Located in the historic Cobble Hill district, Amity Residence sits within a stone building built in 1910, overlooking a lush tree-lined street on the corner of Amity Street and Clinton Street. The charming apartment hadn’t been touched since the ‘60s maintaining a sense of character that design duo Selma Akkari and Rawan Muqaddas decided to build upon.
Photography by Sean Davidson
An escape from the busy Brooklyn streets, the heart of the home was carefully curated. Keeping the kitchen airy and open, it was conceived as part of the living space with an emphasis on the long marble shelf in place of upper cabinets. The shelf, topped by two sconces, serves as a backdrop showcasing the honed purple green-veined marble. The bedrooms were perceived as a moment of serenity with integrated open shelves and an ensuite walk-in closet and bathroom. An operable skylight was introduced in the second bedroom, allowing even more light to flood through the 16 window corner apartment. With adaptability in mind, an alternative floor plan was conceived, allowing the addition of a 3rd bedroom with minimal construction. The living space then remains open, boasting the two historic bay windows overlooking Amity Street.
Photography by Sean Davidson
The designers saw potential centered around the building’s legacy. A dialogue of opposites was the main theme behind the creation; minimal but warm, understated yet rich. This idea was materialized through the pairing of an aluminum-clad kitchen against a traditional rounded arch, and handmade ceramic tiles against soft contemporary lighting. A warm color palette was deployed to unify the spaces by way of gentle oak floors, cream-hued walls that contrasted with dark stone, and stained wood inset bookshelves.
Photography by Sean Davidson
“A dialogue of opposites was the main theme behind the creation; minimal but warm, understated yet rich.”-- Akkari & Muqaddas
Photography by Sean Davidson
In order to bring the space to its full life, the duo called in Somerset House for a staging collaboration. With an innate connection aesthetically and energetically, their vision of bringing together a culmination of different cultures and eras from Italian and Danish Modern mixed with a sprinkling of Baroque and Primitive influences quickly transformed the space. On a backdrop of refined details and a mixture of materials, Somerset introduces warmer textures, tones, and patina to the space, in a modern yet warm and unique space that feels design-centric but also intimate and inviting.
Photography by Sean Davidson
“Selma and Rawan’s extreme attention to detail and mix of materials really attracted us. It was apparent there was an immediate synergy between the both of us. The arched entryways, and an open airy layout, immediately felt would pair beautifully with our curated offerings, which brought in some warmer textures, tones, and patina to the space. The partnership was completely collaborative, which is something we value and allows for the project to evolve in an organic way.”-- Alan Eckstein, Somerset House
Photography by Sean Davidson
