THE MORSE BUILDING
New York City

The Morse Building (built by Samuel of Morse Code fame) is a registered landmark uniquely situated in a NYC neighborhood steeped in American History. Paying homage to this location —developed by our founding fathers and embraced by American literary great, Edgar Allen Poe who spent time writing at the adjacent Temple Court--was imperative to the theme of this project. The color palettes, textiles, and upholstery were inspired by Early American menswear, hunting attire, and American Folk Art. China patterns were influenced by early American Delft tiles. Antique furnishings and rugs were individually curated from all over New England for their regal-but-rustic patina-ed quality, maintaining a comfortable, threadbare feel. The space is livable, and functional, not stuffy. Keeping in theme with the more macabre shades of Poe, a darker color palette was chosen to compliment the client’s antique taxidermy and French erotic postcard collections. The nod to French aesthetic trends that were popular in a budding America help to soften and offset the masculine colonial details.