Tour a Serene, 500-Square-Foot 'Urban Treehouse' in New York City

The job of an interior designer is one of constant reinterpretation. Rarely does a designer work from their own tastes, preferences or cultural background alone — they blend them with those of the client to create a space that best suits their tastes and preferences while meeting their needs. For the last 12 years, New York interior designer Nina Barnieh-Blair has become an unquestioned expert in the art and process of collaboration with her clients. To each client, Nina brings a full background of design influences starting with her native Ghana, through her British upbringing and design education at Parsons School of Design. So when her client, a clinical psychologist in Manhattan’s West Village, wanted to turn her 522-square-foot, prewar apartment into an “urban treehouse,” she found herself in incredibly good hands.

Agreeing on the design concept was the easy part. The apartment, which the client has lived in since 2004, was in a condition that Nina referred to simply as “faded.” Bringing new life into the space would require a complete renovation, including opening the walls to rearrange the aging pipes. “We had to move pretty much all the plumbing and fixtures, which in a prewar building, where you never quite know how anything works until you open it up, is always an interesting process.”

With only 522-square-feet to work with, it was imperative that Nina not only make every square inch count, but that every square inch work together harmoniously to create a feeling that was bigger than the physical space. A firm believer that all great rooms begin with art, Nina worked with her client on her first art purchase for the space, "Monika. Warsaw" by photographer Alec Soth. The colors of the work set the palette for the room, a colorful yet serene arrangement championed by the inviting pink sofa from Ligne Roset.

Nina kept the furniture in the living room intentionally sparse, both to create the feeling of serene minimalism that permeates and opens the space, and to accommodate her client’s active yoga practice. But when every piece in a room makes a statement, you really don’t need that much. Further emphasizing this point is the gorgeous Peca's Rima Credenza from 1stDibs. Coupled with the eye-catching woven art piece, Hiroko Takeda’s Yellowbird IV, it’s a combination that skillfully adds color, texture and pattern to the space, while deepening its relaxed and meditative feel.

Though there were areas that required more work and attention, overall the living room stands out as one of the designer's favorite spaces in the project. “I love the living space,” Nina confesses. “I was really happy about how a small room that has to function as living space, entertaining space and working space, ended up working perfectly for each, and felt much bigger than its dimensions. Every single piece we selected was chosen with this multi-functionality in mind.”

Yet while the living room may be Nina’s favorite, the kitchen might stand out as the crowning achievement of this home. At its center stands a beautifully created kitchen island. Despite the kitchen’s reputation for being the most labor-intensive part of many renovations, this space continues the feeling of effortlessness that moves throughout this home, owed largely to its judicious use of white oak. Keeping with the theme of multi-functionality in small spaces, the island serves as a workspace as well as a dining area and even includes hidden refrigerated drawers for food storage. The island is adorned from above by copper-finished pendants and accompanied by upholstered stools, both from Danish design brand and manufacturer Gubi.

On the other side of the island, Nina skillfully blended the functional needs of a kitchen with the established aesthetics of the home within the limited space allowed. The red knobs of the oven offer a bit of color in the space, contrasting the matte black faucet and drawer pulls. The drawers and cabinetry of the room seem to fade into the walls, highlighted by the marble backsplash, another subtle hint of color and pattern that keeps the space interesting despite its adherence to a minimalist perspective.

In a home committed to tranquility, it’s no surprise that the bedroom would be a point of emphasis. Maintaining the white walls that cover the rest of the home, this room contrasts them with strong, colorful bedding and geometric patterns through a vintage Kente cloth from Sunday Shop. The space is further defined by the solid ash bed frame, its natural materials further contributing to the serene and calm feel of the space. “Custom narrow floating bedside tables in white oak finishes complement the limited color palette and maximize space in the cozy bedroom,” Nina adds.

Subtle moments of color also help to deepen the experience of this space. Chief among them is the custom millwork of the closet. “The millwork features a finish in a soft and airy blue-green hue by Clare Paint,” Nina explains. “Meanwhile the rounded millwork details and absence of hardware further emphasizes the themes softness, peacefulness and calm.”

Great design means considering small details. In this home, that meant not ignoring the hallway that connects the bedroom to the other side of the apartment and the bathroom that lies on the far side of the kitchen. Running along the backside of the home, it would be easy to overlook. But Nina designed the route to be aesthetically consistent with every other space. “The hallway connects public and private spaces,” the designer reflects, “framing the bedroom, kitchen and bathroom doors in white oak finishes and creating a harmonious transition between areas.” The expanse between areas is as useful as it is attractive. With hidden storage built in to maximize functionality, it includes space for cleaning supplies and a washer-dryer combo. To maintain the overall aesthetic and theme of the apartment, Nina punctuated the space with an Orion brass mirror paired with a tulipwood "Windows Of Bo Bardi Side Table" from Destroyers/Builders.

“Consistency is the key to creating a sense of harmony and cohesion throughout a residence,” Nina offers. Case in point: The bathroom in this apartment carefully adheres to what the designer calls the “limited material and color palette established in the rest of the apartment.” The familiar and welcome presence of white oak reappears in the vanity, which, like so many other elements in the home, seamlessly blends with clever storage solutions built into the construction, echoing the emphasis on marrying practicality and style.