The Berger family — Brian (CEO of the men’s apparel company, Mack Weldon), Erin (a former director for a non-profit) and their 3 sons, ages 13, 10, 6 — had lived in this 3 bedroom condo near Columbia University for some time. But with their sons getting older, the family was itching for more space. In a moment of New York real estate kismet, their adjacent neighbor was open to moving, and they struck a deal.
The Bergers hired Frederick Tang Architecture to combine the two apartments, giving the boys a separate ‘wing’ of the house. “But before construction started, a major leak from the upstairs neighbor changed the plans. It damaged the floors and slowly the scope of work grew to a gut renovation including new furniture and custom pieces,” explained Barbara Reyes, Director of Design, Interiors, and Branding at Frederick Tang. This gave the team ample opportunity to completely reimagine the space top to bottom. Blending the couple’s style — he prefers tasteful simplicity while she has a more bold and colorful vision. — ensured the home feel modern and playful at once. “Their home became the balance of both worlds,” Barbara told us.
The home now has something for everyone: an entertaining area, a home office, and multiple spaces for the boys to study or play. And for the design lovers, there’s an impressive Venetian plaster archway that will have you rethinking everything you thought you knew about ‘new’ condos. Take a tour in the slideshow, with beautiful photos by Gieves Anderson.
