With each project, designer Courtney McLeod applies a left- and right-brain approach: creative designs with analytical rigor. In this New York City two-bedroom apartment, McLeod brought out her client’s eclectic tastes while helping her declutter and find joy in her heirlooms.
1. For my client, the biggest priority was parting ways with clutter and highlighting her wonderful collections of books, many cherished family heirlooms. She owned beautiful pieces, but none had the space and breathing room to truly shine. My goal was to help highlight the best items and create a cohesive and joyful space.
2. Without a doubt, my favorite moment of the project is captured in this photo. The framed art is an Hermès scarf. To my surprise and delight, as we were decluttering my client’s apartment, I discovered this piece crumpled in the bottom of a bag. It looked terrible and was long forgotten, but I saw potential in the beautiful color and pattern. It took a bit of convincing, but my client let me have it framed and the results exceeded my expectations. It was the perfect piece above her prized vintage metal desk purchased in Paris.
3. My client has eclectic taste — including an affinity for rare books, Fortuny fabrics, vintage furniture and contemporary art. I created a well-defined vision for the space, which allowed us to incorporate all of these interests in a cohesive and personal way. Without a strong design plan, the apartment would not have come together to beautifully reflect my client’s unique interests. The pairing of the vintage metal desk, Mid-Century Modern leather chair and colorful art is a nice example of how we achieved the right balance throughout the home.
