How Drake/Anderson Reimagined the AD Apartment for This Year's Architectural Digest Design Show
The AD Apartment has always been a must-see installation at the annual Architectural Digest Design Show, and this year is no different. We asked AD100 design firm Drake/Anderson to reimagine the exhibition for the modern apartment dweller, looking to AD’s popular new digital destination, Clever, for inspiration. Clever is all about smart, stylish design ideas and solutions for real life, and that's exactly what you'll find in the AD Apartment, presented by Monogram. Studded with bold color, rich textures, and reflective surfaces, the space is a design enthusiast's dream, but the firm's unique use of space and materials make it attainable, too. So, how did Drake/Anderson do it? AD PRO sat down with cofounder Caleb Anderson and senior interior designer Johanna Bohman Barger to get the lowdown on the design.
AD PRO: What was your overall vision for the apartment?_
Caleb Anderson: We were trying to think of who would live there. We wanted it to be a young, glamorous person who is into the New York cosmopolitan vibe, who likes art and interesting things.
Johanna Bohman Barger: The apartment is sophisticated but budget-conscious.
CA: We thought, "Do we do try to do something clever and unique for the coffee table, or do we go borrow an amazing gallery piece?" We chose to do the former because we felt it was more appropriate for what this apartment is. It's different from what we would typically do.
AD PRO: A bold amethyst hue plays a big role in the design. How did you land on the color palette?
CA: We went back and forth. Originally, we started with this desert-red clay. It felt current, but somehow it didn’t feel right. So we got away from that. I came across a gorgeous blue color, but all along, my favorite color was this amethyst. I thought it was such a rich, gorgeous, unique color. At the end of the day, it was the right color for this project.
JBB: It’s rich and cohesive but at the same time a little unexpected.
CA: When you think about this apartment, it’s all important, but the kitchen has definitely received a lot of emphasis. I think by it being this mass that’s painted this gorgeous, rich color, it definitely stands out.
JBB: For someone who is starting out, to have a kitchen as a focal point is a big deal. To be able to have that opportunity and give it such life is really important here.
AD PRO: How did you approach the layout?
CA: We wanted it to feel like you could walk around and have this sense of circulation and flow.
JBB: The bedroom, kitchen, and living room are all separate, defined spaces without being defined by walls.
AD PRO: What was it like to design the space through the Clever lens?
CA: It was challenging. Obviously, we wanted it to be a beautiful, cohesive design that reflects our firm and what we do. We took things that on their own are ordinary and really elevated them in the way that we composed the apartment. I think it feels sophisticated, but it also feels youthful. There’s a lot of contrast and reflectivity and sheen.
JBB: When we were looking at the different pieces from the various vendors, we looked at pieces that had interesting shapes that would relate to each other in the space but also elevate themselves and the materials. I feel like a lot of people in the younger age bracket that would potentially live in this apartment might go into a store and say, "Oh, there’s a whole bedroom suite." A vendor might have placed everything in one bedroom, but we're showing people that they can pick pieces from different areas and feeling comfortable mixing those pieces themselves.
CA: If Room & Board were to come in here, they would say, "Wow, that’s a really interesting and different take on our product." It honestly reminds me of when I wanted to have a fabulously designed apartment—this is what I did. I remember thinking, "Oh, I really want a fun, playful, sculptural coffee table, but that’s $30,000 and I can’t afford it. So I’m going to research and find something else." So that was fun.
