79th Street

— Manhattan —

Several years after designing their country home, we were asked to design the Manhattan Apartment of a design conscious family with young children. This elegant 10 room residence wraps around four corners in one of the Upper East Side’s premier prewar buildings, has views of Central Park, and boasts proximity to both the Museum Mile and the elegant shops of Madison Avenue. With all new construction, the space exudes a timeless elegance based on a fresh interpretation of prewar classicism.

The 79th Street Apartment’s foyer establishes an axial sequence through paneled wood portals, warm lantern light, and a precisely laid limestone starburst floor. A sculptural mineral specimen introduces the owners’ collection at the threshold and connects the architecture to the art-filled rooms beyond.

Amethyst specimen displayed in a paneled Manhattan entry hall with limestone starburst floor, lantern, and console table. — The 79th Street Apartment’s foyer establishes an axial sequence through paneled wood portals, warm lantern light, and a precisely laid limestone starburst floor. A sculptural mineral specimen introduces the owners’ collection at the threshold and connects the architecture to the art-filled rooms beyond.

This entry view shows the apartment’s fresh interpretation of prewar classicism through strong axial planning, tailored woodwork, and a patterned limestone floor. Aligned openings connect the foyer to the library and salon while preserving a clear sense of procession between formal rooms.

Limestone starburst foyer with paneled wood portals, lanterns, console table, and axial view into a Manhattan library. — This entry view shows the apartment’s fresh interpretation of prewar classicism through strong axial planning, tailored woodwork, and a patterned limestone floor. Aligned openings connect the foyer to the library and salon while preserving a clear sense of procession between formal rooms.

A private elevator landing opens to a gracious Foyer with a limestone starburst floor, wainscoting and a scalloped cornice. A large portal opens onto a 39-foot long grand Salon serving as the family’s entertaining space. The studied proportions of the space harmonize high ceilings, wood paneled walls & chevron pattern floors, a fireplace and oversized windows looking out over both Central Park and Park Avenue.

Dark-paneled Manhattan living room with marble fireplace, contemporary art, pale seating, tall windows, and a mineral specimen. — The formal living room balances prewar-inspired enclosure with an art collector’s contemporary sensibility. Rich paneling, a tailored fireplace, tall windows, comfortable seating, and mineral specimens create a composed setting for conversation within the Upper East Side apartment renovation.

Displayed as sculpture, the mineral specimen creates a vivid counterpoint to the living room’s wood paneling, pale upholstery, and contemporary artwork. The detail reflects the design’s integration of architecture, furnishings, art, and the owners’ collection throughout the 79th Street Apartment.

Blue mineral specimen displayed beside upholstered seating in the formal living room of a 79th Street Manhattan apartment. — Displayed as sculpture, the mineral specimen creates a vivid counterpoint to the living room’s wood paneling, pale upholstery, and contemporary artwork. The detail reflects the design’s integration of architecture, furnishings, art, and the owners’ collection throughout the 79th Street Apartment.

The mineral’s crystalline form and purple color introduce an organic focal point within the apartment’s disciplined prewar-inspired architecture. Its placement near the dining and salon areas makes the collection part of everyday experience as well as formal entertaining.

Amethyst geode displayed against dark wood paneling near the dining area of an Upper East Side apartment. — The mineral’s crystalline form and purple color introduce an organic focal point within the apartment’s disciplined prewar-inspired architecture. Its placement near the dining and salon areas makes the collection part of everyday experience as well as formal entertaining.

Paneled pocket doors connect a formal Manhattan dining area to a bright family room with white built-ins and blue seating. — The 79th Street Apartment moves easily between formal entertaining and relaxed family life through a carefully planned series of connected rooms. Dark woodwork gives way to white built-ins, blue upholstery, and broad windows, allowing the character of each space to shift without interrupting the overall architectural flow.

Light-filled Manhattan family room with white built-ins, blue seating, patterned pillows, pocket doors, and large windows. — Positioned between the salon and kitchen, the family room supports everyday gathering while remaining connected to the apartment’s larger entertaining sequence. Built-in cabinetry, comfortable seating, pocket doors, and abundant natural light give the room a tailored but informal character.

Breakfast room with dark table, blue upholstered seating, white cabinetry, large windows, and clustered glass pendant lights. — The breakfast room forms part of a continuous family-room and kitchen sequence designed for daily use. Large windows and pale millwork maximize light, while the dark table and blue upholstery provide visual continuity with the more formal rooms of the Upper East Side apartment.

Proceeding “enfilade” one enters a sun filled family/breakfast room separated from the chef’s kitchen by a bar of semi-precious stone. Simple detailing in both rooms is enlivened by mohair and pony hide upholstery. Built-in cabinetry and shelving provide ample storage and display space, wrapping around a large table and leather chairs on an antiqued, wire-brushed oak floor. Ample windows flood the space with light, making it a favorite gathering place.

The blue onyx bar turns a functional threshold into a focal point within the 79th Street Apartment. Its translucent color and natural veining echo the owners’ mineral collection while linking the bright family spaces to the streamlined white kitchen.

Blue onyx kitchen bar and precious mineral display connecting the dining area and chef’s kitchen in a Manhattan apartment.counter top bar — The blue onyx bar turns a functional threshold into a focal point within the 79th Street Apartment. Its translucent color and natural veining echo the owners’ mineral collection while linking the bright family spaces to the streamlined white kitchen.

This detail emphasizes the material character of the onyx bar that anchors the apartment’s informal entertaining spaces. The precious stone surface brings depth and luminosity to the transition between the family room, breakfast area, and chef’s kitchen.

Close view of a blue onyx kitchen bar with richly patterned mineral veining in a renovated Upper East Side apartment. — This detail emphasizes the material character of the onyx bar that anchors the apartment’s informal entertaining spaces. The precious stone surface brings depth and luminosity to the transition between the family room, breakfast area, and chef’s kitchen.

White chef’s kitchen with paneled cabinetry, stainless steel range and hood, gray island, marble backsplash, and glass pendant. — Designed as the working center of the 79th Street Apartment, the kitchen pairs streamlined function with details suited to its prewar setting. Paneled storage, professional appliances, durable stone surfaces, and direct connections to the breakfast and family rooms support modern Manhattan family living.

Dark navy Manhattan library with built-in shelving, mineral specimens, frosted pocket doors, sectional seating, and framed drawings. — Conceived as an intimate lounge within the larger apartment, the library combines richly colored millwork with the owners’ art and mineral collections. Frosted pocket doors allow the room to open or close as needed, while tailored shelving makes collected objects integral to the architecture.

Also opening off the Foyer, an attractive library/office has the same relaxed sophistication and boasts a ceiling with an antique map of Manhattan framed by wenge paneling and navy blue walls. A modernist sectional and chair continue the theme of updated traditional elements and prewar detailing.

The study extends the apartment’s collecting narrative through custom built-ins, framed works, and specimens from Astro Gallery of Gems. Overhead, a map-inspired ceiling composition introduces a subtle reference to Manhattan while reinforcing the room’s intimate, enveloping character.

Manhattan study with dark built-ins, contemporary art, mineral display, and ceiling detail inspired by an antique city map. — The study extends the apartment’s collecting narrative through custom built-ins, framed works, and specimens from Astro Gallery of Gems. Overhead, a map-inspired ceiling composition introduces a subtle reference to Manhattan while reinforcing the room’s intimate, enveloping character.

Custom dark wood shelves give the owners’ mineral collection a permanent architectural setting within the 79th Street Apartment. The close view shows how specimens, books, and art were composed together to create a personal and visually layered library interior.

Precious mineral specimen displayed on dark wood library shelving with books and collected objects in a Manhattan apartment. — Custom dark wood shelves give the owners’ mineral collection a permanent architectural setting within the 79th Street Apartment. The close view shows how specimens, books, and art were composed together to create a personal and visually layered library interior.

79th Street

— Manhattan —

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