Designer Rachel Sherman, Principal at Manhattan-based Rachel Sloane Interiors, was tasked with reimagining a condo at a pivotal time in her clients’ lives. “They had just gotten engaged, and this was going to be their first home together as a married couple,” she shares. “They both work in finance and expressed that they feel most comfortable in a home that feels layered, creative, and lived in. They wanted their home to feel inviting, layered, sculptural, and, above all, comfortable!”

The condo is located in a newer development on the Lower East Side and had great bones to bring their vision to life—something that was clear the moment you walked through the door. “I love the long entryway, which is so rare in a NYC apartment,” Rachel says. “We wanted to fill this space with gorgeous textures which we did with a beautiful Phillip Jeffries wallcovering, a dual-pile Makrosha runner, a gorgeous Mary Ratcliffe bench and two alabaster Allied maker sconces.” They also added an arched mirror and console from Debra Folz as the perfect shallow “drop-spot” for keys and sunglasses, and a last-look before leaving the house.

In the great room, Rachel had to get creative. “Something we quickly realized as we were drawing up the floorplans was how tight the main living space was,” she recalls. “The way we solved for this was to create a corner banquette for the dining room, which allowed the living room sectional sofa to be a bit deeper and cozier for daily lounging without encroaching on the dining space.” The entire space is infused with subtle touches of color. “Whether through the green barstools, pop-of-red pillows, or bolder artwork, we made sure it was all grounded in the same neutral palettes and textures as to not be a total departure from the rest of the home,” the designer explains.

The bedroom is coated in a soft-hued limewash. “Everything here is neutral, but majorly plays up the texture,” Rachel says. “The Swell Studio nightstands have hand-chiseled wood fronts and a marble plinth. The Danny Kaplan ceramic bedside lamps cast a warm glow on all the gorgeous textures, including a plush wool rug from The Citizenry and the Lawson-Fenning chair and ottoman covered in a sumptuous Larsen fabric.”

Finally, as the couple both work from home several days a week, the home office had to be dialed in. “This moody dark blue room became a ‘study’ with side-by-side matching desks, a comfy sofa to take calls from, task lighting galore, and organic touches to bring apartment living back down to earth,” Rachel says.

Striking the right balance between his love of color and her affinity for neutrals was the project’s biggest challenge—but also its greatest success. After ten months of thoughtful collaboration, the result is a home that feels as warm and intentional as their relationship. “The clients love how livable yet beautiful their home is,” Rachel reflects. It’s a home that truly feels like them—together.