Tour a Loft That Seamlessly Blends Patina and Polish
The collector who resides in this refined New York City pad has relied on Aamir Khandwala, of Aamir Khandwala Interior Design, to decorate her homes since the 1990s—when Khandwala was Robert Couturier’s head of decoration. For three decades, she has returned to him for distinctive and rich design that endures. “As I walk into a home that Aamir has completed for me, I am instantly reminded why I choose Aamir each time: to make my world full of beauty, grace, and comfort,” she says. “He and I hit it off from the very beginning. Not only does he have exceptional taste, he also listens to his clients carefully and designs solely for them, keeping their needs in mind and his own ego out.” The result is a unique and sophisticated mélange, reflecting his own aesthetics and his clients’ personalities.
The brilliance of this two-bedroom home lies in its feeling both lived-in and polished. This is because Khandwala believes in enhancing how one chooses to live. “Design is so intuitive,” he says. “Once you have it in your DNA, you go about it in a very natural way. Rather than thinking too hard about how one should live, instead you think about how one is living.” From room to room, Khandwala has focused on blending pieces, presenting harmonious and multitextured scenes. This begins in the entrance, which combines the gel of the 1960s table from designer Wendell Castle and the leather of the Mauritanian rug from RW Guild. Throughout, the bones of this loftlike home—which include industrial details, like dark-colored columns and glass doors—have been eased with delicate choices, including the hand-blown glass light fixture from designer Jeff Zimmerman that crowns the home office.
To realize this, Khandwala builds his rooms up from the floor. “I think it’s important to have the right rug in the room,” he notes. “I feel like it’s the foundation of the room.” From there, he works around the space, decorating the ceilings and the walls before considering the furnishings. “My mind has always been inclined to think in layers,” he adds. This process is seen in the living room, which features a grand Turkish oushak rug from the 1700s. Its tones, including blushes and bronzes, have been translated in the furnishings. The couch from Liaigre has been re-covered in rose-colored linen, and the three tables from designer Gloria Cortina reflect the golden hues. Even the pops—such as the custom pillows from textile makers Hechizoo and Makrosha—live inside this scheme.
Tour a Loft That Seamlessly Blends Patina and Polish
Even the home office packs a punch, thanks to the Haas Brothers’ La Brea Brad Pitt mammoth rug. Antique pieces like the Portuguese cabinet have been blended with modern ones like the Oka desk. The hanging light from designer Jeff Zimmerman is made from handblown glass.
Throughout, the design is curated and deliberate. Each piece has been included for a reason—even the surfboard in the living room, which belongs to the resident’s son. “We’re living in this day where everything is so disposable, but things shouldn’t be disposable,” says Khandwala. “Things should be important. They should be things that you collect. That doesn’t meant that they should be expensive, but they should have emotion. They should be things that create emotion.”
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest