Interior designer Daun Curry takes her cues from her clients and the places in which they choose to live.
So an architecture aficionado might find traces of Mies, Corb, Frank Lloyd Wright or even Louise Nevelson sprinkled throughout his residence.
Or a young couple with twin sons and a penchant for art might be pleased to find their new Upper East Side apartment flooded with works by Karl Springer, Marilyn Minter, Anibal Vallejo and Peter Traag.
Upper East Side Apartment, Daun Curry
Not to mention original sculptures and lighting fixtures by Curry herself.
"I design furniture, fabrics and whatever the project calls for," the 2004 graduate of Parsons The New School says. "Every project opens up my mind to tailor designs to the client and the space."
Upper East Side Apartment, Daun Curry
In that 30th-floor apartment at East 77th and Seventh Avenue, she worked overtime not just on the artwork, but on assemblages that make that family's home a one-of-a-kind experience.
"They're a young family, with a couple of kids, a dog, a husband who owns a hedge fund and a wife who's a homemaker," she says. "They wanted a space that was comfortable and multi-functional, so there's a lot of hidden storage and custom details and personalized space for them."
Upper East Side Apartment, Daun Curry
Like the master bedroom's television, sunk into a walnut cabinet that, when closed, is neat as a pin. Or the master bath with its solid glass countertop, a collection of crystals beneath. Or the other materials in the 3,500 square-foot home -- the silks, the linens, the Swarovski crystal lighting, the Moroccan-blue Venetian-plastered ceiling above the entry and the Parsons-style dining room table with its leather Cassini chairs.
Upper East Side Apartment, Daun Curry
It's all a little whimsical too: beneath that entry's ceiling is a series of black-and-white photos of the family, ringing a vintage Karl Springer snakeskin mirror.
"It's unlike anything else," she says. "It's all customized to the client."
Curry's been on her own as a designer for 11 years now. Those who haven't heard much about her need only wait a few minutes.
Because she's got talent -- and she's on a roll.
J. Michael Welton writes about architecture, art and design for national and international publications, and edits a digital design magazine at www.architectsandartisans.com, where portions of this post first appeared. He's also the author of "Drawing from Practice: Architects and the Meaning of Freehand," published by Routledge Architecture Press.