The Living-Room Wall The faux fireplace is a reclaimed Edwardian-art nouveau cast-iron combination fireplace. The painting above, “Portrait of a Boy,” is by Gustavo Montoya and the light is a Petite Tulle Wall Lamp by Blueprint Lighting. The black-and-white-print Conchula swivel chair, upholstered in Dedar, is by Greenapple.
Photo: Ethan Herrington
About a year and a half ago, the designer Juan Carretero found a 750-square-foot Sheetrock box of an apartment in the former General Electric factory on Bank Street. “It was an absoute nightmare, in real disrepair,” Carretero says.
The location was everything, though. He had been renting on Barrow Street and always loved the building. This was a gut reno worth taking on. He opened up the small, formerly closed-off kitchen and added a second entrance to the bathroom. But it’s really the two pale-mint French doors separating the bedroom and the living room that transport you to another place.
“What I did was copy my grandmother’s doors in her house in Oaxaca, Mexico,” Carretero says. “It was in my family for many years, and my great-grandfather converted it from a Colonial style into Art Nouveau style.”
He has been interested in the latter period ever since. Carretero, who was born and raised in Mexico City, came to New York 25 years ago to get his master’s in construction and development at NYU. Back then, he shared an apartment with a cousin in Murray Hill, “the most uncool part of town,” he says, “and also the cheapest.” His work life in the city stalled after school, so he moved to Hudson to renovate and restore homes. He discovered that he had a talent for staging houses for sale, and his business as an interior designer was born.
Carretero has enhanced his Bank Street pied-à-terre with architectural details it never had, including moldings and baseboards. The doorframes were raised to give more grandeur to the already ample ceiling height of nine feet, and he added extra doors for the illusion of space.
“I figured a way in which to live in a small space without running into each other all the time is always having two doors to a room,” he says. To resolve the problem area between the French doors, which wasn’t large enough for a piece of furniture, Carretero installed a faux fireplace, “just one of those things to bring in a little bit of character to anchor the room.”
Another trusted hack in his renovation tool kit is his use of paint. Applied within recessed windows, it suggests paneling, and floors painted white trick the eye. “If ever there was a recipe for bringing light into a room, that’s it,” he says.
A painted floor is a flourish most clients wouldn’t let him get away with. “It’s something they would think of as inconvenient, but the truth is they are going to age well,” he says. “You just have to like the fact that it is going to show some wear and tear.”
The Entrance The mural is by artist Brian Gilmartin. “I just asked for an organic, loose, intriguing form. Not a flower per se,” said Juan Carretero. “During the process, we always referred to it as ‘the weed.’” He custom designed the brass ceiling light. The mirror by Ongaro & Fuga is from Artemest.
Photo: Ethan Herrington
The Foyer “The Explorer” embroidery over a 17th century Flemish tapestry is by the Catskill artist Richard Saja. The French 1950s wall sconce is oak, brass, and fabric.
Photo: Ethan Herrington
The Living Room The shag rug is by Judy Ross. The large painting above the sofa is by Lloyd Tabing. The hanging light is by Zwaartafelen.
Photo: Ethan Herrington
The Dining Area Carretero likens the classic marble topped Saarinen table, which has been with him in every apartment, to a little black dress. “It’s never going to go out of style,” he said. The chairs are vintage Gilbert Marklund, circa 1970. The eye oil painting was a Barcelona flea market find.
Photo: Ethan Herrington
The Kitchen White Cerused oak was used for the cabinets and wood walls. The counters are Cipollino Classico marble from Artistic Tile. The framed drawings are by Nancy Steinson.
Photo: Ethan Herrington
The Living Room Wall The art work between the windows is by Ever Baldwin, who made the frame and painting.
Photo: Ethan Herrington
The Bedroom The large black drawing above the bed is by Abraham Cruzvillegas, acquired from the gallery Kurimanzutto. The wood wall sculpture is by the Berkshires artist Dai Ban and the photograph below is by AdeY. The colorful oblong pillow is Pierre Frey.
Photo: Ethan Herrington
The Furniture Carretero painted large red circles on both sides of the back of the 1950s Edward Wormley chair. “I have done this with a few pieces,” he said. “It’s a bit of a signature.”
Photo: Ethan Herrington
