Interior designer Michael Del Piero stands out in two ways: her ability to seamlessly fuse architecture and decoration, and to create unusual yet genius furniture placement. This home, made of concrete and glass, is the best example of what Michael does best. She transformed a cold, high-rise apartment into a warm and sophisticated family home.

Having already worked with the home owners, this time around felt symbiotic — client and designer knew exactly what each wanted and where to push. Since the clients had a large family, the design was focused on accommodating and entertaining many people at once. The pantry has similar cabinetry to the kitchen, with an addition of an enviable wine fridge — perfect for making sure white wine is served at the right temperature. For the living room she chose ottomans instead of coffee tables to serve as extra seating in case more people were to join in. Finally, she created a genius third guest bedroom out of the sitting room with a separating glass partition and a bed placed facing the window.

Michael’s main concern was to blend the concrete structure in so that it worked with the decor. In the master bedroom for example, the walls were painted a similar tone to the material. She also crafted a tv console and bookshelf out of unpolished concrete to repeat the architectural language. With so much glass and concrete, the space could easily feel cold, so Michael added nubby fabrics and vintage rugs, as well as hand scraped wood flooring to add texture to the home. African baskets and Asian sculptures were blended in with the family’s art collection to bring in more layers and interest.

The design, the decor, and the layout all have a cohesion that makes this large, multifunctional home a practical, if not a dream space for a family. We’ll be taking a closer look at this one for some time to take in some of the ingenious furniture and decor choices made.