Other — PT-5199

A Celestial, Striking 550-Square-Foot Studio Designed as a Refined Jewel Box

BySamantha Weiss-Hills,Photography byAngela Hau,Art Direction byLinda Denahan,Styling byElaina Sullivan

2026 · Mar·N. Halvorsen·Pigment Atelier·Oslo·8 min read

PublishedMar 22, 2026 3:58 AM EDT

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Interior designer Ernesto Gloria excels at balancing high and low design elements. A prolific antique shopper, he possesses an intuitive sense for whether a vintage lamp, heirloom chair, or thrifted artwork will complement an IKEA sofa or CB2 table. He sources shelving from warehouse supply stores and fabric from textile studios such as Schumacher and Zak + Fox. These unexpected combinations are what make his projects feel immediately lived-in, as though each piece has been assembled over time.

That intuition is equally evident in his own residence. Gloria, who worked in Tom Scheerer’s practice before establishing his own studio during the pandemic, had just launched Studio Tre when he discovered a 550-square-foot studio for rent in London Terrace Gardens—a renowned circa-1930s courtyard building he had long wished to inhabit. He seized the opportunity for several reasons, chief among them the built-in community. There was also the convenience: “I go to the barber downstairs. I’ve had acupuncture downstairs, a facial,” Gloria recounts. “It’s the New York dream of having everything in the building.”

He cites early-2000s shows such as Will & Grace and Friends as design inspiration—his first impressions of what a New York City apartment could look like. “There are little Easter eggs in my apartment that remind me of those two shows,” he says, referencing a frame over the peephole reminiscent of Monica’s apartment and an eclecticism similar to Will’s place. “[They] gave me the permission to be more playful and unconventional with my decorating, not to mention the urge to create little mise-en-scènes throughout the apartment since every shot or angle needs to be considered.”

Additionally, the unit is not a typical open-plan layout. This one features a separate foyer, kitchen, and dressing room nook where he could position his bed. “I love the separation of spaces, because you have more walls to put art up and play around with,” Gloria notes. Ahead, he offers a tour of his petite, personality-filled Chelsea apartment.

The apartment was the “landlord special” except for the oak floors, which were great. Everything else was white. I painted the ceiling, the trim, and the smaller rooms except the kitchen. I kept the w

I love the parameters and limitations of this apartment. This is the only layout that works in my head. It wasn’t that hard to decorate and furnish, because there were very specific places where every

My apartment is kind of a laboratory. I normally do walls a more colorful hue and the ceiling lighter. I wanted to try something different here before we tried it with clients. Plus, I’d already start

I was stuck at home during the pandemic trying to figure out how to dress up a Noguchi lantern. Those are just fake plants fromJamali Gardenstuffed inside. When you turn it on, the color really comes

The horse panel was a gift from Tom; he had a couple of extras as he was cleaning house. I picked a wall color from it—I just put up all the reds from Farrow & Ball and Picture Gallery Red was the one

My corner cabinet is one of my prize possessions, and it fit perfectly in this little corner. I added LED lights and mirror panels in the back. I make a good martini and cocktails for friends; that’s

I learned a lot from my previous boss, Tom. I use a mix of high and low, new and old, thrifting and antique shopping. The thread is casual and colorful, just having fun. I’m okay with not everything c

I can put coats on the door and there’s a little place to put my keys. Then I hung art on the door that led to the bedroom. | Paint color, Cola byFarrow & Ball.

The bathroom mural, done by a decorative painter, was inspired byNocturne in Black and Gold, The Falling Rocketby James McNeil Whistler. As a child, I loved the night sky in a bedroom; I wanted someth

A lot of the art is from my friends, and my nephew. My nephew loves to paint, and he’ll give me things, and I’ll put them in really nice frames. The picture in the bathroom is from a friend, Grant Leg

Samantha Weiss-Hills Avatar

Samantha Weiss-Hills

Managing Editor

Samantha Weiss-Hills is the managing editor for Domino. She edits and writes home tours and features, and she’s the friend who everyone texts for glassware, sofa, and sheet recommendations. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband, Alex, and their beagle-corgi, Elsa.

A Celestial, Striking 550-Square-Foot Studio Designed as a Refined Jewel Box

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Samantha Weiss-Hills

Managing Editor

Angela Hau

Elaina Sullivan

Linda Denahan

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