For a Parisian client who wanted a pied-a-terre in Chicago, designer Todd M. Haley developed a serene environment that was a respite from her busy life. Since the apartment is in a circa-1905 Lincoln Park building on a tree-lined street, it presented Haley with the perfect opportunity to combine classic American and European styles. See how he reinterpreted time-honored French details with iconic American design to create a sophisticated space in the big city.
Fresh from a buying trip to Paris, Haley began the design of the apartment with the goal of combining French details and iconic American elements. In the living and dining areas, a pale lavender palette underscores the sense of calm. All of the furniture is upholstered in the same Knoll fabric.
Couture details are designed to complement the overall experience, such as the applied tape trim on the Knoll Brno chairs in the dining area.
Everything is designed at 36" high, including the art rail, the backs of the furniture, and the wall of the breakfast area, with the aim of creating a calming "horizon" in the space.
Even the Artemide Tolomeo sconces located throughout the apartment are installed at the same height.
The entry console is constructed of a subway grate topped with safety glass in a homage to the iconic Maison de Verre located in Paris. Underneath the console is a Knoll bench upholstered in a Clarence House zebra-patterned silk velvet.
Next to the fireplace, a stainless steel feeding trough holds firewood.
The bedroom has a bespoke screen behind the bed which also envelops the night tables. The sheets on the bed are Pratesi and the blanket is Hermès.
The bed is upholstered in the same manner as a settee in Pauline de Rothschild's London drawing room.
The onyx black den is a reference to French fumeurs, or smoking rooms, and features Donald Sultan prints of smoke rings.
