A Stirring Design Showpiece That's Both “New and Unusual”

Paola Singer

There is something both soothing and stirring about a Giancarlo Valle–designed space. With his taste for geometric objects set against nearly bare walls, the New York City–based architect and AD100 honoree creates restrained, quiet atmospheres. But he also uses color to dramatic effect, chooses forceful accents, and plays with asymmetry. “I like to think about the familiar and the foreign,” says Valle, who opened his eponymous studio in 2016 after long stints at architectural powerhouses like SHoP and Snøhetta. “My projects have the comfort of something you know, yet with elements that can make you slightly uncomfortable.”

Valle recently completed a 1,700-square-foot apartment in the NoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, where his novel approach to design matched his clients’ desire to “go to a new, unusual place.” In one corner of the home’s dining room, for example, Valle placed a seven-foot-tall sheet of oak whose curved edges echo the oval shape of the white-onyx dining table. The piece, from Oliver Gustav’s boutique in Copenhagen, could be described as either a screen or a sculpture. A small painting of a cowboy, hung off-center, is the only artwork on the adjacent walls. There is no single decoration that anchors the space; our eye wanders from the screen to the painting to the central light pendant, a brass fixture by Dimore Studio shaped like a crown of feathers.

Valle jokingly refers to this cozy room, the most colorful and most decorated space in the apartment, as a “smoking den.” The silk-and-wool yellow rug is from Pierre Frey, and the off-white club chair is by Studio Giancarlo Valle.
Valle jokingly refers to this cozy room, the most colorful and most decorated space in the apartment, as a “smoking den.” The silk-and-wool yellow rug is from Pierre Frey, and the off-white club chair is by Studio Giancarlo Valle.

“We took them on a journey, and they really trusted the process,” says Valle of the homeowners, a young couple who work in creative fields. “One of the overarching themes of our practice is creating a conversation between elements.” Like Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier and Gio Ponti, Valle considers architecture, interior design, and furniture design as a whole, and he delves into every one of these disciplines for each project.

Many of the furnishings in the apartment, including a series of wooden dining chairs with backs shaped like loops, and a slim, armless sectional sofa with perfectly round pillows, were designed by his firm, Studio Giancarlo Valle. While he sometimes looks to the aforementioned midcentury masters for inspiration, Valle is particularly interested in lesser-known names who worked in between periods or were “on the fringe,” such as premodern Scandinavian designers of the ’30s and ’40s. It is indeed hard to pinpoint a precise historical reference when looking at his stripped-down yet rich interiors, with palettes that are by turns muted and bold, and lines that oscillate between minimalism and extravagance. One thing is for certain: They are a refreshing antidote to the cookie-cutter, Instagram-ready designs we’ve grown tired of.

A Stirring Design Showpiece That's Both “New and Unusual”

Architect Giancarlo Valle, principal of his eponymous studio in New York City, designed this 1,700-square-foot, two-bedroom NoHo apartment for a young creative couple. In the living room, Valle paired this slim armless sectional (his own design, upholstered in ecru Italian mohair) with a set of voluminous Pierre Paulin chairs from Ralph Pucci. The coffee tables, made of brass plates atop ceramic blocks, were also designed by Valle. An Italian silk tapestry from Paula Rubenstein hangs on the back wall. In typical Valle fashion, it creates asymmetry while also acting as a balancing element.
The dining room features a white-onyx dining table that was custom-made in Italy; its oval shape is echoed in the solid wooden screen behind it, an oak piece from Oliver Gustav. Above the table is an oxidized-brass pendant by Dimore Studio. “It’s the only bit of flair in the room,” says Valle of the fixture’s feather-like shapes. The chairs were designed by Valle.
A brass sconce by Dimore Studio anchors this corner of the living room, which also features an elongated side table with modular stools, made to measure by Green River Project. The pottery is from Roman & Williams Guild.
A brass sconce by Dimore Studio anchors this corner of the living room, which also features an elongated side table with modular stools, made to measure by Green River Project. The pottery is from Roman & Williams Guild.
In the master bedroom, the only source of color comes from this wall-to-wall lime green silk carpet. The hammered wrought-iron bed was designed by Valle. “We took an almost monastic approach to this space,” says the architect and designer. “It’s a rich but very calm retreat.”
In the master bedroom, the only source of color comes from this wall-to-wall lime green silk carpet. The hammered wrought-iron bed was designed by Valle. “We took an almost monastic approach to this space,” says the architect and designer. “It’s a rich but very calm retreat.”
“This is enormous; it takes up the entire side of the room,” says Valle of the custom-made armoire in the master bedroom, which has an oak frame and linen panels covering the doors and drawers. The bronze floor lamp is by French sculptor Philippe Anthonioz, and the stool is a vintage piece from the Netherlands.
“This is enormous; it takes up the entire side of the room,” says Valle of the custom-made armoire in the master bedroom, which has an oak frame and linen panels covering the doors and drawers. The bronze floor lamp is by French sculptor Philippe Anthonioz, and the stool is a vintage piece from the Netherlands.
One of the bathrooms in the newly built apartment was renovated to look less “slick.” Valle chose handmade black tiles for the walls, and paired it with a small Moroccan sink. The red mirror above it is a vintage piece from Dienst and Dotter, and the stone below is Vermont Verde Antique serpentine.
One of the bathrooms in the newly built apartment was renovated to look less “slick.” Valle chose handmade black tiles for the walls, and paired it with a small Moroccan sink. The red mirror above it is a vintage piece from Dienst and Dotter, and the stone below is Vermont Verde Antique serpentine.
Valle jokingly refers to this cozy room, the most colorful and most decorated space in the apartment, as a “smoking den.” The silk-and-wool yellow rug is from Pierre Frey, and the off-white club chair is by Studio Giancarlo Valle.
Valle jokingly refers to this cozy room, the most colorful and most decorated space in the apartment, as a “smoking den.” The silk-and-wool yellow rug is from Pierre Frey, and the off-white club chair is by Studio Giancarlo Valle.
The apartment’s second bedroom was turned into a social space imbued with deep red hues. A custom sectional, upholstered in Dedar’s Tibetan-inspired “Tiger Silk,” hugs the room. The curvy coffee table designed by Valle has mohair siding and a ceramic top with hand-cut tiles made by Natalie Weinberger.
The apartment’s second bedroom was turned into a social space imbued with deep red hues. A custom sectional, upholstered in Dedar’s Tibetan-inspired “Tiger Silk,” hugs the room. The curvy coffee table designed by Valle has mohair siding and a ceramic top with hand-cut tiles made by Natalie Weinberger.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest