Photography by Stephen Kent Johnson
A monochromatic canvas by Larry Zox creates an eye-catching focal point in the primary bedroom, where a custom leather-and-oak bed is sheathed in chocolate leather by The Romo Group and topped with linens by Society and a vintage coverlet. Vintage sconces by Silnovo, a Danish floor lamp from 1stdibs, an ebonized side table by Rick Owens, and a custom oak-and-pine nightstand introduce a layered mix of materials, joined by a Borsani lounge chair and a handwoven rug by ALT for Living.
Designers know a thing or two about the road not taken. For every project that reaches move-in-ready, there’s a quiet accumulation of aesthetic could-have-beens—saved to virtual mood boards or personal wish lists and seldom revisited. But for AD PRO Directory member Neal Beckstedt many of those long-forgotten possibilities resurfaced when a Manhattan bachelor contracted him to overhaul his Chelsea residence above the High Line, an audaciously colorful apartment that, coincidentally, the designer revamped for an international couple five years earlier.
For Beckstedt, this meant a push to embrace what he calls a “more efficient use of circulation.” After gutting the apartment, he rearranged and reoriented the rooms toward the windows to allow for maximum views and light; then, inspired by Japanese boxes, he clad floors and walls in soulful wide-plank Douglas fir to create a cocooning effect that cozies the space without diluting the sophistication. “It’s our take on warm minimalism,” says Beckstedt. “The homeowner is really focused and edited but very approachable and warm, and I wanted to capture that.”
January 8, 2026
