Soften the brutalism

When I first moved to New York, I was put off by the architecture everyone marveled at.

Being from Paris, I’m used to symmetry, harmony, and old-school concepts that stand the test of time.

Among the skyscrapers that blocked the sun in the streets of the Financial District, the asymmetrical Jenga building, or the neck-twisting Gehry tower on Spruce Street that my clients were so happy to move into, I admired the humble brownstones of the Lower East Side, Brooklyn, or the West Village.

In the same way that I decided at age 17 to embrace living in an era I thought wasn't suited for me in Paris, I decided 10 years later to accept the aesthetics of the new city I relocated to, even though it was the polar opposite of what I enjoyed. What had been my challenge in this new place became my mission: how can I soften the hard lines of these concrete and steel buildings?

Found in abundance in New York, brutalism is a mid-20th-century architectural style characterized by a bold, industrial aesthetic. I started exploring balancing its robust textures and striking forms with contemporary interiors in order to bring softness and comfort to homes created in them. See, knowing that people are comfortable at home, whether I know them or not, is one of the things I care about the most.

In a city where humans are always linked to technology, I try to remind my clients that our happy spot is in nature by adding plants tailored to their lifestyle. I incorporate natural elements, patterns, and materials to build harmonious and soothing environments. From living walls to light optimization, I infuse spaces with the healing and restorative power of the natural world. I love venturing off the beaten path to breathe new life into my clients’ homes and create designs that are truly distinctive and memorable.

Written by Carole Vaudable, interior designer.

Design by Carole Vaudable in a Union Square, Manhattan apartment.