(via T Magazine, photography by Nicole Franzen)
In Robert McKinley’s Chelsea apartment, a playful marriage of classic and contemporary design meets a design full of personable details and a careful balance of formality and comfort. Marble fireplaces are dressed up or down depending on the room, and rather than detracting from the form of the marble the details always complement it. In his living room above, an ornate mirror contrasts a contemporary piece of artwork and a pair of minimal metal and canvas chairs.
Unique vintage and found objects are sprinkled throughout: an antique mirror from Brooklyn Heights hangs above the fireplace, an original gas chandelier from the late 1800s lights the living area. Scandinavian chairs from Paris sit fireside, and a gold-leafed skull, from a series that was custom cast for GoldBar, a boîte he designed in 2007, rests on a circa-1950s Franco Albini rattan ottoman from Rome.
A warm, tropical theme is evident through the raw and beachy elements in his den and bedroom, like the palm tree photograph and banana leaf curtains. I love the warmness that his raw wood heaboard brings to his bedroom, and the mix of patterns on his bed.
I think decor is most impressive when an appreciation for a person’s history and a variety of styles can be represented in harmony in one room, and Robert’s apartment is full of personal pieces that make it all the more interesting.
