Anna Karlin | One Manhattan Square
One Manhattan Square apartments, by Anna Karlin Studio, honour the testament of attention to detail and individual personalities in richly layered homes.
Words: Emma-Kate Wilson | Photography: William Laird
‘Place For Entertaining’ - the welcoming space encourages congregation and conversation featuring soft textures and warm hues. Photo - William Laird.
Anna Karlin began the One Manhattan Square project by imagining the characters of the people who could inhabit the luxury apartments. The scale of the project meant each apartment had to be unique and personable— they needed their own voice in the vertical village of One Manhattan Square.
The design team went deep into the characters of each unit, offering a personable response. The studio maximised space in the apartment by using customised furnishings and fixtures. All of the intimate environments are carefully styled with vintage, designer classics, modern designs, and contemporary art — to bring the bespoke narrative and depth of personality.
‘Prêt-A-Porter’ is a space for the design and fashion forward guest - the space is a reflection of an on-trend New York City lifestyle. Photo - William Laird.
‘Prêt-A-Porter’ is about considered colour combinations and shiny accents, which speak to the fashion forward guest’s love of luxury retail. Photo - William Laird.
Located on the Lower East Side of New York City, the complex feels like a city within a city. So, Anna considered she had to honour the concept of taking a person’s written story and turning it into 3D. The designer shares, “we loved being able to design so many custom pieces to really make each space unique.” The project first started by One Manhattan Square’s design director, Nikki Hartle, approaching Anna Karlin Studio. From there the designs flowed naturally into a mini NYC, set behind the walls of the 800-foot tall glass tower.
“We crucially started with developing a character for each space; each design unfolded with its fictional occupant front and centre in our minds. ”
‘Wish You Were Here’ is a combination of colour, pattern, and contrast creating a place for an eclectic to feel at home. Photo - William Laird.
Each of the 11 designed model homes has their own names, giving strength to their individual qualities. From the mix of antique, mid-century modern-inspired and contemporary pieces, suitable for Mad Men’s Don Draper in ‘Private Quarters’ to the warm and inviting, textual heaven of ‘Place for Entertaining’ that Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf would feel right at home in. "I love 'Private Quarters'," Anna reflects, "I just picture Don Draper, or the protagonist from the Tom Ford movie A Single Man, taking residence."
The apartments are transformed from white cubes, and almost look unrecognisable from each other. Unsurprisingly green is hero-ed in 'Green Sanctuary', the apartment explores the inner-garden and mirrors greenhouse-esque textures. Next to one of the huge windows, a clean white chaise is surrounded by potted fiddle leaf fig, devil’s ivy, and areca palms for a city oasis, watching the world go by.
‘Green Sanctuary’ - a peaceful oasis, created for an urban gardener which provides seclusion from city life. Photo - William Laird.
‘Green Sanctuary’ - light and natural tones compliment the serene energy created in the space. Photo - William Laird.
“The final layouts are efficient and elegant while including the necessary programmatic elements of a luxury New York residence.”
‘Wish You Were Here’ is a combination of colour, pattern, and contrast creating a place for an eclectic to feel at home. Photo - William Laird.
‘Prêt-A-Porter’ is a space for the design and fashion forward guest - the space is a reflection of an on-trend New York City lifestyle. Photo - William Laird.
The mixing and mashing of textures against these brash colours add individuality to each room. It also transforms them into mini-sanctuaries from the busy-ness of the city. Where some apartments have pops of colour (always harmonised in textures and tone), others, like the serene 'Empty Nesters' are minimal and elegant. In this character, the personality is built through natural texture, clay, wool, linen, but the Anna Karlin Studio narrative comes through in the curved couches and mix of vintage and contemporary style. Anna has brought individual characteristics through each space, but New York is the hero in each apartment with floor to ceiling windows offering gapping views. With the city twinkling as the backdrop, each spot is unique in personality but provides bespoke, ornate details to gaze at for hours.
‘Empty Nesters’ - a mature and refined space which provides an elegant setting suited to a couple, decorated in muted tones and warm metallics. Photo - William Laird.
‘Young Family’ is designed for the guest with a refined eye for art and design paired with strong graphic elements is a reflection of their successful and experienced creative careers. Photo - William Laird.
"I love ‘Private Quarters’," Anna Karlin reflects, "I just picture Don Draper, or the protagonist from the Tom Ford movie A Single Man, taking residence." Photo - William Laird.
“Design choices honour the distinct identity of each character while also producing spaces that speak to the vision of Anna Karlin Studio.”
‘Young Family’ is designed for the guest with a refined eye for art and design paired with strong graphic elements is a reflection of their successful and experienced creative careers. Photo - William Laird.