Sheer draperies frame the sliding- glass doors, which open to the terrace. When closed at night, the draperies filter the city’s sparkling lights. “The ambiance is magical,” Nieto says.

Outside, Italian chairs surround a teak table. Nearby, teak chairs with blue-striped cushions afford a place to survey the scene.

Back inside the living room where it meets the hallway, laminated photographs of water reflections hang above white leather benches. A wenge-wood mirror rests casually against the wall, revealing a bit of the powder room around the corner.

“I think powder rooms should be conversation pieces,” says Nieto, who used a computer to design the boldly striped handpainted pattern.

In the kitchen, sliding-glass doors take in a panoramic view of the city, providing the backdrop for a brushed stainless-steel table and white molded-plastic chairs. “My client doesn’t eat in, so this is a place for coffee in the morning or a quick bite,” Nieto says.

To make the most of the master bedroom’s space, Nieto chose an Italian storage system that acts as a headboard wall. Its touch-sensitive bins form a grid pattern that reappears in the bed covering.

Keeping his client’s needs in mind, Nieto designed a pied-aterre that’s cool and upbeat. “I really appreciated this creative person giving me creative range,” Nieto says.