxe — including an onyx wall, custom crystal chandelier and limestone floors. Reminiscent of the finest lobbies in New York City on Central Park West and Fifth Avenue, it evokes an intimacy and familiarity.
How were the amenity spaces envisioned?
The series of spaces on the amenity floor may all have very different functions, but there’s an overall sense of character, and a warm, contemporary feeling to them. What’s very special is that they are all connected to outdoor spaces.
So when you’re in the fitness room, you actually can look out onto a beautifully landscaped terrace, which I think is wonderful. It has wood paneling and a beautiful fabric ceiling that has subtle lights within so you can actually do your crunches without blinding yourself. We thought about what this gym should feel like — it is clean, but not brutal the way so many gyms are.
The lounge is modern and refreshing. It has beautiful inset, built-in banquettes where the walls are lined with a warm burl and a large-screen TV suitable for watching any kind of event. It is filled with daylight as it opens directly out to a landscaped terrace, so you can actually have spring and summer events that move from the indoors out.
The overall approach is contemporary. Residents will feel as though they are in their own spaces, a continuation of their sense of style. We have paid such close attention to detail, right down to the last minutia, in the design and flow of the spaces. These are not amenities designed as an afterthought to give residents the standard luxury automatically inclusive in buildings today.
Rather, each space was considered in tandem with the residences to feel seamless in the transition from private to public so they are a real extension of everyday living.
About the Laureate What makes the children’s areas special?
One interesting thing we did was make two kids playspaces, because we recognized that what three- and four-year- olds do is very different from what seven- and 10-year- olds do. The younger kids have more of a play space with festive wallpaper and comfy little chairs. The space for the older kids is more of a study room with a large screen and computer terminals.
Describe the unique selection of furnishings, color and materials.
We make beautiful spaces that are special not because of the source of inspiration, but because of the care we take in the design. In other words, warm colors, mixing vintage pieces, using a particular wall covering, an unusually patterned or scaled rug are not the inspiration, but the complement to a room with balance, elegant architectural detail, and crisp sense of space.
How is the Laureate experience different from your other projects?
Stahl was very supportive of letting us design elements that would make this building unique. They allowed us to have our own very clear touch throughout every aspect. The Laureate embodies what we feel Upper West Side living is.
What are your favorite elements of this building?
The exquisite floors, the Deborah Berke & Partners designed faucets, which we’re really excited about, and the highly functional, oversized kitchens. But beyond our work, and more to do with the building as a whole, I really like that the building is designed to its location. It’s so convenient to everything on the Upper West Side, as well as to the rest of the city.
It also has a very quiet side entrance. I feel like you get the best of both — you have this amazing location, but in fact you’re coming in off of one of these beautiful Upper West Side side streets. It’s a nice combination.
Source: The above interview is courtesy of the Laureate’s press materials.