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.
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.
