Baccarat Residence is a synergy of art and the iconic New York City skyline

Baccarat Residence, a private home nestled on one of the upper levels of the famed Baccarat Hotel & Residences building in Manhattan, was the brainchild of architect Joe Serrins and his eponymous studio, who took on the commission to craft a family apartment interior for an existing client a few years ago. The scheme's location, in the heart of Midtown, and the apartment's swathes of glazing and long, iconic views, were key in creating the resulting engaging, warm and playful interior. 

Baccarat Residence by Joe Serrins Studio: an inspiration

'For me, the design grew out of the two artworks that connect the apartment to the site: the sculpture by Claudia Peña Salinas that hangs against the glass window and engages the building façade across the street. And on the opposite wall, a mural-size painting of a surrealist landscape by Emma Webster that offers a vision of nature as a counterpoint to the city view,' says Serrins, who worked on the project with lead designer Danielle Watson. 

'The site with the Midtown skyline view was our starting point for the design choices. The rooms are really pushed up against the glass, and the cacophony of skyscraper grids and reflections become part of the apartment.'

Blending a fairly neutral, flexible backdrop with captivating, playful art from the owners' personal art collection, and a mix of sourced furniture – both contemporary and vintage – made the interior pop. A solid relationship between the architect and his clients was equally critical in the design development too. Serrins highlights: 'We've worked with them on several projects, and there is a trust between us and clarity of ideas that makes working together a pleasure.'

The jewel box of an apartment comprises two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an open plan living, kitchen and dining area. All share vistas of the cityscape and its high rises beyond.

Serrins, who tackles with equal flair interiors, decor, as well as larger-scale architectural work, flags the enjoyment he finds in projects such as the Baccarat Residence: 'The great thing about interior design projects in general is the vast world of materials and objects that we get to explore. I enjoy the unexpected connections between pieces, like the glass “balloon” chair which sits next to a more traditional parchment table in the living room, for example. There are always experiences you can't anticipate when you assemble a diverse palette, and those surprises are often the best part.'

The architects worked with their clients to bring a sense of fun, youthfulness and informality to the residence – something that would befit the parents, but also their son who was in grad school in New York at the time of the commission. As a result, the strategic art is paired with textured furniture pieces that soften the space, such as brushed stainless steel cabinets, parchment table, silk rugs, a cotton velvet sofa, a recycled wood console by Piet Hein Eek, and a blown-glass armchair by Seungjin Yang.

As, in this case, the studio's involvement focused more on the decor and curation of the interior, Serrins explains that 'the challenge was defined for us from the beginning: how to merge the loud-luxury of the Baccarat aesthetic with the youthful, comfortable, modern vibe that we wanted to achieve'. 

He continues: 'The architectural gift was the apartment's long, narrow layout with a floor-to-ceiling glass wall – it feels like you're floating in the middle of the Midtown skyline. Our focus was on the selection of furnishings and artworks that enhanced that experience.'

joeserrins.com