Upper West Side Apartment Remodel
Location: Manhattan, New York
Scope: Full Home Furnishings, Renovation
Photographer: Costas Picadas
In a 1928 Emery Roth building on the Upper West Side, we transformed a dark and dated apartment into a bright, classically-detailed home that reflects the rhythm of modern living. The clients, a branding and marketing executive for a global jewelry house and a nonprofit chairman, wanted an apartment that honored its pre-war roots while supporting their life of cooking, entertaining, and gathering with family and friends. The existing layout was no longer suited to contemporary needs. By rethinking the entire footprint, we created a seamless public zone that unites the kitchen, dining room, and living room, while reserving the quieter corners of the home for bedrooms and workspace.
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The living room sets the tone with a plush gray sofa atop a vintage Chinese Art Deco rug in soft pinks. Its feminine palette balances the deeper furnishings and echoes colors found in the client’s art collection. We reupholstered two existing barrel chairs in a green corduroy and introduced a vintage bar and a series of oil paintings that bring a sense of history and personality. Throughout the space, vintage lighting adds character, while a curated mix of new pieces complements the heirlooms the client has collected over the years. The entry foyer is anchored by a large oil painting illuminated by a picture light and framed by Deco-inspired sconces that nod to the apartment’s past.
In the new kitchen and dining area, glossy white cabinets and a blackened steel island create a Parisian inflection that feels both classic and fresh. A stone backsplash with distinct, pictorial veining clads the back wall to bring marble into the kitchen without the worry of durability. The cooktop is placed on the island so the homeowner can prepare meals while engaging with guests and looking out the window, and a dedicated cabinet conceals the cats’ litter box for a cleaner, more integrated look. The relocated primary suite occupies the former kitchen and maid’s rooms, now reimagined as a serene retreat with ample storage, vintage art, and the client’s mother’s slipper chair reupholstered in blush velvet and gold fringe. In the windowed bath, a full-width custom vanity and sunlit shower provide a moment of calm with a view of the city beyond. The guest room doubles as a home office with a pullout sofa, offering both utility and comfort. Collected, personal, and classic, the Upper West Side Remodel brings pre-war warmth into the present day with thoughtful updates and a sense of lived in elegance.
