Dining Room • 1 Sutton Pl S Unit 4CD, New York, NY 10022
A custom, elevated U-shaped banquette defines a private corner along one wall. Its design includes low openings that maintain clear views across the entire room. At the room's end, a full-height slatted oak screen stands. This screen provides enclosure while its gaps allow filtered glimpses beyond.
Linear LED lighting brightens the banquette's base, marking its perimeter. A modular table system replaces the old dining table, adapting for small groups or large gatherings. Reflective art pieces strategically placed expand perceived room depth.
This room actively redefines how you interact with its boundaries.
Design Philosophy
This design manipulates spatial experience directly. It applies the 'Prospect and refuge' framework, creating zones of enclosure and openness. A custom banquette offers a contained feel, while its low openings provide expansive views. The 'Substitution of one' framework is seen in the slatted screen; it defines space yet allows filtered sightlines.
Spatial Narrative
The eye first lands on the banquette's inviting curve. Your gaze then extends through its openings, drawing you towards the slatted screen. You walk along the polished floor, choosing a seat either within the banquette's quiet corner or at the adaptable table in the open area.
Light Study
Morning light streams in through the central window, casting long shadows across the banquette's deep fabric. In the evening, the recessed linear lighting illuminates the banquette's base, defining the room's lower perimeter. The slatted screen filters daylight, creating shifting patterns on the opposite wall throughout the afternoon.
Living Vignette
A conversation unfolds across the modular table, reconfigured for four. Soft light from the banquette's base outlines the gathering, creating intimacy within the wider room.
Material Palette
Velvet upholstery: Velvet upholstery feels soft and rich. It develops a gentle sheen with use.
Solid oak: Solid oak feels substantial and stable. Its matte finish deepens over time.
Dark walnut tables: Dark walnut tables feel smooth and dense. They hold up to daily use with a subtle darkening of grain.
