Founded in 1996 by Brian Messana and Toby O Rorke in New York City, Messana O Rorke describe their particular brand of minimalist-infected modernism as pragmatism, with their approach to design capturing as much usable square footage as possible, rigorously limiting the number of interior elements, and extracting maximum impact from the chosen interventions. This distinctive approach extends to their entire material vocabulary: white walls stripped of mouldings, with recessed lighting at their perimeter; honey-toned oak floors; highly polished stainless steel railings and hardware; and marble fixtures and countertops and dark limestone flooring in the bathrooms and kitchen. With their masterful manipulation of space and judicious selection of materials oak flooring wire-brushed and lightly limed to contrast white walls but also to bring out its vivid grain, simultaneously conveying the woodworker s craft and the rawness of nature; statuary marble in a kitchen chosen for the painterly quality of the veining; architectural photography and ceramic objects adding sophisticated drama Messana O Rorke create complete environments of simplicity and serenity.