What the building lacked in old New York character, though, Huneeus planned to make up for in thoughtful design choices. Aside from a few minor updates-trading what she deemed to be excess closet storage for more livable square footage-the family of six was able to gather at their urban retreat in a matter of months.

“I wanted something turnkey that we could start using immediately,” she says.

Ultimately, the decision came down to convenience. Instead, the 2,700-square-foot apartment had floor-to-ceiling picture windows and curving plaster walls that give the space an unexpected softness. “For one,” she says, “there wasn’t an exposed brick wall anywhere.” But the building’s modern spaces and sculptural aluminum façade couldn’t have been a bigger departure from the “funky, New York City–loft vibe” she’d envisioned. “It was the natural light and the Gaudi-esque curves that caught my eye,” she admits. Once the need was realized, Huneeus moved fast, setting her sights on a then new construction bordering SoHo and Tribeca. That epiphany is what inspired the Chilean-born, San Francisco–based interior designer Maca Huneeus to search for a Manhattan pied-à-terre back in 2017.

When you frequent a hotel so often that the hotel begins renovating rooms to accommodate you and your family, perhaps it’s time to start looking for your own place.

Designer city building