de la Torre design studio llc.

When a young couple with two toddlers wanted to imbue their West Chelsea pied-à-terre with an urbane, vibrant vibe, they turned to Ernest de la Torre, of New York–based de la Torre design studio llc. “The clients were excited to invest in both fine art and functional art — and craft is always central to my process,” says de la Torre. Accordingly, he loaded them up with treasures. With Paul Michael Graves’s mural on the sliding kitchen wall serving as a backdrop, echoing the rich earth metal tones of the entire scheme, de la Torre surrounded a glazed, tile-topped coffee table by Emmanuel Babled, from Twenty First Gallery, with such vintage classics as a Vladimir Kagan sectional sofa and an oversize Satellite chaise longue by Milo Baughman. (All three are 1stDibs finds.) In the nearby dining area, the custom table and chairs, sporting inlay of turquoise and mother-of-pearl, respectively, were designed by de la Torre for Maison Gerard. “Fun design is like a cocktail party,” he notes. “It works best when there are interesting characters in the mix.” Here, de la Torre proves he’s the perfect host.