Tour a Modernist New York City Apartment That’s All About Brazilian Design

Jessica Cherner
·7 min read
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When Bonobos founder Andy Dunn and his wife, Manuela Zoninsein, purchased their three-bedroom New York City apartment on the historic Great Jones Street, they knew that creating an open floor plan was paramount. After all, they both have big families (hers Brazilian and his American, Indian, and Scandinavian) and love to play host. Plus, after welcoming their first child, Izzo, in October of 2020, moving into a bigger home with fewer walls made sense. The couple, therefore, gave their trusted friend, New York interior designer Becky Shea, a call and, suffice to say, she delivered. “I created the layout with the sole purpose of entertaining in mind,” explains Shea, who also outfitted the pair’s previous apartment in Greenwich Village. “What was fun about working with Becky on our last home and again on this one is that she has a good sense of our aesthetic,” Zoninsein says. That aesthetic includes a deep appreciation for Brazilian modernism, which is undoubtedly evident in this second abode.

In the apartment, simple and organic elements often appear in glass, wood, and stone—all of which are hallmark materials of traditional Brazilian design. “Manuela was the driving force behind the interiors,” Shea notes of her client, whose heritage is especially evident in the apartment’s main area. (In fact, a whopping 90% of the furniture in the apartment is by Brazilian makers.) Shea explains, “Every piece could stand alone and you could still appreciate its materiality and design. This kind of harmonizing of material and structure is what Brazilian [craft] is known for.”

On the deck of their Great Jones apartment, Bonobos founder Andy Dunn, his wife Manuela Zoninsein, and their first child, Izzo, sit on a Gloster sofa that features a eucalyptus wood frame. The family-owned outdoor furniture company is dedicated to ethically sourced materials and sustainability. (For every eucalyptus tree the brand cuts down to hand-craft their designs it plants two more.) The end table behind Dunn is also by Gloster.

Zoninsein also likes the idea of repurposing—whether it’s reclaimed wood on the dining table from their former apartment or a passed-down piece of art in the den. “If you invest in something beautiful then it can be beautiful forever,” she reflects. The Rio de Janeiro native also finds it comforting that so many of the iconic Brazilian pieces, including the vintage sofas in the living area, are ones that she is very familiar with. “Everything you see…is something I have seen and sat on as a child in Brazil,” she says with a laugh.

Though Shea fully intended to decorate the whole apartment in that Brazilian modernist style, she adjusted her vision for one specific room—Dunn’s den—which Shea jokingly describes as “a crazy, cool acid trip.” For his little nook, the design inspiration shifted away from Brazil and toward the U.S. (and more specifically, to the Old World–inspired hotels of downtown Manhattan). “I really wanted that feeling of being in a library like the one at the NoMad New York.” Dunn notes, adding “I’ve always found that when you move into a new place, it doesn't feel like home until the books go up.”

Tour a Modernist New York City Apartment That’s All About Brazilian Design

Because the elevator opens directly into the apartment, Shea wanted to design a statement-worthy entry complete with a large-scale Gray Malin photograph and a Claudia Moreira Salles bench and coat rack. (Both were sourced from Espasso, a New York boutique that sells midcentury-modern and contemporary Brazilian pieces.) “It was important to stay true to those warm wood notes and concrete brutalism in this area,” she adds.
Most of the furniture in the living room is from Espasso. The Jorge Zalszupin coffee table and the Carlos Motta armchairs almost look like they were designed to go together, as does the Allied Maker totem floor lamp. The sofas, both of which are vintage, were purchased on 1stdibs. The Sergio Rodriguez one that faces the deck is made from a type of Brazilian rosewood that is now considered endangered and is legally no longer available to furniture makers. “You can only find this material in vintage pieces, which makes the sofa [very] special,” Shea says. Another unique piece? The National Geographic photograph whose hues the couple found so mesmerizing that they bought it as soon as they saw it in a Soho gallery. “The soft, warm colors all work with the indoor furniture while the blue sky creates the perfect transition between the interior and exterior,” Shea adds.
The table, which was the first piece of furniture Shea had ever designed, boasts a butternut oak surface and steel base, and pairs perfectly with the vintage dining chairs sourced from 1stdibs. “We wanted something that tied that Brazilian modernism into this area of the apartment,” she explains. “The Phillip Jeffries wallpaper is [also] a fun alternative to putting a piece of art or mirror [in].” Other standout pieces include the 1950s light fixture by Dominici and the 1960s buffet, both of which Shea purchased on 1stdibs.
“We did add the concrete cantilever slab and the glass backsplash, which reflects the light and makes the kitchen look bigger, but those are the only architectural elements I can take credit for,” she explains. “BKSK Architects did the rest.” She did, however, outfit the space with charming furniture and art, including the Uprise prints on either wall and the vintage stools. “We thrifted them!” Shea says with a laugh. Of course, she made them a bit more glamorous by powder-coating the pieces in a rich shade of gunmetal.
“The den is a medley of sorts,” Shea says. Inspired by the NoMad New York, the Bowery Hotel, and other hospitality destinations, it’s Dunn’s very chic version of a man cave, complete with a vintage Eames lounge chair and ottoman and a 1960s walnut coffee table. “Once the Phillip Jeffries wallpaper, which is actually made of wood, and heavy velvet drapes were installed, I realized I couldn’t just leave the ceiling white,” she adds. “The room looked unfinished.” She ultimately installed an old school–style tin ceiling, sourced from American Tin Ceilings, and enlisted Dunn to help design the individual tiles. Elsewhere, the couple’s family definitely has a strong presence: The sofa is from Dunn’s brother-in-law’s company, Interior Define, while most of the art was inherited.
Shea took a more whimsical approach in the guest bathroom, whose walls are all clad in a fun Cole & Son wallpaper. The goal was to optimize for form and function, which explains the giant wood basin that serves as a unique take on a sink. On the opposite wall, she installed a hidden floor-to-ceiling cabinet for linen storage.
“I love the Allied Maker sconces,” Shea confesses of the pieces used in this bedroom. They’re hand-carved walnut disks that radiate a romantic, diffused light. She found the walnut-framed bed, from Lawson-Fenning, on a sourcing trip to L.A. a few years earlier, and bought it because of the contrasting textures and colors. “It’s so subtle yet extreme at the same time,” Shea notes.
Glass, marble, and teak are the only materials used in the primary bath, which features a massive shower and soaking tub. As for the fixtures, Shea strayed outside of her comfort zone and went with rose gold. “It counteracts with the marble in such a beautiful way,” she says.
Glass, marble, and teak are the only materials used in the primary bath, which features a massive shower and soaking tub. As for the fixtures, Shea strayed outside of her comfort zone and went with rose gold. “It counteracts with the marble in such a beautiful way,” she says.
On their deck, Bonobos founder Andy Dunn, Manuela Zoninsein, and their first child, Izzo, sit on a Gloster sofa that features a eucalyptus wood frame. The family-owned outdoor furniture company is dedicated to ethically sourced materials and sustainability. (For every eucalyptus tree the brand cuts down to hand-craft their designs it plants two more.) The end table behind Dunn is also by Gloster.
See the video.

Shea journeyed downtown to the iconic NoMad Hotel to analyze every detail of its design—from the soft-to-the-touch textures on the sofas to the moody hues on the walls—and created her own twist on that worldly, masculine interior. “You really get the feeling of being in an environment that feels warm and cozy,” Dunn reflects. Plus “all of the colors of the books just pop.”

What the couple loves most about their new home, however, is the narrative behind it. “They are romantics and storytellers,” Shea readily admits. Dunn and Zoninsein were so intentional in every decision they made because they wanted to feel connected to each and every piece. “I always want to tell people the whole story of where we got everything, but I have to hold back,” Zoninsein explains with a chuckle. “Every detail is very personal to us, and that was the point.” Indeed.

Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest