Abundant habitat in Upper East Side, New York

This pre-war apartment in New York was all things pre-war, large sized rooms small sized bathrooms and kitchens. All the living spaces were spacious and generous while the functional spaces were small and choppy. My challenge was to renovate the whole apartment and make it cool, contemporary and updated and add all the function possible for the home to feel complete. I had a great working relationship with the client and the best trades to bring this home to completion. Photography by Jacob Snavely.

Welcome to this lovely kitchen with green modern shaker cabinets. This kitchen has all the function one can think of, from high end paneled appliances to custom millwork, a wide sink with a pullout statement faucet, trash and recycling system, storage for days and endless countertop. Material wise, I carefully selected the diamond pattered floor tile in contrasting marbles so they ground the green cabinetry on either side. I landed at this soft green and married it with brass hardware to give it some age. The countertop is honed, treated beautiful to touch. The two inch apron of the marble gives the counter a chunky weight and presence.

The living room is spacious and I wanted it to feel abundant when the client entertains. I anchored the room with a deep sofa in beautiful linen and flanked it with accent chairs on either side. The chairs next to the window are a beautiful weathered natural leather with a woven back, you just sink into these chairs and its a lovely feeling. The drapery along the windows frames the living room. The chairs near the entryway has an architectural back and is visible as you walk past the room. I used 2 coffee tables under the statement chandelier and added feature sconces on either side of the Frame TV to add mood lighting. The styling is minimal and impactful. The smoked glass chandelier is literally the jewelry in the room and brings in a third color in the room.

The home office is where my client spends most of her day as she works in a post-Covid hybrid format. She’s a very busy executive at a global firm and loves to read. I designed tons of built ins for her books and the closed drawers below hide her printer, shredder and files. The blue sofa is for her to destress during the work day or another place for her to enjoy her tea and books. Her desk is an executive moment with sculptural legs and a light oak finish, with a leather work chair for perfect ergonomics. The chandelier in this room is a statement and we all love it. The blue drapes frame the room and bring some lovely color. Its her favorite room in the house.

The Primary bedroom has new reach in closets and a custom area for her TV, she loves watching TV from he bed. Her bedroom has a beautiful pale lavender-ish feature wall and I’ve used those colors in her drapery to give the room personality. Her bed is modern upholstered king sized bed flanks by glossy nighstands on either side and textured statement table lamps. By the window I gave her 2 chairs for a morning coffee or to read a book or just a spot to lay her clothes out for the next day. The en-suite bathroom has violet marble wall tiles and waterworks fixture to create a luxurious feeling. The assymetric vanity gives the homeowner plenty of space to spread out. The dressing area just outside the bathroom is another spot for makeup and so. Its a calm and feminine bedroom.

The guest bathroom is a calming space with large terrazzo floor tiles and white wall tile with a profile. The floating vanity is a light oak with a concrete top. The eased edged honed marble vessel sink brings in softness. I used the terrazzo on the niche and the window wrap around to create an accent. We all loved it so much. The arched medicine cabinet reflects the niches behind.

The dining room has a beautiful oak dining table and custom upholstered Saarinen chairs. The sweet spot here is the custom tea station. I brought the green from the kitchen in here by finding a green quartzite and used it for countertop and backsplash in this built in area. on the top I added fluted glass cabinets to bring in some glamour. The chandelier light adds a touch of whimsy.