Project Description

This client knows exactly what she wants and what she wants is quite different from what most people I have worked for request. A banking executive, born in the Middle East, and traveling all over the world most of the time, she enjoys staying at fine old hotels furnished in the sumptuous royal Louis the XIV, XV, and XVI style. After we chose an investment quality carpet that determined the main colors I would use for planning the room, I brought her rich tapestries, golden fleur-de-lis woven patterns, damask blue silks with sheen and coordinating tassels and fringes. She loved them all and from that starting point, we began to fashion a small baroque palace on the corner of 57th St and Sutton Place.

This may sound heavy and and busy looking for a New York City apartment, but it is not. Though the rooms are far from Versailles size, the ceilings are high and the spaces retain a light airy look because of the sheen of butter colored eggshell finish walls and that same shade repeated in the wall to wall carpeting under the area rugs. As a focal point for the main sitting area, I was able to install a gas burning fireplace with an elegant old granite surround, on the wall that abuts the kitchen, conveniently allowing for the contractor to hook up to the existing incoming gas piping.

Everything had to be highlighted by gold- gold leaf wood finishes on the chairs, a gilded metal low round side table, golden fringes and tassels hanging from the draperies and the four antique gold finished brass, three light sconces. The client and her husband found antique painted mirrored side tables and a coffee table that they bought at auction, adding further shimmer to the living room.

Three floor to ceiling windows, facing Sutton, have been given curved cornices from which hang balloon swags, tails, and drapes festooned to the sides by ornate brass rosettes. Ivory sheers against the windows allow for light in the daytime and privacy at night.

The other seating area of the living room invites intimate, less formal gatherings on a flowing curved sofa, upholstered with golden damask fabric. I can only imagine the entertaining and the informal meetings that take place in this room where the baronial atmosphere contributes to closing important global deals.