Contemporary interiors are often predictable and forgettable – black/white/chrome…over and over and over. I sometimes forget whose apartment I’m visiting because so many of them look alike. For my clients, visual interest is derived from textural variety rather than pattern or color. I temper the typically strict contemporary black/white/chrome color scheme by incorporating shades of gray, stainless, and the organic color and tactile fabrication of wood. The introduction of the patterns of delicate wood graining turn ordinary into extraordinary.

For an ongoing project, the 3/3 condo’s entertainment spaces are pale and airy – far from dull. The cocktail and dining (surface) tables are teak, serving as counterpoint to lightly textured white leather sofa and chairs and white marble floors with subtle veining. The two tables, on opposite sides of the open floor plan, balance and unite the two areas.

Other wood furnishings include majestic, 130 pound African Mahogany interior doors with a medium dark stain, likewise the kitchen’s cabinetry. Separating living from dining spaces is a rosewood sideboard with exquisite character. Bedroom floors are sanded and stained to carry the warm and welcoming look of wood throughout the private areas of the apartment.

Integrating wood into a contemporary design scheme adds natural beauty and an organic tactile appearance . And because designs range from free-form to sleek and crisp lines, you’ll be sure to find pieces that complement your style.