Isabel Runsewe is never one to overlook a nook. “Every time I see a nook, I get very excited,” explains Runsewe, founder of New York-based design firm Isy’s Interiors. “I love to add a hanging light on the side and cover it in wallpaper.” So, it was only fitting that when a young couple contacted Runsewe to put the finishing touches on their new apartment in Brooklyn’s DUMBO neighborhood—a move that was both fate and social media magic—she put the spotlight on the space’s smaller moments.
“The building itself is so interesting with its concrete ceilings,” Runsewe explains. “It was such an industrial building, so I focused a lot on bringing in a lot of warmth through rugs, textured wallpaper, and lighting.”
For Runsewe, it all started with the compact entryway. “The only thing they said to me is when their friends [visit] and open the front door, they want them to say, ‘Wow,’” Runsewe details. “I knew that hallway had to be amazing.” Fortunately, she found the perfect muse in a pinstripe repeat from Holli Zollinger, which served as inspiration for the rest of the apartment. To complement the wallpaper—and add just a touch of drama—Runsewe dressed up the entryway’s adjacent nook with a splash of Portola Paints’ brick-tinged limewash. While the rest of the Brooklyn apartment’s common areas follow a strict diet of beige and navy, a slew of textures like the CB2 marble table in the hallway nook and the dining room’s 1960s bouclé chairs add warmth.
But perhaps the room that needed the coziest touches was the living room, a small-yet-sun-drenched nook. Between the room’s awkward shape and very visible position in the apartment, Runsewe knew it was important to create a space that looked good from all angles. To help, she enlisted NY Custom Furnishing to create a custom, kidney bean-shaped sofa in Jane Churchill fabric.
“What’s nice about the shape is you can move it around a bit when you’re watching TV or entertaining guests,” Runsewe says. “With an awkward, small space, you have to have a couch that [can] be more adaptable.” Rounding out the nook was a custom rug from Kravet, Colefax and Fowler drapes, and a wheat Roman Clay from Portola Paints.
“Comfortable” and “cozy” were Runsewe’s core principles throughout the project, but she managed to inject a few bolder moments in the private quarters. The primary bedroom feels like an idyllic respite with the help of a mural-like wallpaper from Rebel Walls and a dose of Samuel and Sons pom-poms. Meanwhile, a colorful floral repeat from Rebel Walls and throw pillows swathed in Oscar de la Renta bring a delightfully traditional touch to the guest room.
“Keeping those bolder choices to private rooms and smaller spaces means you don’t get bored of it because you’re not seeing them the whole time,” Runsewe explains. “You can just enjoy them when you go in once a day.” After all, whether it’s a compact area or brief interaction, it’s those small moments that can make a big difference.
Photography by Kirsten Francis.
For more like this industrial Brooklyn apartment, be sure to check out Mardi Ola’s warehouse home in Melbourne.
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