SIZED TO FIT

Designer Nannette Brown reimagines a new-build apartment with unexpected depth, character, and texture.

- Catherine Hong

Never underestimate the power of a niche. This is one lesson you learn upon exploring this coolly elegant Upper East Side residence with interior design and architecture by the firm of Nannette Brown. Take the vestibule, where a semicircular recessed seating area sheathed floor to ceiling in zellige tile offers a striking perch for changing shoes. Or the primary bedroom, where a cashmere-upholstered daybed built into an alcove serves as an inviting spot for lounging. And don't forget the wood-paneled library, where a snug little wall niche makes the perfect display shelf for a piece of sculpture. Everywhere you look, functional nooks and recesses abound.