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D E S I G N E R P R O F I L E | AT E L I E R R O
W
h e n a c o u p l e h a s
completely different
tastes, designing a home
that satisfies both needs is
quite challenging. Interior
designer Juliette Spencer,
however, fully embraced the adventure —
and delivered quite a stunning space. Born
in England and based in New York, the
founder of Atelier RO helped a book editor
and her husband, a collector passionate
about archeology — who have two teenage
children — to find common ground for the
decor of their townhouse located in the
Nolita neighborhood of Lower Manhattan.
Nestled in a building dating back to 1860,
which in 2010 was renovated into a single-
family dwelling, the home is divided into two
apartments: the top triplex where the family
lives and the bottom duplex, which is used
as the husband's studio.
"My source of inspiration for this project
was to look toward the minimalist forms
of Donald Judd, Japanese millwork and
simple lines and forms," says Spencer. "I
intended the design to complement what
the owners already had."
Among these possessions was the
husband's fascinating collection of
19th-century items salvaged from the
surrounding area in New York City,
complemented by midcentury modern
pottery pieces, as well as photographs.
"The home was very cluttered with all these
items when I started working with the
owners, and the wife, who is a minimalist,
wanted to clear everything," remembers
Spencer. "I suggested that instead, we
could find a way to marry their sensibilities
together and showcase the husband's
26 DIGS.NET
| 12.1.23
