Steal This Style: High-Rise Glam

Christine van Deusen didn’t have much to work with in her client’s new condo at the Residences at the InterContinental. “It was basically a white box,” the decorator says. To forge an upscale, inviting atmosphere, van Deusen imported a mix of antique and midcentury modern furniture. Here, her by-the-numbers guide to turning character-challenged condos into comfortably hip homes…

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Christine van Deusen didn’t have much to work with in her client’s new condo at the Residences at the InterContinental. “It was basically a white box,” the decorator says. To forge an upscale, inviting atmosphere, van Deusen imported a mix of antique and midcentury modern furniture. Here, her by-the-numbers guide to turning character-challenged condos into comfortably hip homes.

 

 

 

 

 

1. Lamp: “The combination of metal and glass is stunning, especially with lamps,” says van Deusen. “The ones we chose also feature chipped glass, which has amazing reflectivity.” (Tall chrome lamp, $439, Wolfers Lighting.)

 

 

 

 

2. Walls: A pale blue hue brightens the entire room. Van Deusen prefers long-lasting Farrow & Ball paint, which contains no synthetic pigments. (Farrow & Ball paint, $30-$85 per quart, Johnson Paint Company.)

 

 

 

3. Table: An oversize dark brown oak-and-bamboo coffee table “is the opposite of blue on the color wheel,” says van Deusen, who favors the interplay between contrasting colors and materials. (Maxalto table, $2,379, Montage.)

 

 

 

 

4. Accent table: Likewise, white or ivory side tables play against darker furniture and add compelling textures to the room. (Zig Zag stool, $235, Lekker.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Sofa: The low-slung, tufted style of the sofa says glamour and sophistication, while the upholstery is soft and inviting. (Dexter sofa, $1,960, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.)