UDesign Showcase: Manhattan Suite Apartment
You’ve made it big, you’ve made it bold. You’ve proven yourself a Master of the Universe, and you are now the Monarch of Manhattan, the King of New York.
When operating at this level of success, one knows that it’s not merely about the money. Any get-rich-quick-kid can flash the cash and buy a top-of-the-range apartment like yours, but the difference is that you possess the things that money just can’t buy. And your stunning Manhattan Suite Apartment is the definitive statement of your individual taste and style.
Giles Brown steps into the ultimate bachelor pad.
Entertaining plays an important part of your metropolitan life: we are all social animals and the best way to make connections and nourish networks is over dinner and a bottle of something spectacular. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, however, and there is no better way to get to know a special someone than an intimate evening á deux.
Above: Perfect proof that dining in the Big City is much more than just “doing lunch”, this majestic dining room is in a uniquely spectacular and dramatic setting that brings the Baroque and operatic together to make each evening a theatrical event.
The Manhattan Suite Apartment dining room is in a stunningly spectacular setting that, save from receiving an invitation from a reigning monarch, is the closest one’s guests will get to dining at a palace. Imposing Masiero chandeliers hover majestically over the solid stone table, featuring bronze-edged marble legs custom-made by UDesign, and the attention to detail continues with the cornices in the ceiling of the room. Gold-plated Walter Knoll chairs with leather upholstery complete the setting.
Above: A celebration of one’s unique style, the handcrafted bodega houses only the best. From fine wines to premium spirits and cigars, the bodega effortlessly reflects your instinctive understanding of the connoisseur lifestyle.
There is a hint of the Renaissance in the dining room wallpaper, which depicts classic Italian statues in a summer palazzo.
An entire wall of the dining room houses the handcrafted bodega, the ultimate expression of epicurean taste. With an inlay of oak and rare onyx – the same used in the dining table – the team at UDesign have custom-made the shelving, while the cabinets subtly repeat the same pattern as in the parquet floor.
Above: Dominated by a matching set of modernist chandeliers, the lounge combines an eclectic assortment of sculpture, art and dramatic wallpaper. Perfect for pre- dinner drinks, a metropolitan sundowner or just to relax in and reflect on another day in the Big City.
Housing the finest wines, oldest single malt whiskies and select Cuban cigars, it is evident that some of the items are worth more on the market than the apartment itself.
But that is something one keeps to oneself, because this is not all about the money; not even the whiskey and wine, although that thought might bring a smile to one’s face. The bodega is a personal reflection that one understands and appreciates the subtle art of fine living, the delicious process of selecting and opening a bottle of fine wine, savouring every sip and discussing it with a group of fellow connoisseurs. With wines perfectly paired to the food prepared by one’s personal chef, this is a dining room that invites the celebration of the very best.
Above: Because creativity can strike when least expected, the lounge houses this organic stone-crafted workstation, which enjoys a view over the City that is inspiration in itself.
Now left with the choice of music to accompany dinner, will it be Vivaldi, Beethoven or Mozart tonight?
But even a Master of the Universe needs a little downtime now and then, a place to kick back, relax, take in a movie, listen to one’s favourite album or draw inspiration from some classic literature. The Manhattan Suite Apartment’s lounge area embraces the setting by perfectly capturing the excitement of Big City Life. A heady mixture of eclectic influences, with individual pieces of art, from large modern paintings to classic busts, features throughout. Even the ceiling displays a certain artistic flair, with three distinct styles of lighting. The furniture and the effortlessly stylish sofa and coffee table by Poliform, as well as Pop Art Pink occasional chairs by Gallotti & Radice, augment this modern yet comfortable theme.
One cannot help but feel a tingle down one’s spine while standing by the floor-to-ceiling windows and taking in the metropolitan view. Sipping a glass of something exquisite, carefully chosen from the bodega, and gazing across the city laid out at one’s feet: this is to experience the sweet taste of success.
If seeking that Eureka moment for a new project while watching the latest Tarantino movie, there is a work station in white marble between the two zones, along with a distinctive chair by Henge, and all with an inspirational view over the city.
The more formal lounge area, where you and your chosen guests (or perhaps just one special guest for the evening) can enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail or cityscape sundowner, is dominated by an Uovo chandelier by Lasvit, featuring a contemporary high-polished bronze finish, almost like giant dew drops. The companion to this striking piece hangs in the more relaxed TV area. Sink into the Arketipo velvet sofa after another day and another mega deal, put your feet up on the UDesign custom-made coffee table and relax in front of the bespoke fireplace crafted from rare deep bronze-coloured onyx stone. Dim the Lee Broom lights – statement pieces in themselves – and your gaze is drawn to the striking Roberto Cavalli leopard wallpaper at the end of the hallway that uses an amazing total of 1,500 crystals in each roll.
But the leopard isn’t the only predator in town. In the Manhattan Suite Apartment, you’re the King of the Urban Jungle – The King of New York.
They say money never sleeps, but even you have to. Using opulent hues of purple and gold combined with the green of the velvet bed, this signature room invites one to recharge batteries after the exertions of the day. But as we all know, the most successful predators are nocturnal, and in this sumptuous bedroom suite, you alone own the night.
All interior design in this feature by UDesign.
This article first
appeared in the
6th issue of
UD Magazine.
Click on the image to read online.