Item #2 from the Winter 2015 issue of New York magazine’s Design Hunting:

The East Harlem home Jeffrey Ventura Morell shares with his partner, Lyndel Urbano, is an 850-square-foot, loftlike apartment inside a recently renovated former warehouse. But the space is considerably different from what you’d expect to find behind the building’s glass facade: a slice of old-world grandeur and a celebration of the antiques that have long been both Morell’s passion and his occupation.

Morell currently manages the Upper East Side outpost of de Vera, Federico de Vera’s idiosyncratic gallery-inspired shop of jewelry and distinctive antique objects; though Morell has his own unique style, it’s one that’s clearly informed by the eclecticism of his current work environment.

“I’m equally inspired by maximalist décor and the concept of wabi-sabi,” says Morell, referring to the quiet, modest aesthetic espoused by designer Axel Vervoordt, whom he cites as an inspiration. Though these two approaches seem at odds, the result is a home that strikes a balance between elegance and everyday comfort. “I like to combine opposites in a way that creates just the right amount of tension,” Morell says.

The main living area’s furnishings embody an easy, industrial modern sensibility, from the oversize leather Room & Board sofa, an updated take on a chesterfield, to the navy-blue linen draperies on the rear wall, hung to emphasize the 12-foot-high foot-high ceilings. The gallery wall is an elegant counterpoint to this, showcasing some of the couple’s extensive collection.

For more on Design Hunting, go to http://nymag.com/homedesign/, and to buy the issue, go to http://nym.ag/Zg06XF.

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