View more photos of the sophisticated renovation. "It’s never boring." And now, neither is any corner of this captivating apartment. "It’s very soothing, but it’s also alive with passing boats, and the air is full of planes and helicopters," says the husband. Sitting in their living room at dusk, as the view is transformed by twinkling city lights, the owners say they are enraptured by the river both day and night. Black and white terrazzo tile stripes the floor, and over the range is a Pennoyer-designed glass-and-steel exhaust hood that lights up from within as if it were a Jazz Age tower punctuating the Manhattan skyline. "It’s almost like a paneled library," Hagan says, citing the cerused-oak cabinetry that lines the breakfast area. Says the designer-who lacquered the other walls a shiny midnight-blue-"Dining rooms are nighttime rooms, so they should sparkle."Īlthough the owners have a cook, they wanted the kitchen to be a thoroughly comfortable, livable space. What’s more, he set the mirror within a midcentury-style border that echoes the silvery frame surrounding a nearby mythological painting (a work the wife picked up in Argentina). (Slivers of square footage were then gained by the kitchen and the closets in the master bedroom.) In the dining room, meanwhile, Pennoyer covered one wall with a mirrored expanse that reflects a bay window featuring a glittery after-five vista. The solution? Narrow it into a suave corridor with a built-in china cabinet, embellished with vintage grilles, at one end. The opposite side’s circular table and spidery Jacques Adnet leather-wrapped chairs are used for small dinner parties close by are armchairs that once graced the Normandie.Īmong Pennoyer’s remodeling challenges was how to make the rear hall ("a dead space," he says) off the dining room and kitchen into something practical as well as beautiful. At one end of the room, four club chairs are positioned for lively conversation. "There is a view from anywhere you sit," the husband says, adding that the space "has a French Deco feel that is different from American Deco, which is jazzier." A cocktail table in the style of Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann rests between modern sofas in front of the fireplace. Hopefully it will be as fun a journey for the reader as it has been for me.Three seating areas with custom-made upholstery and vintage furnishings give a cozy air to the expansive room and offer multiple vantage points for observing the city. It’s a fun look into the process of design and a peek into some of the most beautiful locations in the country. The Bidens used New York designer Victoria Hagan when they were living in the vice presidents official residence. I view each as a testament to the power of dreaming, where my clients’ wishes have been granted and where they can feel comfortable just being themselves. What’s unique about them is that none is a primary residence. The new book is called Dream Spaces, and it features 10 projects in different areas throughout the country, including Aspen, Palm Beach, Nantucket, Montana and New York. I love that great design always looks to the future, and I’m excited to create interiors that reflect my clients’ ever-changing lifestyles. What aspirations do you have for the future? And by the way, did I mention he wanted it completed in three months? It taught me a few important lessons: anything is possible, fulfilling expectations makes for happy clients, it’s important to step out of your comfort zone every once in a while and ultimately there’s no substitute for hard work and dedication. At the time I had never designed anything near that scale, so it was quite a challenge. I was asked to design an iconic Palm Beach home for Ronald Perelman. David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images The Mondales'. Bush gather at the vice president's residence in 1981. It happened at the beginning of my career. Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, President Ronald Reagan, and Vice President George H.W. What’s the most challenging project you’ve had? The sense of history and continuity is awe-inspiring. Goldman Sachs Private Wealth Managementīeing asked to design One Naval Observatory a few years ago, which serves as the official residence of the Vice President of the United States, was an honor I am very proud of.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |