New York, United states

Ed and Barbara Parker residence – Sustainable design grows in Brooklyn

The architects met when Ed was studying in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Barbara was on a student exchange program from her native Italy. After university, Ed moved to New York and Barbara joined him. A decade later they settled in the neighborhood of Park Slope in Brooklyn. “It feels very European. The different architecture and urban setting resonate with me,” says Barbara. “We were trying to be forward thinking when choosing this location,” chimes Ed. “There are amenities for families. It’s a beautiful place to be too.”

Ed describes their apartment, which was built around 1900, as a “railroad, long and thin with multiple rooms you have to pass through”. The couple were immediately keen to change the interior but it has taken time. They had only renovated the front in 2015. “Since then, we went through another renovation to accommodate the kids,” says Barbara. So what was once a second living room in the apartment’s heart has become the kitchen, an old cupboard stacked full of books making way for a built-in refrigerator and the children have their own room.

There is also more clutter and splashes of color in a space that was once pristine white. The pair like the mix of old and new, as Ed says: “Pieces juxtapose each other and set each other off. Our insertions are modern but restrained.” Which is where their relationship with USM comes in. Ed first came across the brand when he was studying in Zurich and was immediately intrigued. “When we first bought the USM Ed really advocated for it because he knew it and loved it,” says Barbara. They had two cabinets – one for the TV, while the other housed Ed’s ever-bourgeoning record collection. But with the second living room disappearing they had to find a way of storing their stuff.

“When we first bought the USM Ed really advocated for it because he knew it and loved it,” says Barbara.

Neatly demonstrating how flexible and sustainable USM is, they simply combined their two existing USM Haller pieces and, working with a USM design specialist, added more elements to create an entirely new and much larger wall storage cabinet. They also purchased a yellow nightstand for their children’s bedroom. “We had a decorative painter do a mural that we conceived in the kids’ room. We thought from a colour standpoint that it was a really nice match to that piece. Also, because USM panels are magnetic and the children have magnetic things, they like to play with it,” says Ed.

Of course, life changes and interiors often have to move with them. Yet you get the sense the Parkers are keeping their USM for the long haul. “I’ve often imagined turning it into something else if we ever move, filing cabinets or storage for other things,” says Ed. “We think it’s something we can use forever, even if it’s not in this shape and size.”

“We think it's something we can use forever, even if it's not in this shape and size.”

“There’s just something about good design in terms of details, materials and quality that generates pleasure,” concludes Barbara. “It has become quite the presence in the living room.”