Buying a first apartment in Manhattan is an exciting milestone, but taking on a renovation—even a minor one—can be quite daunting. Just ask Jon Pollock, the founder and CEO of luxury travel company Ciao Andiamo, and his husband, Chris Pierce, a biotechnology executive, who were looking to put down more permanent roots in the West Village, where they had rented for years. The couple settled on a two-bedroom, two-bath co-op in the heart of the neighborhood with sweeping downtown vistas and classic prewar charm. And although the residence had been fairly well maintained since its renovation nine years prior, Pollock and Pierce decided to call in reinforcements to give the place a light refresh.  “When we bought it, we figured we might end up doing some work, but neither of us knew exactly what it needed,” says Pollock of the apartment, which occupies a little over 1,000 square feet. Enter interior designer Alexander Reid, who has a penchant for creating clean, contemporary spaces that are perfectly balanced with vintage and antique finds. “We wanted something that felt elevated but not overly designed,” says Pollock. “Alex’s style is a nice mix of elegant, warm, and modern, which fit our desire for a more masculine aesthetic.”

A Poul Henningsen floor lamp and a vintage Milo Baughman chair upholstered in a Schumacher fabric occupy a corner of the main bedroom, while a Gio Ponti mirror hangs above an antique Italian dresser nearby. The rug is by Stark. “I prefer rugs to sit four inches away from the wall because it gives the furniture more space to breath and helps open up small rooms,” explains Reid. Before they could get to the decor, however, Reid had to tackle what he calls a “kooky floor plan”—the result of two different units having been combined years ago. “The space wasn’t being used efficiently,” says Reid. “There was a cramped galley kitchen with a dining peninsula that jutted into the main living area, so we ripped out the peninsula and replaced it with a formal dining area.” The kitchen makeover entailed swapping out the upper cabinets in favor of open shelving, painting the lowers, and installing new appliances, lighting, and sink fittings. “There’s more room to breathe now,” explains Reid. “Jon is a great cook and they like to host dinner parties, so it was important to give them a cohesive, functional space for entertaining.” In addition to a formal sitting area adjacent to the dining area, there’s a cozy den that’s used for both movie nights and casual get-togethers. “We were having trouble conceptualizing a layout that would maximize the square footage, but Alex was able to guide us,” says Pierce. “Now, the living area feels so open. When you walk through the front door, you can see directly out the southern windows to the World Trade Center. Having lived in the city for 10 years with no view, that feeling never gets old.” Another tricky space was the pentagon-shaped guest room that doubles as an office. Because the room is petite and features an angled wall, the bed had to be placed on a diagonal and a custom desk was built around the radiator to take advantage of every last inch. (This small-yet-mighty room has more than proven its worth during the pandemic, serving not only as a home office but a landing pad for the couple’s new Peloton bike.) “Alex designed this room to be multifunctional despite it not being huge,” says Pierce. “He really thought about how to leverage each space.” Reid was so meticulous about the floor plan that he even took into account the couple’s Welsh terrier, Scout, creating special niches for her dog beds. In a pre-war co-op apartment designed by Alexander Reid, a Phillip Jeffries grass cloth envelops the den, which features a custom sectional upholstered in a Dedar velvet, a Jon Gasca cocktail table, a vintage Milo Baughman side table, and a vintage Swan chair by Arne Jacobsen. The radiator is concealed by a custom oak credenza, the light fixture is by Apparatus, and the rug is by Stark. Sconces by David Weeks Studio hang on a gallery wall that spans different mediums, from lithographs to oil paintings to black-and-white photographs.  In a pre-war co-op apartment designed by Alexander Reid, a

grass cloth envelops the den, which features a custom sectional upholstered in a

velvet, a Jon Gasca cocktail table, a vintage Milo Baughman side table, and a vintage Swan chair by Arne Jacobsen. The radiator is concealed by a custom oak credenza, the light fixture is by

. Sconces by

hang on a gallery wall that spans different mediums, from lithographs to oil paintings to black-and-white photographs. 

The kitchen refresh included ripping out the upper cabinets and replacing them with open shelving and

tile. Reid kept the existing Carrara marble countertops and installed

light fixtures and hardware. “We liked the kitchen cabinetry before so we were hesitant to change anything,” says homeowner Jon Pollock, “but Alex helped us see how great it could be.”

Reid also removed the kitchen’s dining peninsula, which broke up the living area and protruded into what is now the dining area. “I like to design from above, like an architect, with function being the most important thing,” says Reid. To the right of the kitchen is the entry foyer, which contains a Biedermeier cabinet and a vintage chair.

an open living area

Reid replaced the original “schoolhouse yellow wood floors,” as he refers to them, with a sleek black-stained version. “The black acts as a grounding force and helps make the home feel larger,” says the designer. He painted all the doors in

’s Pitch Black gloss, and he left both baths relatively untouched. “A classic black-and-white bathroom is quintessential New York City.”

The main bedroom is covered in

grass cloth, the light fixture is by

, and the custom bed is upholstered in a

wool.

Sconces by

flank artwork by Jerry Opper in the main bedroom. The bedding is by

A Poul Henningsen floor lamp and a vintage Milo Baughman chair upholstered in a

fabric occupy a corner of the main bedroom, while a Gio Ponti mirror hangs above an antique Italian dresser nearby. The rug is by

. “I prefer rugs to sit four inches away from the wall because it gives the furniture more space to breath and helps open up small rooms,” explains Reid.

Reid had to get creative when designing the guest room, as it is quite small and has five walls. The custom bed, which sits at an angle, is upholstered in a

wool and flanked by

sconces.

The guest room needed to double as an office, so Reid had a custom desk built to conceal the radiator and paired it with an Eames chair. “I love that the vintage toile de Jouy pattern on the walls depicts men instead of the typical milkmaids,” says Reid. “It makes it feel a bit more masculine.”

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