I Gotham Glamour

Clients who fly from home to home seem to be naturally drawn to living in the clouds in Manhattan. For this West Coast based couple, a full floor apartment in a new construction, neo-classic building was their choice for a New York City home.

We embarked on a thoughtful renovation, but of limited intrusion: a completely new kitchen and powder room, modern bath vanities while maintaining the rest, aligning some doorways for a clearer visual flow, and sophisticated lighting and AV. New marble floors with brass insets create an elegant base for the elevator vestibule and foyer. Their graphic angular design inspired the magnificent pair of bronze, obsidian and quartz doors through which you enter.

Photography by Stephen Kent Johnson

The foyer leads directly into the large living room, which has two seating groups connected by a statement double chaise, as well as a desk for working with the view in sight.

The dining room was wrapped in teal glazed walls, and a site specific light installation of glowing glass rods capped in brass was commissioned from artist Sharon Louden. The biomorphic custom table was set on an unusual angle, atop a shaped rug. The chairs form echoes these curves.

The kitchen was redesigned with a central island that is also a banquette, facing the Central Park views. Custom millwork includes faceted upper cabinets of silvered rift oak. Adjacent is a family hangout lounge for catching up and watching TV. A sinuous sofa wraps the space, but doesn’t block the views.

In the main bedroom suite we designed new closets to meet the client’s request of something like a Tom Ford store. The wall behind the bed is upholstered in subtly hand beaded fabric framed in lacquer, and a statement making cabinet inlaid with brass framed gypsum panels winks at the foyer floor’s pattern, and holds the TV.

II Downtown Manhattan Residence

This very unique and special home sits high above Manhattan featuring our signature complexity of finishes in a reductive recipe—rich minimalism à la Drake/Anderson.

Having finished numerous projects for this client, we were charged with creating magic in a new iconic building being constructed in the Tribeca neighborhood. With a love of food and wine the clients wanted room to entertain and share their passion with friends and family.

Photography by Stephen Kent Johnson

This large-scale project began as two apartments that we combined to create a full floor 7,300 sq. ft. unit with endless 360-degree views of Manhattan and beyond. Completely reconsidering the layout was required, and the six bedrooms were reduced to four, allowing a wine room, a gym, and a spacious home office, as well as two open great rooms for living.

As part of the interior design, our firm designed all aspects of construction including a new kitchen, 7 bathrooms, the wine room, and complex architectural details throughout. Of notable mention are the sweeping and sloped ceiling curves that provide a dynamic contrast to the linear architecture of the building’s exterior.

One of the key directives from the client was to create through sight lines east/west and north/south, which was challenging to achieve. The swooping ceilings amplified the path of the eye, while allowing the incorporation of sophisticated and dramatic lighting. The spectacular columns in the East Great Room were born out of a need to conceal risers that could not be relocated during the renovation and are finished in metalized plaster. These “trees” grow out of a lacquered wood “lake”, which further conceal immoveable riser elbows.

Much of the furniture throughout the apartment was designed by Drake/Anderson, including the fully upholstered bed in the Main Bedroom whose headboard and footboard have gainage detailing, and the dining room table with its uniquely textured “scooped” bases. Other furnishings were chosen from the works of great contemporary artisans including Mattia Bonetti, Stefan Bishop, Eric Schmitt, Herve van den Straaten and the Haas Brothers. The complexity of details, materials, and textures throughout the apartment culminated from vision and craft to create this luxe, urban, art filled oasis in the clouds.

III Midtown Residence

So often dreams are depicted as floating clouds, and for these international clients, the long-held desire to have a New York City home was realized high in the sky.

Having purchased a sprawling apartment in an iconic building centered on Central Park, they commissioned us to design their pied-à-terre from top to bottom. We started by refining the existing architecture, improving on the proportions of openings, adding hefty wall finishes to the gypsum board walls, upgrading all lighting, HVAC grilles and covers. This created a sense of strength and superb quality to the new construction. A clever floating wall between the living and dining rooms creates a sense of separation, to shield the view before and after dinner, yet allows the light and space to flow around it. Framed in bronze and double faced in chiseled white-gold leafed glass, it also handsomely conceals a TV that appears at the touch of a button.

Photography by Marco Ricca

In every room, from the fluted plaster walled foyer, to the Venetian plaster clad living room and dining room, to the silk velvet upholstered cocoon of the ultra-luxurious main bedroom, contemporary furnishings and art from the best artisans and galleries abound. In the small cloak room, the entire space is clad in gilt panels accented with glistening mother-of-pearl commissioned from artist Nancy Lorenz. Another unique commissioned piece travels celestially down the long bedroom hall: poured glass “planets” individually applied by Rob Wynne. The foyer’s cabinet by Hervé van der Straeten sits against the fluted walls, across from a wonderous canvas by Barbara Takenaga that continues the galactic theme with its spiraling composition.

In the living room two groupings provide ample seating, arranged for entertaining or private time. A vast Promemoria sofa anchors the east end, while the north facing the park is left more open to take full advantage of the park facing view, and the changing seasons. A monumental light by Frederikson Stallard from David Gill in London balances the large-scale circular columns that are strategically placed throughout the apartment. All are clad in the same dragged dry plaster finish amplifying—and celebrating—their structural function. This is no mere lamp, but a klieg light of industrial steel and Swarovski crystals that echoes the glittering nighttime views. Other pieces were carefully selected to add unique points of interest.

In the dining room, the expansive lacquered table sits atop a floor covering of glimmering woven metal by Hechizoo from Cristina Grajales. The chairs surrounding are covered in woven strips of leather that embrace hammered satin backs. A magnificent painting by Elaine de Kooning adds fresh vibrancy to the neutral palette, and a sculpture by Tony Cragg leads the eye to the river view to the west.

The client directed that they wanted a color story that would not stop one from enjoying the views in all four directions. We settled on platinum and pearl as the background, and accented it with cobalt, wisteria, lavender and citrine. A signature of the design duo is their love of mixing materials, and here they went to town: wood, lacquer, stone, gypsum, glass, velvet, leather, mirror and bronze all mingle in provocative interaction.

For the clients, their dreams truly came to life.

IV Loft Living

As families grow, change beckons. For a couple with two young children, after living in their Tribeca loft for some years, it was time to reimagine their home.

Taking cues from the building’s start as a warehouse—built in 1913—we created a contemporary and luxe residence that honors its industrial roots.

The foyer continues into a long hallway, furnished with pieces that are both precious; sconces sprouting stone balls, and elemental; a spare circular mirror that announce motifs found in the rooms beyond.

Photography by Joshua Mc Hugh

The open flow of the kitchen, dining and living rooms is united by pale limed oak floors, and a parade of spare sheer curtains framing each of the many windows. The living room has a capacious custom sofa with a sweeping form. The primarily stone and concrete palette is accented by vibrant cobalt, on a pair of vintage Italian chairs, sateen throw pillows and in the painterly custom rug.

The dining table is a wondrous slab of resin embedded with floating curls of silver leaf, surrounded by chairs upholstered in fabric and leather. Overhead is a sculptural fixture of patinated metal sporting bubble bulbs, recalling the foyer’s sconces. It is one of two, the other a variant hanging over the living area. A buffet in darkest midnight blue lacquer adds solidity and useful storage.

The kitchen is a modernist delight. Inspired by early twentieth century constructivist art, the low sheen lacquered cabinets are adorned with ebonized pulls arranged in a seemingly random but not a cubist pattern. The massive central island is clad in dramatically veined marble, and the range hood above is surrounded with hammered, polished nickel. Whimsical cylindrical stools covered in vibrant cowhide pull up to the counter.

The main bedroom is serene, with a variety of pale platinum materials, yet energized with its bold bed and headboard wall of rich purple. A shagreen and iron dressing table, panels of specialty glass and a sculpted rug add additional interest and texture. Custom lacquered cabinets flank the bed.

Now, change beckons again, and we are working on combining this apartment with the one next door, to create a glorious sprawl in the city for this active family who love design.

V Midtown Pied-à-Terre

In a spacious pied-à-terre nested high in one of Manhattan’s newest towers, Drake/Anderson embraces a new kind of minimalism with a curatorial approach and a color palette that is elemental and bold.

As important as the expansive, birds-eye views of Central Park were the choices that allowed those views to shine—black, white, gray—but with a depth that made it equally as interesting. So as to not distract from the sweeping views, furnishings were kept low and clean.

Photography by Trevor Tondro

Versatility in function was a key factor; the living room could just as easily play host to a cocktail party for 60 as it could provide a respite in the clouds for one. Throughout the apartment a curatorial mix of artisan pieces, vintage items, and statement furnishings is used; this mix highlights the exciting pieces and creates a dialogue between the furnishings that is elegant, refined, and even whimsical at times. Luxury wall finishes are employed throughout, from unique plaster finishes to sumptuous shagreen.

Hard, glittering materials abound in the design, but all are softened by luxurious textures as antidote to our glorious urban jungle.

VI London Calling

After enjoying a gorgeous London flat for 20+ years that we designed, our clients had an itch to move. A clever estate agent proposed a period house—early 18th century—that was not yet on the open market.

The former doyenne of the house was revered for her style, taste and wit, but after 33 years in residence, the house needed a serious overhaul. The red brick façade, accented with Portland stone, is elegant, sober and symmetrical. As a Grade II Listed house, we had a serious challenge ahead to completely update all the systems, add air conditioning and modern lighting under the strict rules of the local authorities.

We painstakingly worked to maintain and restore all important historic architectural elements, while convincing the Boards of our improvements, and demonstrating what was not period that we wanted to change. Our decoration plan was to respect the historic, put together a selection of superb antiques, while making sure one knows the time we live in. The foyer and stairwell, for example, features a marvelous period mural soaring up and overhead, which we meticulously restored.

Photography by Simon Upton

On the ground floor, there are two dining rooms, first, an intimate one that seats eight maximum, painted in rich Prussian blue. A rare 18th century gilt bronze chandelier by André Charles Boulle hangs above the antique table and chairs.

To the rear, the second larger dining room seats 14 overlooking the garden. Pairs abound, nods to the original double fireplaces, and include ornate baroque gilt mirrors above the mantels, glittering 19th century crystal chandeliers, and richly upholstered custom banquettes tucked into fireside niches, with contemporary bronze tables in front.

A statement making, semi-precious crystal inset console table by Mark Brazier-Jones is topped by a superb and rare 19th century Meissen Schneeballen covered urn, awash in tiny blossoms with birds perched on it, as if they flew in through the window from the garden outside.

The first floor has a library painted chalk with vibrant cinnabar and dark ebony furnishings, and the drawing room beyond duplicates the floor plan of the large dining room below with another pair of fireplaces. A quartet of custom swivel chairs circle an ottoman, attended by a pair of sensuous bronze and glass tables by Eric Schmitt from Ralph Pucci.

In the drawing room, an inviting couch is nestled into the bay windows curve. A heady mix of contemporary tables, antique chairs, and a custom Michelle Oka Doner bronze chandelier all reside atop a superb Persian carpet. There is even a third tiny fireplace in this room, tucked into the annex that is occupied by a magnificent Japanned lacquered drop front desk.

In the lower level of the six-story house, we excavated down 18 ft. to create a habitable and comfortable kitchen, with adjoining service areas. This opens out to a sunken courtyard, a flight down from the very deep rear garden.

Ascending to the second floor, the main bedroom suite includes a large sleeping chamber and exquisite his and hers bath/dressing rooms. Shades of vibrant lagoon green are a reminder of the river Thames outside.

The walls are covered with lustrous silk velvet, applied in the gainage technique to the paneling. The same velvet, custom embroidered, swaths the windows. Many pieces feature oak leaves and acorns, echoing the trees outside, including a Kate Malone vase from Adrian Sassoon.

Onto the third floor, there is a lovely guest suite, and his and hers studies.

VII Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2018

With a keen company commitment to philanthropy, we are always thrilled to participate in the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club Decorator Show House. This gives us the opportunity to create magical rooms, albeit in an incredibly tight time frame.

For the 2018 edition, we were given a small suite of connected rooms in a grand, recently renovated 36 ft. wide Upper East Side townhouse, originally built in 1885. Spanning the full breadth of the building, we created a luscious hued salon and bar, entered through a square foyer with adjoining powder room.

Photography by Stephen Kent Johnson

Swathed in shades of rich ochre, with accents of ebony and ivory, our trademark love of textures is fully realized. A modern damask weave upholsters the walls, with areas of it hand beaded in crystals, sequins and beads creating streams of sparkle that wrap the space. A large scale custom sofa curvaceously surrounds a pair of bean shaped cocktail tables in brass with semi-precious tiger eye tops. Across, a pair of eccentric 19th century English chairs are covered in a modern geometric fabric, adding one of the notes of eclecticism we love using into the spaces.

The chimney breast is paneled in glossy lacquer, and is the backdrop for an antique mantel in pristine white marble, with a contemporary mirror and sconces above. The straight geometry of the panels is counterpointed by the repetition of circular motifs in the mantel, sconces, mirror and vases.

The windows wear three layers, adding elegant softness without feeling heavy. The face panels are ivory wool sateen graphically bordered in black silk edged in gold braid. A layer of unlined curtains is made of a chunky open weave, with a hint of gold thread, and unlined Roman shades are against the windows in a craft inspired textile with gold slubs. A magnificent antique gilt bronze vase—a sentinel of the past—sits atop an ebonized wood pedestal.

Beyond the salon, an intimate bar is the height of moody glamour, its walls covered top to bottom in mirrored squares in four colors. The immense custom bar in the center is another sensuous piece, a complex curve of stepped ink lacquer topped in veined marble.

VIII Tribeca Residence

Like a grand cruise ship sailing down the Hudson River just outside, this 5,800 sq. ft. apartment is bright, light and filled with fresh air.

The intimate foyer sets the tone, with its textural mix in shades of white: dimensional plaster walls, a parchment wrapped console, and a mirror framed in eggshell inlay, the pieces accented with ebonized and satin brass accents. Proceeding into the open living/dining room, the space expands with higher ceilings and is enveloped in pure white. A back-to-back biscuit tufted sofa, floating above a polished brass base, creates two conversation zones. Accents of blue are a nautical nod, and a vast oval rug is strewn with stylized lily pads.

Photography by Brittany Ambridge

The adjacent dining area is centered on a unique custom dining table with a resin top recalling swirling eddies, banded in brass, floating atop an ebonized wood base. Surrounding it are comfortable and luxurious chairs covered in practical galuchat embossed leather. Overhead, the chandelier is like the flow of water, with bubbles of handblown glass and tendrils of delicate brass chain. A long buffet lacquered darkest midnight blue provides storage and serving capacity.

Off the living room, the library is furnished as a home office and den for watching TV or enjoying intimate conversation over a drink from the room’s wet bar. To achieve this, we removed one of the eight bathrooms to create enough space. Pickled oak millwork is behind a stained walnut and leather desk, with stools and chair to match. The entire room is wrapped in horizontal woven reed wallcovering in jewel tone teal, while lighter seafoam carpet adds shimmer.

The kitchen and breakfast room have cabinetry in a similar pickled oak, and a long island in honed grey stone. More bright white envelops these rooms in subtle vinyl wallcovering, spiked with joyous Schiaperelli pink notes: the channeled banquette in faux suede, the delicate welts on the light grey chairs and stools, and in the glass discs of the whimsical atomic chandelier. Satin brass accents connect to the other living spaces, and add rich warmth.

For the main bedroom suite, we continued the fresh palette, as requested by the clients. Milk, snow and sand are accented with pale shell pink and the combination of various sumptuous textures creates a sexy vibe in the adjoining rooms. The bedchamber has a plush upholstered bed flanked by lacquered bedside tables topped with alabaster lamps banded in brass. A soft metallic leather clads a bench at the foot of the bed. The adjoining room is a private space for the clients to watch TV, and is also a home office for the wife. A capacious circular chaise for two sits below a round mystical painting.

A grand 80 foot long terrace is accessed from many rooms, and we designed it to have multiple zones. With open views to the river, a large seating group is next to a dining table that does double duty for ping pong. An outdoor kitchen is outside the main kitchen, and a private seating area is at the end just off the main bedroom suite. The light neutral upholstery with sky blue accents is a variation on the living/dining room just inside.

IX Sutton Place Residence

Elegant and steeped in classicism, yet in a thoroughly contemporary way, Drake/Anderson Principal Caleb Anderson’s apartment is designed with his distinctive signature.

Undertaking a complete renovation in a 1926 building, Caleb honored the original essence of the elegant structure, while updating completely. The entry foyer is lined in taupe lacquered wood panels and furnished with a swooping console topped by a Rococo mirror, announcing the aesthetic dialogue of contrast that continues throughout. In the living room a sweeping sofa, unique double arc cocktail table and a pair of modern tub chairs soften the strict architecture and are joined by antique elements of similar sensual form. The palette of eggshell, ivory and platinum is accented by clear reds and blues.

Photography by Stephen Kent Johnson

The symmetry of the room is anchored by the marble fireplace mantel, placed against a chimney breast of fluted plaster. The elegant, contemporary oval mirror is trimmed in brass and flanked by foliate antique sconces, dripping with cut crystal drops. Underfoot, a custom rug’s raised tufts echo the curves.

The second bedroom is a multi-functional space, anchored by a daybed upholstered in rich olive for guests, and wrapped with inset walnut bookcases as library. A 19th century desk, leather topped and accented with gilt bronze mounts, is the perfect home office. The citrine moldings frame custom hand-painted wallcovering, and the room is crowned with a gold leafed planetary chandelier.

The dining room is small, but packs big punch. Lacquered in red, including the ceiling, this jewel box has walls of three types of mirror, installed in a cubist pattern. The table, of dramatically veined marble, is flanked by a red velvet banquette and 1970s chairs covered in the same fabric. The dazzling chandelier is reflected to infinity, and amplifies the sparkle and glamour in this windowless room.

The kitchen is an updated ode to the 1920s. Ebonized cabinetry accented with hammered brass pulls and a black stove that is truly a machine for cooking, are atop a red glass mosaic floor—tying into the color of the adjacent dining room. The set of plates painted with portraits and the brass mobile add whimsy and joy.

The main bedroom is a sanctuary, the walls upholstered in deep inky blue moiré and suede cloth, framed by palest grey moldings of sweeping form. A site-specific commissioned installation of porcelain discs accented with gold draws the eye into the room. The bedside lamps are 19th century gilt bronze and crystal girandoles, echoing lighting in the living room and dining rooms.

Shagreen, shearling and boucle are texturally rich neutrals that brighten the room. The ensuite bath is a lavish affair, clad in grey and blue marble with the most sensual veining, balanced by pure white stone.

X Georgian Remix

When the stars align in real estate heaven, magic can happen. Our clients were cold called by a clever broker who had a pocket listing that he thought might catch their fancy—it sure did!

The house was built in 1913, a glorious pile of brick in the Georgian style, elegant and large, imposing but not overwhelming. It was perfect … except for its condition.

We took on a top to bottom renovation, with an eye to restoration where possible. Air conditioning was installed where there had been none, all the original plumbing and electrical was replaced, and a geothermal system looks to the future of our planet. A 1970s addition was razed, and a new pool house entertaining structure was added. New bricks were painstakingly made to match the old, and the house was shown the respect it was due.

Photography by Joshua Mc Hugh

Entering into the foyer, you step onto the original marble checkerboard floor, which was lifted numbered and meticulously reinstalled. The elegant plaster detailing surrounding the room is all new—based on the original—but with improved proportions. This room announces the aesthetic direction throughout the house: a mix of the old and the new. Pairs of gilded antique mirrors and ruby glass sconces hang augustly above sleek consoles by Hervé Van der Straeten. Across, a supersonic bronzed swoop is a piano, by London’s Based Upon. An iconic Roy Lichtenstein painting is a summer dream; sailboats and sunshine, rendered large, bold and modern, and a Calder mobile soars like birds.

On either end of the foyer, a pair of French polished mahogany doors lead to the entertaining rooms. The living room is a glorious long room, centered by the original mantel, and arranged with three seating groups. At each end, custom sofas and lounge chairs are complimented by Art Deco chairs, and English antiques. The arrangements are mirror images, so that the symmetry is broken, and the eye travels.

The eclectic mix includes antique Indian elephant stools, Tang horses atop Regency Consoles, contemporary cocktail tables and a striking console from Hudson Furniture, tell a decorating tale not bound by culture or time. An enormous rug—an Alpha Workshops design by Edward Fields—is the warm glowing peach that envelops the room. This mellow color is tempered with shades of blue, including on the 1970s Vladimir Kagan tete-a-tete that anchors the room and brings everything together.

The dining room at the opposite side of the foyer, has paneled walls lacquered in marine blue. The style recipe here mixes a traditional table and sideboard, transitional chairs, a sparkling chandelier and an antique carpet. The art and sculptures are all contemporary, with a Gerhard Richter over the fireplace, a Linda Benglis on the sideboard, an Anish Kapoor above a cabinet and Jeff Zimmerman snake candlesticks on the table.

The library was wrapped in lustrous mahogany paneling, inset with parchment clad bookcases to lighten the effect. Furnishings include a cozy fireside grouping of chairs, a card table that does double duty for dining à deux—or six when its top flips and rotates—and an antique game table. The Art Deco and contemporary chairs sport tactile fabrics in vibrant reds. Let the games begin!

The sunroom is off the living room, and flooded with light from French doors on three sides, which opens onto the terrace beyond, as do all the rooms on the ground floor. The client challenged us here, “We will have so many places to sit. What else can we do besides sofas and chairs?”. As if Mame Dennis invaded our psyches, we said let’s hang swings in the corners. And thus, two steel hammocks are the perfect place to while away a little time. Sleek ebonized rattan chairs are sculptural line drawings, and their sunshine covers connect to the dashes of saffron in the living room. The geometric pieced cowhide Kyle Bunting rug is an energetic, yet practical, floorcovering.

The kitchen is practical but chic, chic, chic. A meandering snake of a center island, 27 ft. long, is composed of chiseled grey washed oak, espresso stained walnut, and topped with poured purple flecked terrazzo that climbs off the floor and up the waterfall sides. The white painted cabinetry is a clean and modern take on the traditional, accented with inset panels of violet back painted glass in one area. Backsplashes in lilac carry the color through.

An intimate lounge off the kitchen is paneled in vertical planks of the finest white rift oak—a highly elevated take on a 1950s rec room. Leather chairs by Soane, a biomorphic molar of a cocktail table by Les Simonnet from 21st Gallery, and a vintage 1970s lamp are smile worthy.

The second floor is filled with joyous bedrooms, studies, baths and dressing rooms. The main suite is awash in orchid with kumquat accents, and has glamorous his and hers baths and dressing rooms.

XI Upper East Side Residence

Developing a project’s program with clients is typically clear and logical. Sometimes defining the vibe and style can be more of a challenge.

The wife of this couple stated it clearly and succinctly in one sentence: “We’ve had Versace, now we want Cuccinelli.” After raising their children in a large, flashy apartment on the far east side, they were ready to move to an adult home, tailored to them alone. They chose an apartment in a 1940 moderne building, and they hired us to reimagine the layout. The program involved lots of closets and cozy spaces for relaxing and entertaining. We reconfigured the three bedrooms into basically a one bedroom home, with enormous dressing rooms, one of which does include a sleep sofa for the extremely rare overnight guest.

Photography by Brittany Ambridge

In the foyer, the overall vibe is established, with polished Venetian plaster walls, silver cerused oak millwork and dark wood floors. Once this groundwork was established in the design phase, the client realized it might be a little too toned down for them, and asked us to up the glam factor. A large circular pristine white marble slab inlaid with amethyst orbs was inset into the wood, and a floating disc of purple metallic leaf is suspended above—hiding a poorly placed beam—allowing the integration of lighting.

In the living/dining room, more problematic structural beams existed, and although part of the apartment’s charm was its coziness, the ceilings were frankly low. We finessed these beams by evening them up where possible, and selecting furnishings that are low slung and commanding. The two seating groupings sit on a single large rug, who’s bold pattern keeps the focus away from the ceiling. The tight color palette of aqua, turquoise and sand is serene, with a few key accents of purple from the foyer.

The ancillary spaces aesthetically flow with the rest of the residence. The kitchen is streamlined efficiency, carries the sand tones of the adjacent rooms and even has a table for two. The powder room is adazzle with a backlit floating wall of onyx and a pedestal sink to match, the walls covered in woven strips of gleaming material. Lavender lacquer defines the millwork in the wife’s bath, adorned with faceted amethyst pulls, a vibrant accent to the white and grey marble used.

In the bedroom, the primary aqua color of the apartment is used lavishly in a fresh tone. The bed wall is upholstered in micro-ribbons of leather and suede adorned with tiny crystal sequins. A variety of other lush textiles repeat the color in differing textures, and the rug underfoot has notes of the purple accents. Her dressing room is a paler aqua, with leather wrapped drawer fronts trimmed in nickel, and specialty glass panels on the walls. The other three dressing rooms that comprise the suite carry the materials throughout.

XII Upstate New York Residence

Our clients were not in the market for another residence but when they stumbled upon a simple modernist house secluded on hundreds of wooded acres they were immediately smitten.

Having worked with us on three prior projects and in the midst of a massive one in Manhattan, we were as surprised as they were to get the call that they were up to tackle another. A glass house in the style of Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, the home was built in 2007, but was showing its age. We oversaw a roof to slab restoration to address rot and mold, and in the process added some further finesse and detail. Sober yet rich walnut and teak were used on floors, walls, ceilings and millwork, as contrast to the cooler pure white painted surfaces and restored concrete floors. State of the art lighting as well as all mechanical systems have been given an upgrade during this orchestrated renovation.

Photography by Stephen Kent Johnson

Furnishings throughout are sumptuous but without pretense, and are our takes on contemporary and modernist mid-century style. In the living room, that includes upholstery in various shades of nature atop a plush shearling carpet. We commissioned a ceramic and blackened steel table with a top that evokes the bark of the birch trees that are in the surrounding woods. Other black elements, including a three-legged table, the base of a lamp, the broad brushstrokes of a painting and a totemic sculpture, add gravity.

The figured walnut of the stairwell wall, to the left of the fireplace, is framed by a black steel “window” with a glass insert, which is a minimalist railing and frames a painting beyond. The black steel was chosen to echo the homes expressed steel structural columns. This wood wall wraps into the kitchen creating a central block of visual warmth.

The galley kitchen features an island in richly veined, honed grey marble with an integral sink, and visually connects to the grey concrete floor of the adjacent dining area. Here, fully upholstered chairs on sculptural walnut legs, add softness around a slick wafer topped pedestal table. Beyond the dining, an intimate room is furnished with pumpkin clad vintage chairs and ottomans, adding warmth to a media/reading room.

The bedroom is a sanctuary of quietude, its low slung, wall spanning headboard fully upholstered to match the divan base, flanked by beside tables topped with heavily patinated gold sculptural lamps. The main bath is clad in quartzite honed to a velvety surface, with a sunken bathtub and vanity in teak. The suite includes a home office with a side-by-side black steel partners desk cleverly suspended from the ceiling, that allowed the hidden integration of power to its minimalist form.

Off the living room and viewed from the entrance deck, this room has a daybed, perfect for naps or reading, and a custom cupboard for the clothes of any possible guest who might be lucky enough to snag an invitation for a night, to enjoy being surrounded by nature in solitary splendor.

XIII Paradise Valley Residence

The allure of the desert is elemental, and when in a town named Paradise Valley, irresistible.

For a couple whose primary residence is in the most frigid northern area of the country, they have made their second home for decades in Arizona’s beautiful, and warm landscape. With their children now grown, they made the decision to move to a much larger house on a bigger property that could accommodate the growing family including spouses, partners and grandchildren. A newly built house would be constructed and we were hired once the initial plans were laid out.

Working closely with the developer, we were the impresarios of all details, finishes and fine-tuning. A spacious two-story home, with an adjacent casita guest house and vast landscaped outdoor living areas was our stage, and having worked with the clients for over twenty years they trusted us fully to realize their dream.

Photography by Joe Schmelzer

An open plan layout was established for casual modern living. The center is a double height great room, featuring a showstopping fireplace wall of dramatically veined book-matched marble selected during a day of visiting stone yards with the owners. This focal point became the point of departure for the palette throughout the main house, and led to our choosing an elegant celadon green porcelain paver to use throughout the public spaces. The greens were accented by Indian paintbrush orange, even on the leather clad refrigerator door.

We assembled an impressive collection of art for the home, and the voluminous spaces allowed us to select large scale works with big impact. The great room opens to a bar area, with walls upholstered in deeper celadon suede, the dining room and the kitchen, all offering various options for gathering.

The main bedroom is divided by an open fireplace, creating a work area for the wife, and the sleeping chamber. A spirited combination of fabrics in an offbeat collection of colors that is an extension of the living spaces, is held within textured walls and carpet the color of desert sand. The bathroom mixes more of the heavily figured stones that the clients love, in this case sumptuous onyx. Jade green iridescent glass mosaic tiles are strong and vibrant contrast.

Upstairs, one of the three guest suites was furnished as a home office for the husband, but daybeds stretching wall-to-wall allow the flexibility of using the room for guests too. The custom lacquer and bronze desk incorporates a rotating TV on a hydraulic lift for viewing while working or lounging on the daybeds. Bright orange textiles and lacquer are strong anchors to the bold and whimsical “psychedelic cowboy” art above.

The balcony lounge area opens to the great room below has a massive triptych that is alive with color and movement, a joyous painting that connects the rooms and announces the other two guest rooms.

Indoor/outdoor flow and living is the beauty of Arizona. For an exterior shower accessed from the main bath, we commissioned an impressionist mosaic mural of the mountain beyond. The casita is set up with a guest room and en suite bath, a bunk room, a media room, gym and pool bath. Tropical leaf wallpaper isn’t native to the climate, but the client wanted to be reminded of good times and fun in other places in the world. The entire backyard is designed with multiple zones, for reading, conversation, dining, sunbathing, cooking and media viewing. This slice of Paradise Valley is truly heaven.

XIV New York City Elegance

Presented with a grand dame of a New York pre-war apartment, we were hired to refresh the client’s residence of 25 years.

The bones of this home were fantastic, but it was very traditional and we were empowered to inject youthful elegance and energy into it, without doing a complete gut job.

The formal living room centered on a beautiful antique mantel which we chose to keep. This gave us a jumping off point to contrast some traditional furnishings into the mix. Our layout utilized the entire room, with the main grouping at the far end by the windows. This really made the space a joy to live in during the day, as well as at night, and its placement drew your eye fully into the salon. A secondary seating arrangement is a strictly tailored corner banquette, and the middle is filled with a geometric ottoman that connects both. Glints of gold, brass and leaf add luxurious warmth. Antiques include a Regence mirror and chairs, with their baroque flourishes adding softness.

Photography by Brittany Ambridge

The kitchen was a complete renovation, and reconsideration of the space planning to maximize the narrow “L” footprint functionally. Fresh white, palest grey and polished steel amplify the light of the rather dark room. A dining banquette provides comfortable seating, as well as softness to the otherwise hard materials.

In the dining room we went for a big WOW, with bold, custom wallcovering enveloping the space, which faces an interior light well. The furnishings are equally strong, a vast lacquer top table surrounded by a troop of tall chairs upholstered in vibrant blue, which match the buffet. Convex mirrors face each other, framed in brass with antiqued glass, they further amplify the light subtly and reflect the high glam brass chainmail chandelier.

The library is a calm affair, relaxed and fresh, with its palette of mint and linen. The superb millwork chair rail we retained, painting it to lighten its previous dark stain. A lovely landscape tondo hangs above the sofa, drawing you in. It’s one of the many wonderful pieces of art and sculpture we found for the project.

XV Walker Tower Residence

Like a warm embrace, this apartment was created for a stylish woman and her twenty-something daughter beginning a new chapter on life’s journey.

The razzle dazzle pattern of the foyer’s wallpaper was a play on the architecture of the great Art Deco building this unit is in. Proceeding into the living/dining room, we chose to use the entire south facing end of the room as the salon, taking full advantage of the views. The dining area was placed by the fireplace, flanked by bookcases, making it a unique and charming experience. Salmon, coral, and russet are the primary colors, accented with celery. Dark and dramatic pieces in graphite, coal and raven connect to the foyer.

Photography by Jonny Valiant

A home office was created, elegantly furnished with a desk, chaise and side chair. The walls here are a cool contrast to the main living spaces, painted in a unique finish incorporating eyeshadow powder to create beautiful iridescence. A screen upholstered in a hydrangea pattern adds a garden to the corner.

The main bedroom is dramatically wrapped in a wallcovering based on a hand painted watercolor, creating a delirious dreamscape. We floated the supersonic, super sexy bed in the room, close to the corner windows, and this allowed us to create a dressing area behind it by the closets.

The secondary bedroom was designed to be a chic, sophisticated lair for the daughter, and future guests. Dark, inky night-sky walls are in polished plaster. Against this background, vibrant curry and turquoise furnishings sizzle.

XVI Greenwhich Village Residence

When a client arrives with a clear program, and clear vision, fantasies become reality. For this project, the directive was as clear as black and white, with a touch of navy.

Located in a renovated 1941 building, the layout was gracious, but the ceilings low. Masculine, tailored, black, white and grey, modern: those were the descriptives of this bachelor. We decided to keep the main spaces pure white throughout. In the living/dining room we anchored the space with a long, elegant sofa, attended by a combination of vintage, contemporary and custom pieces, each with a unique personality.

Photography by Marco Ricca

A rugged wood dining table with a sculptural base has more delicate chairs around, an aeronautic chandelier overhead. Leather, sateen, wood, rope, cotton, steel, acrylic, linen, cowhide and fur come together to create contrast and interest. Leather wrapped Venetian blinds are an elegant window treatment, and a nod to the building’s 1941 birth. The kitchen has the same Venetian blinds, and is crisp and bright, with a semi-industrial style.

The smallest of the three bedrooms was outfitted to be a cozy library and TV room. Millwork is lacquered to match the walls, all in a deep navy blue that makes the small space’s perimeter disappear. A bold rug and silver-grey sofa add brighter relief. The main bedroom suite is all white, grey and black, except for the bold triptych above the bed.

XVII West Chelsea Residence

When a designer gets to do their own residence, it’s an opportunity to indulge their vision fully. For Drake/Anderson Principal Jamie Drake this is his home.

The main living space is a double height square room, with the kitchen open to the two seating areas. Turning the corner from the foyer, one meets a runway of an island, set at an unusual angle to project the eye into the room. A structural column in the middle posed a challenge, but instead of trying to make it disappear, we celebrated it and made it even larger. Clad in a variety of materials—ebonized oak, charcoal lacquer, dark bronze and woven brass and steel—all come together to add richness and interest to this focal point.

Photography by Marco Ricca

One seating group faces the TV, and the other is set up for cocktails and entertaining. In fact, the whole space was designed with gatherings in mind. Furnishings are eclectic, and the art, sculpture and accessories displayed were collected around the world, and evoke fond memories.

The background is a troweled grey plaster, almost concrete in feeling, and the primary pieces (sofas, curtains, millwork) are neutral: grey or off-white. Strong accents of plum, chartreuse and tangerine were pulled from the art. Custom marble cocktail tables attend both areas, each with its own stone.

The main bathroom is coated in a coral shade, and has more of the art collection displayed. The bedroom is lacquered high-gloss dark blue grey. The bed floats in the room, backed by a marble encased dresser with a laser cut cowhide headboard inset. Vibrant coral is used in various shades on the upholstery, bedside tables and rug.

The guest bedroom has direct access to the outside living space, and the leaf green curtains connect them. A custom sleigh bed floats in the middle of the room—a boat in a sea of blue. A comfortable loggia is off the living space and is an extension of the living room, set up for cocktails and conversation. A unique feature in the building are its dedicated garages, en suite with the apartment. It was not given short shrift, and was fully designed as well.

Guest Bedroom Photograph by William Waldron

XVIII One57 Model Apartment

Conjuring up a home for imaginary clients is a fun exercise. We have created many designer showhouse rooms, and here an entire model apartment.

The fictional inhabitants match the demographic of the customer: global, sophisticated, lovers of New York. They could be full time residents, or this could be a second, third or fourth home. Working with the developer and their sales team, the design excitement started at the front door.

The foyer celebrates the high floor the apartment sits on, between the ground and heaven. The walls were painted sky blue and finished with a topcoat of starry mica dust. Circular motifs abound, celestial in nature, including the center table, rug, and chandelier hung from a glossy cloud white orb on the ceiling.

Photography by Marco Ricca

In the dining area, the wheels repeat, and keep the eye in motion. Furnishings of exquisite detail and material include the dining table which has a top of white Thassos marble, edged in chiseled, gilded glass in a sunburst pattern, banded in satin brass, sitting atop a pedestal base of lacquer and more brass. The chandelier is a poetic ode to Saturn’s rings, and even the light fixture in the breakfast room beyond is planetary.

We conquered the great room’s vast space by designing a meandering sofa that faces in three directions, each for a different function: gazing at the majestic Central Park view, watching TV, and enjoying cocktails and conversation. The palette is urban neutral, but the materials and textures ensure it is anything but neutral. A piano, painting and sculpture are all large objects, standing up to the scale of the room.

The main bedroom has a corner position, with captivating vistas. We anchored the bed against a laser cut brass wall screen, backlit for drama and a sexy vibe. The greys of the great room are accented with lavenders. The sateen, velvet, lacquer and silk rug all shimmer in the light.

Two guest bedrooms are perfectly outfitted for dreamy stays, but each with its own personality. A floor to ceiling vertical upholstered headboard flanked by glass panels in one brings attention to the grand ceiling heights. The second plays on the horizontal, with a wall to wall headboard, against deep walls strié glazed with eyeshadow powder glistening like a late dusk sky.

XIX Upper West Side Residence

Working in historic settings is a wonderful opportunity to creatively honor the past, while making it function for today.

This sprawling apartment is in a fabled New York City building from 1881, and retained much of the original detail. Two living rooms sit next to each other, both facing the park through windows framed in period woodwork, which we restored. The more formal salon is wrapped in lilac slubbed silk, with handpainted curtains in the same shades. The furnishings are eclectic, with a custom shapely sofa inspired by vintage models, chairs from the Art Deco and Louis XVI periods, a modern cocktail table, Venetian glass chandelier and antique Swedish vases made into lamps.

Photography by William Waldron

The larger second living space is more casual and has three zones for different uses: a sitting area by the fireplace for tea and cocktails, a dining/games table in the center and a large seating area at the opposite end for family time. The more contemporary furniture here is again accented by vintage gems, with the original woodwork in contrast. The color story continues the lilac of the formal salon, but the walls are in polished plaster as contrast to the fabric in the salon.

The powder room and kitchen were both inspired by the 1881 architecture. In the bath, a niche of dark stained oak has a back wall of marble and gold glass mosaic tile, with a cantilevered stone counter that supports a glass sink bowl. The kitchen has new cabinetry in oak to match the existing, styled to feel period. The rest of the millwork is lacquered for lightness, and all sits on a unique pixelated floor of 4 different stones.

The main bedroom is cocooned with pearl moiré fabric. The custom bed, with its strict geometric form in soft mint, is a pattern contrast to the whirling woven and embroidered curtain panels framing the park view. Its en suite bath is rich marble and glittering, iridescent glass mosaic tiles. A unique wet room was designed to meet the client’s program in a challenging space: our solution was to place the shower, steam and tub behind a brass and glass enclosure with a curved corner.