Upper West Side

For this historic Upper West Side townhouse, our design approach centered on creating a home that felt sophisticated and collected, but also energetic, personal, and reflective of the family who lives within it. The home’s original late-19th-century architecture, including crown moldings, grand archways, and a hand-carved staircase, provided an elegant backdrop for a much more contemporary point of view.

Our guiding philosophy was “high-impact minimalism”: creating visual impact through a thoughtful mix of vintage and contemporary design, expressive materials, art, and unexpected objects rather than an abundance of decoration. Throughout the townhouse, collectible furnishings are juxtaposed with playful, deeply personal elements, giving each room its own identity while maintaining a cohesive design language.

The parlor embodies this approach particularly well. A pair of curved sofas and a 1950s German Sputnik chandelier are set against an installation of 26 vintage boom boxes, conceived as a sculptural expression of the family’s love of music. The unexpected installation ultimately transformed the parlor into what the family now calls their music room.

Elsewhere, vintage pieces, contemporary art, custom furnishings, and statement lighting create moments of discovery throughout the home. The primary suite takes on a more glamorous sensibility, inspired by the romance of a chic Parisian apartment and designed as a private escape with dedicated spaces for dressing, bathing, working, and relaxing.

The result is a home built around contrast: historic and contemporary, refined and playful, minimal and expressive. Above all, the design feels distinctly personal, balancing collectible design with the warmth, individuality, and spontaneity of family life.