We want to show you a project developed by the Self-described millennial Daniel Sperling: he wanted to flex his know-how, so he decided to fully renovate his 790 square foot Upper East Side apartment. And he did a great job.
The 25-year-old that works within his family’s architectural millwork company took the hard decision to carry out a renovation without the help of a general contractor. The result of Sperling’s efforts is a sleek apartment with convertible fixtures like a murphy bed and pull-down desk, and high-tech heating and lighting systems all installed on a relative budget. The renovation wasn’t only about saving dimes but also space. Daniel transformed the space, which had the typical post-war layout. (See the images below)
We decided to ask Daniel some questions and he was kind enough to answer. Enjoy!
To be in love with our work is always the key to achieve better results. Are you in love with this job?
Yes, on accident. It was the family business.
What do you love most about being an interior designer?
The freedom. Particularly when it’s a personal project, you don’t have any expectations to fulfill. You proceed with what feels natural. Improvisation sometimes yields the most fruitful results.
Do you have a favorite project or a favorite story about one of your projects?
This E. 56th St. project; figuring out how to capitalize on the utmost of storage space in this space was our greatest challenge.
How important is to have the perfect chemistry between you and your clients in order to achieve the best results?
A client’s trust and aligned taste is crucial to the success of any project.
Do you think working with teams in interior design is better or worse than working alone? Why?
Alone is best. The fewer opinions, the better. Meetings are detrimental to expediting tangible results.
Keep up to date on all the trends is essential for anyone who wants to conquer this market. In what ways do you keep current with new trends?
Houzz, and searching online keywords 🙂 Essentially, I stay up late into the night researching who is winning awards, blogs covering the best products, etc.
How would you describe your work style? Do you have any kind of “signatures” that may help to identify your projects?
I’m hyper tech-focused in my approach. I don’t do paper. I don’t print anything. I never keep a physical copy of anything. I either scan or take a photo and store in the cloud. In regards to the signature, I’m a fan of CNC design accents integrated into the modern design.
All artists need some inspirations to work, and interior designers are artists too. So, what or who really inspires you?
Bjarke Ingels, Ascher Davis, Peter Marino, John Murray, and Robert Young
If you had to pick a project around the world that you wish it had been made by you, which would it be?
Bjarke Ingel’s VIA 57West project (625 W. 57th St.). He had dinner with one of my mentors at an Influencers Dinner in NYC. I wish I was there.
To choose the best pieces that compose a project can be the secret to getting the best overall result. Although it seems easy, this is a delicate task and needs full attention on time to execute it. Do you have some tips for those who do not know well how to start a challenge like this?
Houzz. The be-all and end-all.
Which are your favorite brands, those that can never miss in one of your projects?
Hafele is alpha with any complimentary hardware/additional features we integrate into our millwork. Kohler is exceptional in the fixtures department.
And last but not least, in your opinion, which brands cannot be forgotten in a decorating project for this project to be a remarkable one?
I strongly believe DelightFULL will be a standard (I swear, I wasn’t paid to say this. The Coltrane fixtures are in my sights).
SEE ALSO: DELIGHTFULL CELEBRATES 7YEARS WITH 7PARTNERSHIPS AT SALONE DEL MOBILE
See this video of the project:
We really hope you liked our article. Feel free to pin all the images to your favorite Pinterest board or to print it and use in your mood board. You can visit DelightFULL’s Inspirations Page as well as our pinterest boards in order to get more inspirations. Get more ideas for your projects and find functional, stylish and sizable lighting and furniture choices.
