When your job is to style and curate products around some of the world’s most beautiful interiors, you tend to have opinions about design. This is definitely true of Benjamin Reynaert, the Senior Style & Market Editor for Architectural Digest’s AD PRO. The newest industry source for the insider scoop, AD PRO delivers the must-read news, the must-meet personalities, and the must-see interiors that only AD has access to. From off-the-radar jobs, the see-and-be-seen local events, sourcing secrets, and educational hacks, not to mention the magazine’s full, searchable archive of nearly 100 issues, AD PRO is quickly becoming a designer go-to. As one of the editors behind this treasure trove of inspiration, we asked Benjamin to share some of his favorite living spaces featured by AD, along with curating the ultimate collection for an inspired living room.
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#1: Confident Collector
“The library designed by Giancarlo Valle is a true study in vintage furnishings. Jean Royère and Willy Guhl chairs stand out against the deep-hued space and pair well with the Jorge Zalszupin sofa, GIanfranco Frattini cocktail table, and the Prouvé stool, creating a lovely and livable mix. A Nathalie Du Pasquier painting above the mantel adds color and warmth.”
#2: Curated Cool
“If those tall iron doors look familiar, it’s because Misha Nonoo purchased her Greenwich Village duplex from former owner Nate Berkus. Working with Andre Mellone, she transformed the space while keeping many of the wonderful architectural elements. Here, 1950s Italian upholstered armchairs make a statement by framing an Oscar Tuazon mirrored artwork.”
#3: Dramatic Flair
“Good proportions and moldings create the perfect backdrop for this dramatic London apartment—designed by Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran of DimoreStudio and owned by Dan and Dean Caten, the brothers behind fashion label DSquared2—where color (blue ceilings) and texture (velvet walls and voluptuous striped drapery) dominate. A low-slung leather daybed and other vintage furnishings take their places throughout the living room, which is centered around a custom marble mantel.”
#4: Neutral California
“Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent’s sun-filled California living room is a reminder that neutrals don’t have to be boring, especially when different time periods and styles come together in a cohesive way. The curved Afra and Tobia Scarpa sofa for Cassina plays well with an angular 1960s English bench covered in Lee Jofa fabric. Important vintage and found objects throughout add a personal narrative to the chic and comfy space.”
#5: Grande Dame
“Ilse Crawford’s expansive, grand home is actually incredibly cozy and inviting. The plant-filled dayroom houses Arne Jacobsen rattan armchairs and Josef Frank stools, bringing a casual balance to the classical proportions of the 1916 Stockholm manse. An arc floor lamp by Florian Schulz, vintage chandelier, and other Mid-Century pieces arranged loosely in the space provide a comfortable backdrop for fun family gatherings or peaceful reading by an open window.”
#6: Eclectic Charm
“John Derian’s light-filled apartment in New York City’s East Village showcases the design maestro’s sublime world of wonder, embodying his covetable, eclectic charm. I adore the layering of vintage Caucasian rugs and textiles—many from Jeanette Farrier—and easy, breezy slipcover-upholstered sofas by Cisco Brothers. An oversize mirror brings an elegance to the multipurpose living space.”
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Lead Image: LEFT: Photography by Trevor Tondro, Courtesy of Architectural Digest ; RIGHT: Photography by Stephen Kent Johnson, Courtesy of Architectural Digest
