When Gardenia Galiardo decided to create a home office in her Manhattan apartment, she faced plenty of challenges. This being New York, the main obstacle was space; the room for her home office measured a snug 8.5 feet by 12 feet and needed to perform double duty.
“I wanted the space to have a lot of functionality,” recalls Galiardo, a lawyer. “I needed space to work and store my files, but I also wanted a daybed.” The daybed would provide accommodation for overnight guests, as well as a space for her two young sons to hang out.
For help, she turned to interior designer Elizabeth Aurandt, the founder and principal of New York-based mercer INTERIOR. Aurandt tackled the space as if it were a yacht, considering every square inch and relying on built-ins for a streamlined look.
Taking into account the direction that the door swung open, Aurandt placed the daybed and office desk on opposite walls. She also lined the room with nearly floor-to-ceiling built-ins that were custom designed to maximize storage. “We tried to balance open storage as well as stored space,” explains Aurandt. Her solution: A mix of open shelves, which display personal mementos and office materials, and some ingenious solutions, such as hanging file storage stowed into the drawers under the daybed, which can store both legal- and letter-sized files. The shallow desk accommodates the room’s narrow width and has pull-out drawers that function as keyboard shelves that are obscured when not in use.
In a nod to practicality and the daily rigors of two children, the daybed and cushions were upholstered in durable Perennials outdoor fabric. Galiardo mentions that the daybed has become a favorite spot for her sons to hang out after school, as well as a cozy spot for the family to curl up and watch television.
Slightly smaller than a twin bed, the custom daybed is tucked into an alcove surrounded by built-ins. “We had to compromise a bit on the size of the bed to get it all in here,” notes Aurandt.
In a nod to practicality and the daily rigors of two children, the daybed and cushions were upholstered in durable Perennials outdoor fabric. Galiardo mentions that the daybed has become a favorite spot for her sons to hang out after school, as well as a cozy spot for the family to curl up and watch television.
The overall palette is pale and soothing, thanks to the gray wood and the touches of pale pink in the upholstery and wall color. It’s feminine, yet strong. To maximize daylight, Aurandt says she used multiple sources of light, including an overhead fixture, wall sconces above the daybed and lights built in to the bookshelves.
The single window is dressed with cream linen curtains to let in sunlight, and Aurandt covered an HVAC system under the window with a built-in box to keep it out of sight. She also tucked cords and computer hardware behind closed doors.
Galiardo is delighted with how her home office turned out. “I love that it’s so cozy,” she expresses. “I feel that it was personalized to the way that I work, and it is a bespoke space.”
Photography by: Emily Gilbert Photography
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