Words by Christina Pérez
Photography by Max Burkhalter
“It’s like a cabinet of curiosities,” artist Simone Bodmer-Turner says of her one-bedroom Brooklyn home. There are pieces of driftwood on the built-in shelves, an antique butter churner in the kitchen, and sculptural stones serving as bookends. “I have a long-term, romantic idea about collecting things and handing them down,” the sculptor and ceramist explains.
But despite its ephemera, the apartment, which is tucked into the garden level of a historic brownstone, remains remarkably serene—including her pared-back bedroom. The walls are painted an airy white, and there’s an abundance of natural light. Every single item was carefully considered to align with the home’s old-world charm. “I wanted to be really intentional about only buying pieces that were well made and by designers who I knew or respected,” says Bodmer-Turner. “It’s about trying to find a balance.”
It’s that same thoughtfulness that drew the artist to the Calvin Klein Home Naturals collection, a new line of bedding consisting of Tencel Lyocell fibers made from sustainable wood sources and recycled cotton scraps.“I love the way they’re sourced using upcycled fabrics,” says Bodmer-Turner of the linens, which come in four neutral hues. “You can really see the texture of the sheets. The simple colors and patterns go well with the minimal feel of the bedroom.”
After all, she spends a lot of time there—it’s a place to read, relax, and dream up the voluptuous sculptures that have become a signature of her work. “I do most of my conceptualizing here, so I definitely tried to make it very, very comfortable,” she explains. “It’s squishy—there are lots of pillows.”
“I always lean toward white or off-white bedding; it brings a crispness and serenity to a space,” Bodmer-Turner says of her penchant for Calvin Klein Home’s Naturals bedding in Pure Grid, a quiet, tonal pattern in a dusty beige and white. The sculptural wood bed, designed by Sarah Ellison, provides an artistic anchor for the textiles to shine. “It was one of the first things that I got. It’s just so simple and iconic—it has almost a Brâncuși shape.”
That's kind of my secret joke with myself. If I was to have a religion, it would be just full belief in the natural world.”
A four-piece polyptych by artist Hanna Eshel hangs over the bed, below another piece of driftwood that Bodmer-Turner says reminds her of a religious artifact. “That’s kind of my secret joke with myself. If I were to have a religion, it would be just full belief in the natural world,” she says.
Whether it’s a local estate sale or foraging in nature, Bodmer-Turner has a knack for unearthing meaningful objects. Plucked from an antiques store in upstate New York, the upcycled side tables feature tablecloths that were hardened with fabric stiffener for a sculptural effect. “I painted them white myself. When I saw them, they reminded me of my favorite Alberto Giacometti piece,” she explains. “Almost everything I own is a reference of sorts.”
Bodmer-Turner utilizes the entirety of the bedroom, making sure to spend her mornings quietly on the daybed that’s perched next to the bed. “I’m somebody who needs to enter my day very gradually,” she says. “After I make coffee, my next step is to the daybed.” The Olivia Stutz–designed seating was inspired by Mario Bellini. “The light here is the best for reading, and morning is when my brain works best,” she adds. With the help of frequent collaborators Cain Cain Studios, Bodmer-Turner transformed an alcove in the room into a thick plaster bookshelf to house her collection of art and design tomes. “There’s always more books because I have a problem,” she jokes. Now that’s making room
for inspiration.
in partnership with
Artist and sculptor Simone Bodmer-Turner crafts a
serene bedroom using airy, earthy bedding as her anchor.
Calvin Klein Naturals
Duvet Cover Set in Pure Grid
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Artist and sculptor Simone Bodmer-Turner crafts a
serene bedroom using airy, earthy bedding as her anchor.
in partnership with