Design turned out to be their shared passion. Nasser, a high-end architect, runs his own New York firm Nasser Nakib Architect. Julia, with a background in hospitality, gradually became his creative partner. “Bit by bit, she squeezed herself into my world,” Nasser says. “She’s got great taste, a sharp eye, and she does the research I hate.”

Early in their relationship, Nasser bought a 2,400-square-foot penthouse loft located on Bond Street in the NoHo neighborhood, an address he had admired since his days as a young, penniless architect wandering New York in the 1980s. Originally purchased as an investment and a home for his three adult sons, the space soon became a shared passion project.

The loft, though full of potential, needed a complete overhaul. “Everything was wrong,” Nasser recalls. They stripped it down to its bones, uncovering original brick walls, beams, and even three layers of paint from 1895 hidden under Sheetrock. “There’s no reason to hide all that and paint it,” he says. Skylights were added to the 14-foot ceilings, flooding the space with natural light. Then came the floor selection: Dinesen European 12" wide plank solid oak in its natural finish, which Nasser thought would be the best base for the furniture to rest on.

Decorating the loft was an adventure in itself. The couple traveled frequently, London, Paris, Italy, collecting antiques with stories. A former desk from London became a bathroom vanity. A flea market in Paris yielded the wooden fireplace mantel. A Belgian church cabinet now sits in the living room. In the kitchen, a Robert Thompson plate rack displays a collection of Fornasetti architectural plates that Nasser bought from Barneys three decades ago. Contemporary art by friends like Nada Raad, Marylynn Massoud adds another personal layer.

Functionality played a key role in the renovation. Nasser swears by the modular USM system, which he’s used since early in his career. “The first time I opened a USM drawer, I thought, ‘Wow, cabinets can be this precise?’” Over time, he’s customized pieces, from tissue box covers to wheeled laundry hampers, and, as Nasser projects, “much more exciting designs are in the works.”

When he shipped his book collection from Beirut during wartime, a custom shelving system became a must, so Nasser had to design the system to hold Atlas Folios. Julia embraced the system too, using a perforated kitchen unit to store onions and produce.

An anthracite bench near the entryway hides cleaning supplies in their “shoes-off” home. Red hallway cabinets store linens, light bulbs, and household essentials. The system even extends to the basement gym and music studio. Ann Morris Antiques’ giant copper cone lights line the mirrored hallway leading to three bedrooms designed to feel like mini apartments behind a Vermont green slate wall. Each son had his preferred color selection of USM bedside tables.

Julia and Nasser lived through the full renovation process, watching the space transform around them. Today, the loft reflects not only their aesthetic but their journey.

Photographer: Marco Galloway

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