NYC&G (New York Cottages & Gardens) MARCH/APRIL 2012 by Cottages & Gardens Publications

new york cottages & gardens march/april 2012

New York Cottages & Gardens

Cottages-gardens.Com | marCh/april 2012

Springtime in new York premier

Issue! cottages-gardens.com

AmAziNG iNteriors: triBeCA Harlem BrooKLYN mIDTOWN HUDsoN VALLeY

Photo Michel Gibert. Special thanks: Suspension VP Globe, design Verner Panton

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Tangram modular sofa design Gabriele Assmann & Alfred Kleene Lemon ottomans design Sophie Larger

Showrooms, collections, news and catalogs www.roche-bobois.com For interior design professionals only www.rochebobois-id.com

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Features 76

PAST PERfECT

Two designers fill their Hamilton Heights home with a treasure trove of antiques and decorative arts. by Angela Voulangas photographs by John M. Hall

SPARklING GEm

A jewelry designer adds extra shimmer to a soaring loft in Tribeca. by Hope Greenberg photographs by Peter Murdock

mADE by mARIAN

Marian McEvoy puts her trademark spin on a Hudson Valley cottage. by Cynthia Kling photographs by Don Freeman

104

bAlANCING ACT

A Brooklyn couple settles on the ideal combination of life, work, and family in their renovated 1871 brownstone. by Maria Ricapito photographs by Tria Giovan

112

ON THE COVER AND THIS PAGE

Jewelry designer Jennifer Fisher’s Tribeca apartment. Photographs by Peter Murdock

new york cottages & gardens

march/april 2012

SPECIAl DElIVERy

Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams move on up—and into—a piedà-terre in a Midtown skyscraper. by Michael Lassell photographs by William Waldron

www.fschumacher.com | 800-523-1200

FABRICS WALLCOVERINGS TRIMMINGS FURNISHINGS CONTRACT/CUSTOM

42 35

SHOP TALK

New and noteworthy design discoveries from New York and beyond.

GARDENING

Patrick Blanc’s garden designs are upwardly mobile. by Alejandro Saralegui

ANTIQUES

New York antiques dealers make the French connection. by Wendy Moonan

35 20

new york cottages & gardens

MADE IN NEW YORK

march/april 2012

128

Everything old is brand new again with the reemergence of pearls.

Meet New York’s next great design firm.

JEWELRY

by Isabelle Kellogg

TRADE SECRETS

A 1920s house and guesthouse in Bronxville get a 21st-century upgrade. by Allegra Muzzillo

RISING STAR

by Allegra Muzzillo

DEPARTMENTS

EDITOR’S LETTER

LETTER FROM THE CEO

The inside scoop on New York real estate.

CONTRIBUTORS

by Diane DiCostanzo, Christina Lewis Halpern, Allegra Muzzillo, and

PARTIES & BENEFITS

DEEDS & DON’TS

Barbara Thau

118

In the Bronx, artisan Livia Cetti nurtures her own lifelike blossoms.

New York’s top five wine lists.

by Allegra Muzzillo

by Baroness Sheri de Borchgrave

WINE & DINE

121

122

RESOURCES

CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: JOHN LAWTON, DOUG YOUNG, MURVEGETALPATRICKBLANC.COM

COLUMNS

STARK ®

CARPET FABRIC FURNITURE WALLCOVERING PAINT

Showroom locations & information (212) 752-9000 starkcarpet.com To the trade only Rug: Noor Collection by Darius / New Oriental 289602A Design by James Aman & John Meeks

editor’s Letter

What’s in a Name?

he question i got most while preparing this speCial premier edition of New York Cottages & Gardens—aside from “What’s in the first issue?”—was “What’s a New York cottage?” Let’s just say that NYC&G’s sister publications, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens and Hamptons Cottages & Gardens, haven’t struggled a bit in creating converts out of the skeptics who initially stumbled on our name. Although one interpretation of the word “cottage” can refer obliquely to the rambling country weekend getaways of the Edith Wharton era, our brand’s notion of the term champions an overall contentment and satisfaction with how and where one lives— even if it’s nothing more than a humble studio apartment in Brooklyn. At HC&G, which I also edit, I’ll brave mid-August Hamptons traffic to check out everything from a 10,000-square-foot McMansion to a converted chicken coop—both are fair game, as long as the decor is good. The same thing goes for NYC&G, where we celebrate greatlooking interiors and architecture in all shapes and sizes, whether it’s a SoHo loft, a Park Avenue triplex, a modern masterpiece on Long Island’s North Shore, or a sprawling house overlooking the Hudson River. So what’s a New York cottage? All of the above—and then some. If every man’s home is his castle, to borrow loosely from the old saying, then certainly it can be his cottage, too. As for what’s in the first issue, read on . . . and let me know what you think!

Kendell Cronstrom Editor in Chief

kcronstrom@cottagesgardens.com interior design & decoration

152 West 25th Street, Suite 1202, NY, NY 10001 212.929.0911 • contact@marksandfrantz.com

marksandfrantz.com

Illustration by Chesley mClaren

(800) 275-3872

Exclusively available through Duralee® to architects and interior designers.

HighlandCourtFabrics.com

Sofa: Terrazzo in fig; PillowS (from fronT To Back): Julian in Plum, ruSkin in fig, concerTo in Plum; Background Screen: london Plane in nickel; Border on Screen: Homer in greySTone

LETTER FROM THE CEO

A Sense of Place

MARIANNE HOWATSON CEO/Publication Director mhowatson@cottagesgardens.com

A winner in so many ways: For Pink Aid, Bruce Glickman and Wilson Henley of Duane Modern in NYC covered this custom slipper chair in a fabric by Alan Campbell for Quadrille.

NEIL A. LANDINO JR.

STELLEARCHITECTS.COM

N MY MOTHER ’ S DAY , SPRING WAS FOR CLEANING ; IN MY DAY , spring is for redecorating. There is nothing like a new coat of paint or a reupholstered chair to lift the spirits. All that frenzied decorating and redoing: from ambitious architectural extensions to cool wallpaper projects, it’s easy to get into the spirit. New York’s dominance in the design industry is one of the key factors that influenced the springtime debut of New York Cottages & Gardens, which joins its already well established and influential sister publications, Connecticut Cottages & Gardens and Hamptons Cottages & Gardens. Cottages & Gardens Publications launched HC&G in 2002 with a mission to inform and inspire readers with original articles on architecture, design, art, and antiques; to dazzle them with stunning photos of local homes and gardens; and to captivate them with regional real estate gossip. The magazines were intentionally oversize and beautifully designed to emphasize the superior journalism and photography inside, all produced to the highest standards and inspired by a “sense of place.” For several years I had been rushing to the country on Friday nights to pick up my copy of the now-seven-year-old Connecticut Cottages & Gardens, so the phrase “a sense of place” resonated with me as I read the offering memorandum for the company, which I bought in fall 2009. As a design-magazine junkie, I am passionate about all the fine shelter books on the market, but these publications were special. Not surprisingly, our titles are deeply involved in their communities. Last fall, CTC&G was asked to oversee the redecoration of the Connecticut governor’s residence. The state’s finest designers and manufacturers donated their time and wonderful furnishings to create 17 public spaces fit for, well, a governor. Pink Aid, founded last year by Mitchells/Richards and CTC&G, auctioned 36 custom-decorated pink chairs and raised more than $300,000 in one afternoon. In the Hamptons, HC&G’s events benefit the Parrish Art Museum, the Southampton Historical Museum, and Guild Hall, among other institutions. As for NYC&G, look for our involvement with Old Westbury Gardens, the New York Botanical Garden, Pink Aid at Marshs in Huntington, the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House Gala, the Designer Showhouse of Westchester, and many others in the months to come. It seems that our new title is going to be as significant a presence in its market as HC&G and CTC&G are in theirs. We call that our sense of place.

NYC / WHEATLEY PLAZA

WESTPORT / GREENWICH

www.hbhome.com

Klaff’s invites the Design Trade to celebrate the launch of New York Cottages & Gardens …and meet the editors. Wednesday, March 28th, 6-8pm Klaff’s Scarsdale Showroom 341 Central Park Avenue RSVP to Events@CottagesGardens.com

scarsdale i so. norwalk i danbury i klaffs.com i 1-800-552-3371

lighting i kitchens i bath i accessories i decorative hardware i tile & stone

KLAFF’S The Luxury Home Design Store

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publication director M arianne H owatson editor in chief K endell C ronstroM consulting creative director

art director

n ora s HeeHan

J enniFer C ole

managing editor

senior associate editor

M egHan P arisi

a llegra M uzzillo

production manager

assistant art director

K erri F iCe

a lexis w alter

assistant editor

gardening editor

a nn l oynd

a leJandro s aralegui art assistants

a Manda a lter , a lyssa B arnuM contributing editors

P aMela a BraHaMs , s Heri de B orCHgrave , B etH r udin d e w oody , B arBaralee d iaMonstein -s Pielvogel , J enny F riedBerg , C ara g reenBerg , s Haron K ing H oge , i saBelle K ellogg , C yntHia K ling , M arisa M arCantonio , w endy M oonan , s usan P enzner , M aria r iCaPito , a liCia z arou s Canlon , s uzanne s lesin , r. e. s teele , K rystian von s Peidel contributing photographers

t ria g iovan , M iCHael g riMM , J oHn M. H all , r iCHard l ewin , a nastassios M entis , K eitH s Cot t M orton , P eter M urdoCK , g eorge r oss , e riC s triFFler , C urtiCe t aylor editorial director

d. J. C arey design director

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Copyright © 2012 by Dulce Domum, LLC. All rights reserved. Cottages & Gardens is a trademark and a service mark of Dulce Domum, LLC. Reproduction by permission only. The publisher and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material.

M a rc H / a P r i l

2012

Chief exeCutive offiCer Marianne Howatson advertising direCtor

a My M c M illan t aMbini 203-227-1400 business development direCtor

b unny F ensterHeiM 212-573-0974 senior aCCount manager

K. c. w illiaMs 203-227-1400

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aCCount managers

l aura M eyer 203-292-8428

l indsay b uzaid 212-573-0979

publisher, HC&G

Pamela Eldridge 631-329-3067

marketing direCtor

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142 e ast a venue , n orwalK , ct 06851 P Hone : 203-227-1400 F ax : 203-226-2824 e- Mail : advertising @ cottagesgardens . coM Subscriptions to Cottages & Gardens publications are available at the following prices: New York Cottages & Gardens: 1 year (5 issues), $22.95 Hamptons Cottages & Gardens: 1 year (7 issues), $34.95 Connecticut Cottages & Gardens: 1 year (11 issues), $44.95 New York and Hamptons: 1 year, $44.95 New York and Connecticut: 1 year, $59.95 Connecticut and Hamptons: 1 year, $69.95 Subscription questions? Please call 203-227-1400. To subscribe online, please visit cottages-gardens.com. Please allow four to six weeks for your first issue to arrive. To subscribe by mail, send check or money order, attention: subscriptions, to:

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contributors

William Waldron New York–based photographer William Waldron has published his work in numerous ad campaigns and shelter magazines, including NYC&G’s sister publication Hamptons Cottages & Gardens. What struck him most about shooting the 58th-floor Manhattan pied-à-terre of design pioneers Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams (“Special Delivery,” page 112) was the immediacy of the city. “There’s a distinct element of living in real time,” he says, “when you

have a bird’s-eye view of the bustling West side.”

nora sheehan

AUSTIN PATTERSON DISSTON ARCHITECTS

Southport, CT • (203) 255-4031 Quogue, NY • (631) 653-1481 Bridgehampton, NY • (631) 537-1229 apdarchitects.com

always been fascinated by the way people express themselves through their homes. It’s a thrill to be collaborating

on such a unique publication.”

Don Freeman

Fine art and commercial photographer Don Freeman’s latest book, Artists’ Handmade Houses (Abrams, 2011), showcases images of the self-built homes of American designers and artists such as George Nakashima and Russel Wright. For this issue, he photographed the Hudson Valley cottage of the very hands-on Marian McEvoy (“Made by Marian,” page 94),

“a woman with enough heart, soul, and creativity to last two lifetimes.”

—Allegra Muzzillo

WALDRON: isAbeL pARRA; sHeeHAN: WiLLiAM WALDRON; FReeMAN: GeORGe bARbeRis

Builder: Hobbs, Inc. Photos: Chi Chi Ubina

A former design director for major home and fashion magazines such as Elle Decor, House Beautiful, and Architectural Digest, Nora Sheehan is the visionary talent responsible for the look of NYC&G, where she is consulting creative director. “Having been a New Yorker for most of my life, I feel close to this magazine,” she says. “New Yorkers lead such storied lives, and i’ve

R E N TA L S

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YOUR ONE-IN-A-MILLION HOME NEEDS THAT ONE-IN-A-MILLION BUYER. HOW DO YOU ENSURE THE TWO MEET?

As the largest regional and global network of real estate experts, Douglas Elliman has a way of understanding your home and what makes it unique. From buying and selling to appraisals, mortgage financing and rentals, top experts on AskElliman.com offer timely answers to today’s questions about all things real estate. With a powerful combination of talent and technology, we have the experience, insight and access to guide you skillfully from beginning to end. Visit AskElliman.com for a list of our office locations in your area.

Love how you live NYC

Congratulations to our friends Cottages & Gardens on their premier NY issue. New York City is a wonderful place to call home. This month we celebrate Interior Design with windows designed by Amy Lau, Tilton Fenwick and NYC&G’s Rising Star.

L I L L I A N A U G U S T. C O M

12 W 20th St. NEW YORK

shoptalk Design Discoveries from new York anD beYonD

have a seat!

New York furniture and accessories dealer Liz O’Brien has expanded her line of Frances dining chairs, named for decorator Frances Elkins and featuring a modern twist on the Queen Anne style. Finishes include ivory, ebonized wood, and cerused oak, made more playful by fabrics in Easter egg pastels and the latest introduction, hot-pink leather (center). From $3,500 (c.o.m.), at Liz O’Brien, 306 E. 61st St., NYC, 212-755-3800, lizobrien.com.

Photograph by john lawton

march/april 2012

new york cottages & gardens

shop taLK

spRING seNsatIoNs

1 A REAL PLUM

Michele Varian’s shimmery linen throw pillow with hand-cut leather appliqués is a pretty accent piece in any room. $345 (22"x22"), Michele Varian, 27 Howard St., NYC, 212-226-1076, michelevarian.com. 2 VIVA ITALIA!

Shine by S.H.O.’s striking Milan buffet is sure to spark conversation at the dinner table. $3,950, at Nest Inspired Home, 20 Purchase St., Rye, 914-921-6378, nestinspiredhome.com, or shinebysho.com. 3 HELLO, DARLINGTON!

4 FRENCH TWIST

Leave it to the French: Sébastien Siraudeau’s French Flair ($45; Flammarion) proves the point that effortless style is a native trait. 5 NATURAL BEAUTY

Nothing beats the organic grace of a teak table. $1,290, Andrianna Shamaris, 121 Greene St., NYC, 212-388-9898, andriannashamarisinc.com. 6 SLEEK CHIC

Roche Bobois’s new Syntone sofa is a study in seduction. From $5,882, Roche Bobois, 200 Madison Ave., NYC, 212-889-0700, and 1180 Northern Blvd., Manhasset, 516-365-9755, roche-bobois.com. 7 NIGHT-TIME DRAMA

Side table No. 840 from the New Traditionalists merges classic lines with saturated color. $1,885, the New Traditionalists, 524 Broadway, NYC, 212-226-1868, thenewtraditionalists.com. 8 “T” FOR TURK

These cotton Turkish bath towels have never looked fresher for spring. $68 each, at John Derian, 10 E. 2nd St., NYC, 212-677-8408, johnderian.com.

6 36

4 5 4, 8: JOHN LAWTON

Madeline Weinrib’s cotton Darlington flat-weave in abstracted chevrons and diamonds comes in heavenly blue. From $375, at Madeline Weinrib Atelier, 888 Broadway, NYC, 212-473-3000, madelineweinrib.com.

ELIZABETH “It’s about making one color out of manythe same way nature does.”

EAKINS

THE ANNUAL RUG AND FABRIC SALE. MAY 10, 11, 12 Find out more about our rugs and fabrics and the Annual Sale at our Taft Street studio at ElizabethEakins.com. 5 Taft Street, South Norwalk, CT 06854 • 203.831.9347 • 654 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10065 • 212.628.1950 8550 Melrose Avenue, West Hollywood, CA 90069 • 310.657.8550 ©2012 Elizabeth Eakins, Inc.

SHOP TALK

SHOWROOM SPOTLIGHT:

MAYA ROMANOFF The Chicago-based wall-covering guru Maya Romanoff has just unveiled brandnew digs in New York’s D&D Building. The design firm marquardt+ created an utterly seductive space where clients can shop for Romanoff’s trademark offerings, from elegant, ethereal patterns in mother of pearl to exuberant papers studded with thousands of tiny glass beads. 979 Third Ave., Suite 922, NYC, 212-588-9707, mayaromanoff.com.

ON THE BLOCK: WILLIAM HAINES

The Hollywood decorator William Haines designed this lustrous pair of 1940s lacquered wood, copper, and vinyl armchairs for actress Joan Crawford. Haines, a onetime actor himself, became lifelong friends with Crawford when the pair met at MGM Studios; after switching careers, he designed furniture and decorated homes for many Tinseltown luminaries, including all of Crawford’s residences. The chairs (est. $5,000–$10,000) are included in an April 17 sale at the auction house Doyle New York, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. For more information, go to doylenewyork.com.

A TALE OF TWO SHOPS

Forest Avenue, Locust Valley’s main drag for design and decoration, just added two new stores to its already impressive roster—and it’s only an hour away by train from New York City. Meg Braff Designs is the brainchild of decorator Meg Braff, known for her polished, Palm Beach meets Park Avenue aesthetic; expect to find everything from Chinoiserie seating pieces to sunburst mirrors to Philip Graf wallpapers within its cheery confines. A stone’s throw away, Ellen Niven’s Locust Valley Design Shops features a rotating collection of wares, such as Quadrille pillows and accessories by

BeeLine Home, as well as “shop in shops” curated by such decorators as Elizabeth Ainslie and Jeff Lincoln. “Locust Valley has a surprising amount to offer,” says Niven. “People from Connecticut and New York City are coming here more to explore and enjoy—not just the great shops, but also the incredible architecture and history of the Gold Coast.” Meg Braff Designs, 92 Forest Ave., 516-801-4939, megbraffdesigns.com; Locust Valley Design Shops, 96 Forest Ave., 516-671-1620, locustvalleydesignshops@ gmail.com for more information.

Meg Braff Designs

new york cottages & gardens march/april 2012

A TALE OF TWO SHOPS: KEVIN WOHLERS

Locust Valley Design Shops

SHOP TALK

9:05 A.M. I hit the ground running at Pier 94, where I instantly spot these digitally printed birchwood trays by Amsterdambased painter Mariska Meijers. Score! 10:45 A.M. At the Javits, these gorgeous lowballs from Artel immediately catch my eye.

9:05 A.M. Mariska Meijers

12:45 P.M. Jonathan Adler

10:45 A.M. Artel

11:17 A.M. Dwell Studio

2:27 P.M. Lostine

1:22 P.M. Michael Aram

3:42 P.M. Oomph

11:17 A.M. Dwell Studio leads the pack with great pillow patterns, like this zebra print on a tangerine ground. 12:45 P.M. Jonathan Adler’s melamine Ikat and Positano dinnerware has me craving a poolside picnic. 1:22 P.M. Just the right mix of craft and refinement: Michael Aram’s nickeland gold-plated Sunburst frames. 2:27 P.M. I love Lostine’s chunky cutting boards with leather handles—so chic. 3:42 P.M. Oomph’s Fenwick Chart table can be customized with any nautical chart or map.

BEST IN SHOW What’s it like

sifting through the hundreds of booths at New York’s International Gift Fair? One market editor lives to tell the tale

WICE A YEAR, DESIGNERS

and manufacturers converge on New York’s Javits Center and Pier 94 to show off their furniture, toys, art, pillows, clothing, jewelry, gadgets, scents, bowls, pens, and rugs (and more toys and art and pillows) at the International Gift Fair. Editors, retailers, and interior designers scour miles of aisles in search of the design discoveries everybody will soon be talking about. Here’s what drew my attention at this January’s extravaganza. —Zoe Settle 5:29 P.M. Lance Wovens 5:29 P.M. Just what I need for all my folders and samples: a metallic tote from Lance Wovens. See Resources.

GardeninG

Green Giant Patrick Blanc’s approach to gardening is literally off the wall

King Of The Jungle French botanist Patrick Blanc, photographed in Gitgit, Bali, in front of a stand of Elatostema paludosum, has studied tropical botanicals for decades. See Resources.

nown for creating

vertical gardens in urban environments, Patrick Blanc puts a theatrical spin on classic garden design. The French botanist’s work is on view through April 22 at the New York Botanical Garden’s annual orchid show. When you are composing one of your garden walls, do you ever think of it like painting or sculpture?

NYC&G:

PaTricK Blanc:

When people look at my gardens they are basically standing in front of a forest—they don’t think it is artistic, but instead very natural. To me, the most important result is that my work looks like nature, and nature is itself inherently artistic.

in 2001 you created the vertical garden at the Pershing Hall Hotel in Paris. What effect did that have on your career?

I built my first vertical garden in 1986 at the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris, but Pershing Hall is really my first architectural work. Interestingly enough, it was commissioned by [interior designer] Andrée Putman, and since then I have worked with many great architects and designers, including Herzog & de Meuron, Jean Nouvel, and Marc Newson.

At the start I proposed a rather extravagant work hanging from the ceiling, but the orchids needed to be switched out so that the piece would appear to be continuously “in bloom.” We ended up with a cube and a gate-like structure, and planted them with orchids as well as some very architectural epiphytic species that also don’t grow in soil. Orchids are just one component of the air-plant ecosystem, and the NYBG has an incredible collection of epiphytic plants.

new york cottages & gardens

march/april 2012

murvegetalpatrickblanc.com

What have you created for this year’s orchid show?

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For a fortunate few, an exceptional destination is the rule. “The most distinctive B&B on the East End is so mind-bogglingly gorgeous that it’s hard to believe anyone is actually allowed to sleep here.” – TIME OuT MAgAzINE Condé Nast Johansens selects The Baker House 1650, once again, as “The Most Excellent Inn” in the Americas.

181 MAIn STREET EAST HAMpTOn nEw YORK 11937 631-324-4081 w fAx 631-329-5931 w www.BAKERHOUSE1650.COM w InfO@BAKERHOUSE1650.COM

GardeninG

if These Walls could Talk Blanc has created vertical gardens for structures as diverse as Jean Nouvel’s Quai Branly museum, his own home in Paris, and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Johnson Wax Headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin (CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT). See Resources.

GardeninG

You even have a new species of begonia, Begonia blancii, named for you.

I discovered it three years ago on the island of Palawan, a province of the Philippines. Approaching a waterfall, I found a begonia with a peculiar triangular leaf that varies from green to an almost black-brown. I took a lot of pictures and sent them to colleagues at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh. They named it in honor of me because of my studies and interest in understory plants.

looking for the perfect fountain, bench, or garden pot? Don’t miss the 20th annual antique Garden Furniture show and sale at the new York Botanical Garden, april 27 to 29. NYC&G is proud to be a sponsor of this special event, which includes sumptuous pieces from 30 of the country’s top garden antiques dealers. above: circa-1830 French carved limestone finial, one of a pair ($7,500), from Barbara israel. For more information, go to nybg.org.

What would you do if you had carte blanche in new York city? Which are your favorite orchids?

I’m most interested in the colors and shapes of the leaves of orchids, rather than the flowers. Jewel orchids, for example, have incredibly colored leaves and just a small white flower. What sparked your interest in the tropics?

As a boy I had aquatic plants in a tropical aquarium filled with fish and Cryptocoryne, a genus that is popular in the aquarium world. When I was 19, I went to Malaysia and Thailand to find them in their native habitat. About 10 years ago I was in Laos and found a new form of species of Cryptocoryne just outside the capital.

in a few places with ugly façades, like parking garages, some great work could be done

Well, the city is already quite green. You have Central Park and the wonderful pocket gardens, and look how far Bryant Park has come in 20 years. In a few places with ugly façades, like parking garages or even subway stations, some great work could be done. The High Line is very good, but it could have a more threedimensional aspect, bringing more plant life down to street level. can people create vertical gardens at home?

Of course! All you need to do is add a water element in order to create your own mini-ecosystem. I have about 50 species on my own wall in Paris. —Alejandro Saralegui

murvegetalpatrickblanc.com; Finial: SYlvia Falcon

PLein air anTiQUeS

new york cottages & gardens march/april 2012

42-44_gardeningPatrickBlanc_KC_F.indd 44

3/5/12 11:52 AM

You even have a new species of begonia, Begonia blancii, named for you.

Which are your favorite orchids?

new york cottages & gardens march/april 2012

in a few places with ugly façades, like parking garages, some great work could be done

Of course! All you need to do is add a water element in order to create your own mini-ecosystem. I have about 50 species on my own wall in Paris. —Alejandro Saralegui

murvegetalpatrickblanc.com; Finial: SYlvia Falcon

PLein air anTiQUeS

What would you do if you had carte blanche in new York city?

design I cabinetry I interiors I construction management

jwhdesigns.com

Stop by our showroom or for instant inspiration visit our Design Portfolio online at jwhdesigns.com

from start to finish… JWH works hard for you every step of the way: design • cabinetry • interiors • construction management Owner/Designer Jennifer Howard creates innovative design solutions through her passion for seeing beauty and function come to life.

1111 Boston Post Road Rye, New York 914.967.6020 I 203.661.0490 JWH Designs LLC is a licensed General Contractor in NY and CT.

Kitchens, Family Rooms, Libraries, Bathrooms and even Laundry and Mudrooms benefit from JWH’s design expertise, as well as cabinetry options at every budget level. JWH’s experienced team can also manage the full scope of construction to maximize the efficiency and coordination throughout your Project. From an inspired start to a beautiful finish, JWH is the team you can trust.

ANTIQUES

Deco Dreams These French discoveries have caught our expert’s eye

4 1 BLOND BOMBSHELL This circa-1914 burled-elm vanity and stool suggest what was to come from the French Art Deco master Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, whose wildly successful 1920s designs included more elaborate ebony and mother-of-pearl confections. At Maison Gerard, 53 E. 10th St., 212-674-7611, maisongerard.com.

new york cottages & gardens

2 LACQUERED UP Architect Alfred Porteneuve (1896– 1949), a Beaux Arts scholar and nephew of Ruhlmann, collaborated with Japanese lacquer expert Katsu Hamanaka to add lustrous black to this cabinet’s Hungarian white-oak frame and pedestal. The doors, sheathed in Moroccan leather, feature a gilt-bronze keyhole cover bearing the initials “AP” and the year “1935.” At DeLorenzo Gallery, 956 Madison Ave., 212-249-7575, delorenzogallery.com.

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3 TURN TABLE French architect and furniture designer Pierre Chareau (1883–1950), best known for designing the revolutionary Maison de Verre in Paris, constructed swiveling “wings” for this 1929 wrought-iron gem. At Galerie L’Arc en Seine, Paris (by appointment only in New York), info@arcenseine.com.

4 FOLLOT THE LEADER? These refined armchairs, featuring carved fruitwood arms and curved crest rails, are similar to pieces made by silver, ceramics, and textile designer Paul Follot (1877–1941), who created furniture for the French ocean liner S.S. Normandie (1935). Although the stylized low-relief floral carvings are subtle, the silhouettes are anything but. At Florian Papp, 962 Madison Ave., 212-288-6770, florianpapp.com. —WENDY MOONAN

made in neW YoRK made in the hamptons

paper petals Pillow Talk by Ann Kaiser

in her Bronx basement, Livia Cetti brings glorious handmade blossoms to life

Flower Power Stylist and event planner Livia Cetti produces paper flowers from her basement atelier in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. See Resources.

new york cottages & gardens

march/april 2012

hough she has worked for such major new york

florists as Renny & Reed and Belle Fleur and styled countless floral photo shoots for Martha Stewart, Livia Cetti has always been smitten with paper flowers. She spotted her first specimens while trolling vintage markets with her mother, an antiques dealer, when she was growing up near Santa Barbara. “I started making paper flowers at age 13,” she says, “though my calling took a while to develop.” Three years ago, when tasked with constructing “something tropical” for a Caribbean-based client, “I created a paper hibiscus cake-topper,” and though the client didn’t prefer it, “I still kept making more.” (Her hibiscus blossoms have since popped up in everything from ad campaigns for Ann Taylor and Kate Spade to a state dinner at the White House.) Cetti constructs each artificial bloom—from foxglove to geranium to hollyhock— primarily from pieces of matte tissue paper. Three- to four-inch-long strips are rotary-cut, hand-dipped in a diluted bleach solution, and then hung to dry above an oversize sink. Next she employs an arsenal of fringing and

Photographs by doug young

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MADE IN NEW YORK

Growth Industry (clockwise from above) Old-world labels sport the name of Cetti’s company, the Green Vase. Two double poppies lean toward

the sun in an upstairs window. Cetti applies hand-cut leaves to wire stems. A stack of matte tissue paper in a rainbow of colors. See Resources.

new york cottages & gardens

I draw from my imagination, not from pictures or cuttings. My versions are definitely not anatomically correct!

march/april 2012

crimping tools to articulate petals; each leaf is cut (and often painted) by hand. Finally, she twists all the parts together on floral wire and adheres them with floral tape, then affixes an old-world botanical-style label with the name of her firm, the Green Vase. Speaking of botanicals, it’s hard to believe that Cetti’s floral factory is headquartered in her Bronx basement. “I draw from my imagination—not from pictures or cuttings—and also from the wave Hill public garden here in Riverdale,” she says. “My versions are definitely not anatomically correct!” She’s not stopping at flowers either, although she routinely fills orders from John Derian for foxgloves and potted geraniums (40 to 50 at a time). Look for tufts of wild grasses, flowering maple branches, and variegated citrus specimens to make their appearance this spring. —Allegra Muzzillo

c aPe coLLection · desiGn PoVL esKiLdsen (denmaRK)

EvErything you nEEd for ElEgant outdoor living w w w. s e a s o n s t o o . c o m 1331 Boston Post Road L a R c h m o n t, n Y 1 0 5 3 8 914-834-0433

836 Post Road daRien, ct 06820 203-655-8444

81 FieLds L ane BRewsteR, nY 10509 845-278-0377

jewelry

Pearl Essence

The deep-sea diva reemerges, utterly fresh and forever luminous

Pearls Just Want To Have Fun (clockwise from top) Multicolor pearl necklace with 18K yellow gold clasp, $40,000, at Mikimoto, 730 Fifth Ave., NYC, 212-457-4600, mikimotoamerica.com. 18-inch pearl necklace, $425, at Tiffany & Co., Fifth Ave. and 57th St., NYC, 212-755-8000, tiffany.com. Seed-pearl tassel and diamond bracelet, $7,200, at Ivanka Trump, 109 Mercer St., NYC, 888-756-9912, ivankatrumpcollection.com. Baroque South Sea 18mm. pearl necklace with 18K yellow gold clasp, $50,000, at Donna Vock Designs, 608 Fifth Ave., NYC, 212-980-4249, donnavockdesigns.com. Rose de Noël ear clips with gray mother of pearl and diamonds, $29,200, at Van Cleef & Arpels, 744 Fifth Ave., NYC, 877-826-2533, vancleef-arpels.com. Small Doris tray, $295, from Lillian August, 12 W. 20th St., NYC, 212-206-1883, lillianaugust.com. —pRoDuCeD BY ISABeLLe KeLLogg

new york cottages & gardens

march/april 2012

Photograph by john simoudis

the ar t of custom storage

T R a D e s e c RterTa sde SecretS

Tudor Revival Deane, Inc., gives a much-needed makeover to a 1920s beauty in Bronxville

eane, Inc., a connectIcut-

based design firm known for its highquality custom cabinetry, recently took on the top-to-bottom redo of a Tudor-style home and guesthouse in Bronxville. Designer and showroom manager Terry Scarborough describes how it all played out. What condition was the property in before you began renovations?

NYC&G:

Terry Scarborough:

The house and guesthouse hadn’t been renovated in over 30 years. The appliances were hopelessly outdated, and the fixtures and plumbing hailed from bygone eras. In the main house, the kitchen was too small for a table and was cut off from the dining and living areas; industrial lighting, stainless-steel countertops and backsplashes, flimsy storage cabinets, and linoleum flooring had to go. The master bath on the second floor was two narrow side-by-side rooms—one a dressing room, and the other a skinny tiled bath. The guesthouse, next to the pool, also had a cramped, isolated kitchen, and the first-floor bath was just a modest powder room tucked into a far corner. What did the clients hope to accomplish?

In the main house, they wanted a larger open kitchen with an informal eating area for their two boys. Food storage was also high on the list, as that kitchen is used full-time. The master bath was too awkward, so we created a larger space with storage, plus a separate tub and shower enclosure. Since the guesthouse was earmarked for entertaining, its kitchen had to be spacious and unobscured, though storage wasn’t an issue. While the bathroom didn’t need a tub, it did need a shower to accommodate houseguests and post-swim rinse-offs. And even though the residences were built

new york cottages & gardens

march/april 2012

in the late ’20s, the owners preferred modern interiors that didn’t clash with the Tudor façade. how did you meet the clients’ goals?

In the main house, we linked the kitchen, dining, and living areas and gained 14 feet of wall space and extra storage; one impractical entryway became a walk-in pantry. A center island seats three and houses the sink, dishwasher, and more drawers. We gave the dining area a two-foot cathedral bump to break up the flat ceiling expanse and to make the whole space seem larger. The range wall features an office nook and a great wet bar for parties. We capped each freestanding unit with a unifying stainless-steel toe that helps it resemble furniture, not cabinetry. By removing the wall between the upstairs bath and the dressing room, we created one bigger bathroom with a double vanity, more storage, and a separate tub and shower enclosure. and what about the guesthouse?

We opened up the kitchen into two adjacent rooms on either side. Now the entire first floor is an open space designed for entertaining. Because storage wasn’t a priority, we chose a smaller refrigerator, floated the range hood—rather than cabinets—on the wall, and installed the microwave in a base cabinet within the center island. The guesthouse is now the designated pool house, and the downstairs bath is now the changing room, with a frameless shower enclosure and floating vanity. What was the most rewarding part of this project?

Taking a rabbit’s warren of rooms, anterooms, and closets, ripping them apart on paper, and showing the clients what was possible. —Allegra Muzzillo

Westchester Wonder (clockwise from near right) A Tudor-style guesthouse (foreground) and main house in Bronxville got a major overhaul courtesy of Deane, Inc. Custom back-painted glass countertops in the guesthouse kitchen are a nod to the swimming pool outside; appliances are by Sub-Zero and Wolf. In the main house’s master bath, floor tiles from Artistic Tile are inset with metal accent pieces from Ann Sacks; the sinks are by Kohler. Frameless cabinetry and contemporary hardware in the primary kitchen enhance the home’s Tudor lines. (inset) A shimmery glass-tile backsplash from Artistic Tile’s Scalini Collection makes a dramatic focal point. See Resources.

Tom mcWilliam

march/april 2012

new york cottages & gardens

M A N H A T T A N | B R O O K LY N | Q U E E N S | L O N G I S L A N D | T H E H A M P T O N S | T H E N O R T H F O R K | R I V E R D A L E | W E S T C H E S T E R / P U T N A M | F L O R I D A ©2012. Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities. An independently owned and operated broker member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While, this information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Used under license. Equal Housing Opportunity. changes or withdrawal without notice. All property information, including, but not limited to square footage, room count, number of bedrooms and the school district in property listings are deemed reliable, but should be verified by your own attorney, architect or zoning expert.

MAGICAL CENTRAL PARK VIEWS

825 Fifth Avenue | $9,500,000 | Dream home with expansive setback terrace facing Central Park in premier prewar co-op. Designed for grand entertaining with enormous living room and spectacular sunsets. Web# 1442459. Matt Siegel 212.303.5204 Diane Kramer 212.303.5210

PERFECTION BEYOND PERCEPTION

East 70s | $5,200,000 | Top floor, 9 room prewar. Sunflooded with open views. Living room with wood burning fireplace, formal dining room, Mahogany paneled library, gourmet island eat-in kitchen, breakfast room, office and 3 bedroom suites. Web# 1445754. Lisa Maysonet, EVP 212.891.7195 | Gary Kabol, SVP 917.617.1440

MAIN STREET, WEST VILLAGE

211 West 10th Street, 5C | $943,000 | Charismatic 2 bedroom in heart of West Village prewar. Brilliantly sunny, with 3 exposures and windows in every room, including kitchen and bathroom. Web# 1329342. Armanda Squadrilli, SVP 646.824.8379

ASKELLIMAN.COM

A CASTLE IN THE SKY

128 Central Park South, Penthouse | $12,500,000 | New exclusive rarely available multi-level penthouse, wrap around landscaped terraces on two levels. Superb renovation, 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, den, exercise room, eat-in kitchen. Web# 1443633. Ellen Schatz 917.612.7914.

TERRACED BEAUTY ON PARK AVENUE

East 80s | $5,495,000 | Prewar 7 in full-service building, charming terrace, living room with wood burning fireplace, master bedroom, library, and 2nd bedroom. Formal dining room. Fabulous. Web# 1359244. Rebecca Steindecker, EVP 917.670.4193

THE HEART OF THE WEST VILLAGE

211 West 10th Street, 6D | $972,000 | Exposed brick, high ceilings, bright living room. 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, incredible view, 3 exposures and spacious, windowed chef’s kitchen with state-of-the-art appliances. Web# 1439691. Armanda Squadrilli, SVP 646.824.8379

FIRST GREEN MANSION

West 70s | $13,995,000 | Fully restored 8,000+ sf private residence in New York’s cultural epicenter. 6 bedrooms, 11 baths, 10 fi replaces, screening room, Smallbone kitchen, private garden, roofdeck, Sauna/steam. Web# 1399816. Talin Eshaghoff Sarraf 516.316.6560

TOP OF THE CLASS

Fifth Avenue/East 62nd Street | $5,750,000 | Mint renovation in white-glove co-op. Beautiful park views from 3 rooms, elegant living room, formal dining room, eat-in kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, closets and built ins. Web# 1303405. Rebecca Steindecker, EVP 917.670.4193

GLORIOUS CENTRAL PARK VIEWS

Central Park South | $3,300,000 | Magnificent 5-room apartment with 28-ft terrace facing Central Park. Huge living room and formal dining room, 2 master bedrooms, 2 marble baths plus powder room. Elegant whiteglove building. Garage. Web# 1417772. Sharon Aspis 212.692.6139

DEEDS&DON’TS T H E I N S I D E S C O O P O N N E W Y O R K R E A L E S TAT E

Robert J. Hurst Arts Patron

Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban Actress and Singer

Jamie Drake Decorator

Fredrik Eklund Real Estate Broker

Illustration by TOM BACKTELL

ARCHITECT Annabelle Selldorf’s 200 Eleventh

Avenue apartment tower seems to have stolen some of the limelight from Robert A. M. Stern’s 15 Central Park West Annabelle Selldorf Architect and Richard Meier’s Perry Street twins. The 19-story, 14-unit building in West Chelsea has attracted such diverse residents as decorator Jamie Drake (biggest client: Mayor Michael Bloomberg), fashion designer Domenico Dolce (who is rumored to have spent $29 million on two of its penthouses), former Whitney Museum of American Art co-chair Robert J. Hurst, and actress Nicole Kidman and singer Keith Urban, who have settled into a $9.6 million unit on the fourth floor. (It looks like Kidman, who’s obviously into name brands, abandoned her $8 million Meier-built 12th-floor condo on Perry for better river views; she currently rents it out for $45,000 a month.) On the less celestial side, Prudential Douglas Elliman broker Fredrik Eklund, a former porn star and a host on Bravo’s Million Dollar Listing New York, convinced fellow Swede and real estate titan Oscar Engelbert to buy a $5.95 million duplex on the fifth floor, although his associates Leonard Steinberg and Hervé Senequier are 200 Eleventh’s exclusive listing brokers. Steinberg, also a resident, is predictably smitten with his new address. “I hadn’t imagined living like this was possible in New York,” he says. “There are zero commercial entities on the ground floor—people come knocking, thinking we might be an art gallery.” The structure, comprising a base clad in gunmetal-glazed terra cotta and a tower of sculpted stainless steel, features 1,300- to 3,400-square-foot duplex layouts with 16- to 24-foot ceilings, wraparound terraces, and freestanding honed-granite tubs. Among the building amenities are a gym with an adjoining spin studio and a Sky Garage, which allows residents to drive into an oversize elevator that whisks them to private carports adjoining their digs. At press time, 200 Eleventh holds the record sales price for the neighborhood, with a recent purchase tallying $3,700-plus per square foot. —Allegra Muzzillo

march/april 2012

new york cottages & gardens

EKLUND: BRAVO MEDIA; DOLCE, KIDMAN AND URBAN: SHUTTERSTOCK

Domenico Dolce Fashion Designer

New York’s Hottest Property?

Step Into Bedford’s Past -

The Miller Homestead, circa 1750. Carefully restored with keen attention to period details. Aged Chestnut paneling, hand-hewn beams, wide plank floors, antique glass, original fireplaces and beehive oven. Gorgeous Living and Dining Rooms. Library. Cherry Kitchen. Three Bedrooms. Two Story Garage with Studio/Playroom potential. Four flat acres - close to park, village & schools. $795,000

Archer Stables - Working horse farm property - part of Conyers Farm. Twenty-four level acres convenient to the Conyers Farm polo fields and all major equestrian events. Gated entry to courtyard and barn complex. Two large Barns with a total of 29 stalls, Two Tack Rooms, Wash Stall, Feed Room, Blacksmith’s Stall, Office and Groom’s Apartment. Two Bedroom Caretaker’s Cottage. Five paddocks. 125’ x 175’ outdoor riding. $3,495,000

Oakwood Hill - Set majestically on a knoll, refined Shingle and Slate 1930’s Country Estate. Eight private acres with ancient trees, a flat playing field and Pool. Distinguished Country House imbued with subtle style, graceful lines and classic proportions. Elegant Living Room with Fireplace and French doors to terrace. Formal Dining Room with Fireplace. Butler’s Pantry. Family Room with wet bar and Fireplace. Four Bedrooms. Central air. Generator. Perfection! $2,250,000

Apple Hill - Overlooking the waters of the Titicus Reservoir, ma-

Sophisticated Brick -

Pastoral Guard Hill - Four spectacular acres in the heart of Bedford’s

Stunning Colonial with handsome lines and traditional floorplan. Beautifully scaled Living Room with Fireplace. Formal Dining Room. Pine-paneled Library. Country Kitchen. Spacious Family Room with Fireplace. Incredible Master Suite with opulent Master Bath. Four additional bedrooms. Long drive to almost five acres of remarkable parklike land. Two-stall Barn, Salt Water Pool and Organic Garden. $1,195,000

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jestic mid-19th Century Country Estate rich in period details. 5300 square feet of exquisitely finished and sun-filled living space. Over ten spectacular acres with gently rolling lawns, age-old Maple trees, vegetable and herb gardens. Wonderful walking trails. Potential for horses. Spacious Cottage/Studio/Office Complex. Sparkling Pool. Hartru Tennis Court. A magnificent offering! $1,699,000

foremost estate area. Sophisticated and traditional Colonial with breathtaking views of meadows and water. Beautifully proportioned and elegantly appointed rooms. Fabulous Sun Porch with views of pond and pool. Formal Dining Room. Five Bedrooms. Incredible landscaping with majestic weeping willows and towering evergreens overlooking stocked pond. $2,295,000

493 BEDFORD CENTER RD, BEDFORD HILLS, NY SPECIALIZING IN THE UNUSUAL FOR OVER 60 YEARS

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DEEDS & DON’TS

NEW YORK CITY 2012 FORECAST

ISTOCK

VERALL, THE MANHATTAN real estate market closed out 2011 with a 12.4 percent decline in sales activity as compared to 2010—a significant softening, according to the Elliman Report, prepared by the independent appraisal firm Miller Samuel, Inc. The luxury market, too, which represents the top 10 percent of sales, or those totaling $2.975 million-plus, slowed by a similar amount. But the trophy market, the much-ballyhooed top one percent—or top 0.1 percent, really—is going gangbusters. “Right now, you have the best and all the rest,” says Miller Samuel’s Jonathan Miller. At press time, ex-Citigroup CEO Sandy Weill is set to sell his penthouse at 15 Central Park West to Russian fertilizer billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev for $88 million—which would make it the biggest deal in New York City history. (Broker Kyle Blackmon of Brown Harris Stevens has the listing.) Yet the Rybolovlev sale isn’t alone. In the last year, developer William Lie Zeckendorf’s apartment at 15 Central Park

West sold for $40 million, and financier Damon Mezzacappa’s apartment at 834 Fifth Avenue was picked up for $42 million by billionaire philanthropists Robert M. and Anne T. Bass. Both sales translated to roughly $10,000 per square foot, outstripping $7,000-per-square-foot yields at the height of the boom. Such stratospheric figures are in marked contrast to the toptier luxury market of the last several years, when anti–Wall Street sentiment made it gauche to drop $30 million on a condo. Back then, some rare high-end properties eventually sold for about half of what they were asking, including Brooke Astor’s 15thfloor duplex at 778 Park Avenue [see “Astor Place Theater,” page 66] and a triplex penthouse at 812 Park Avenue. The Astor apartment was priced at $46 million in 2008, but billionaire hedge funder Daniel Sundheim and his wife, Brett, paid a relatively meager $21 million late last year. With 2012 bonuses looking slim, Kirk Henckels, director of the luxuryfocused Stribling Private Brokerage, doesn’t expect many acquisitions by the Wall Street crowd, which dominates the $5- to $10-million market. “But I do expect an increased number of old-money home-

DEEDS & DON’TS

203.869.0695

kathleenbrenner.com

“Thanks to a benevolent arrangement of things, the greatest part of life is sunshine.” – Thomas Jefferson

inviting conversations about interior design services

YOU’VE GOT A FRIEND? The East Village was recently divested of a potential landmark building, thanks to former Friends actor David Schwimmer. Through an LLC, he reportedly shelled out $4.1 million for the five-story 1852 townhouse at 331 East 6th Street—the oldest on the block, between First and Second avenues. By demolishing it just four months before it was eligible for historic status, Schwimmer incensed neighborhood preservationists. His plan for the site: a modern six-story home outfitted with an elevator and rooftop terrace. —A.M.

UYERS HAVE SNAPPED

up nearly all of the apartments at One Thirty West 12, the refurbished 14-story former St. Vincent’s Hospital building. It’s great news for the Rudin family, one of New York’s Beth Rudin DeWoody Art Collector oldest, most powerful commercial real estate developers, who are making their first foray into the condo market. The Rudins waged a long, contentious battle to redevelop the shuttered St. Vincent’s, which opened for sales last fall. (Two still-available four-bedroom units are asking $5.75 million and $6.35 million, respectively.) The prewar detailing, huge layouts with multiple exposures, and sunken living rooms designed by Cook + Fox Architects created so much demand that “we raised prices eight times,” says Samantha Rudin, whose aunt, art collector Beth Rudin DeWoody, decorated the model apartments with dozens of pieces from her collection, including works by Franz Kline and Ed Ruscha. Stribling Marketing Associates is representing the building. — —C.L .H.

West Village | $5,300,000 | Little West Village jewel. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths with garden views. 15-ft four-story single family townhouse built in 1877 in late French Second Empire style, retains much of its original detail. Web# 1352720.

ETERAN HOLLYWOOD

JAN HASHEY

MANAGING DIRECTOR

212.206.2804 | jhashey@elliman.com

David Schwimmer Actor

©2012. Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities. An independently owned and operated broker member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., a Prudential Financial company. Prudential, the Prudential logo and the Rock symbol are service marks of Prudential Financial, Inc. and its related entities, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Used under license. Equal Housing Opportunity. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While, this information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. All property information, including, but not limited to square footage, room count, number of bedrooms and the school district in property listings are deemed reliable, but should be verified by your own attorney, architect or zoning expert.

WHAT THE RUDINS WROUGHT

H O LY M A C D O U G A L , BATMAN!

256 WEST 4TH STREET

ASKELLIMAN.COM

buyers looking for $20-million-plus marquee homes,” says Henckels, who has been showing his listings to foreign buyers and entertainment executives. “People don’t like being denied their toys for very long.” —Christina Lewis Halpern

director (and native New Yorker) Joel Schumacher decamped for California 30 years ago, but he’ll soon be spending more time in the Big Apple. Though he Joel Schumacher Director already owns a 790-squarefoot condo at 25 Fifth Avenue in Greenwich Village, the Batman filmmaker has paid $4 million (through a trust) for a threeISTOCK (3)

Greenwich, CT

deeds & don’ts

bedroom apartment at MacDougal Lofts. Just off Washington Square Park, the landmark 1891 Romanesque Revival building features 10 modern units with open English-inspired kitchens designed by Smallbone of Devizes, radiant-heated wood floors, enclosed glass fireplaces, automated lighting, and in-ceiling Crestron sound systems. Julie Pham of Corcoran had the listing. —C.L .H. The STraighT and narrow

ere’s the skinny on a celebrated townhouse

in the West Village: At just 9½ feet wide and 30 feet deep (including the rear garden), the Millay house at 75½ Bedford Street is universally described as the narrowest abode in New York City—and it’s on the market. Best known as the former residence of Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Edna St. Vincent Millay (actors John Barrymore and Cary Grant also once lived here), it’s being advertised as both a sale and a rental: Lease it for $13,500 a month, or buy it for $3.95 million—$550,000 less than its $4.3 million ask this past December. Built in 1850, the recently renovated 990-square-foot townhouse hardly seems claustrophobic, with three bedrooms, a balcony overlooking a private garden, four wood-burning fireplaces, and a washer/dryer. —Barbara Thau

Poet’s Corner The narrowest house in New York City was previously home to Edna St. Vincent Millay, Cary Grant, and John Barrymore. It can be yours for $3.95 million; Town Residential (212-633-1000) has the listing.

New York

Style

DEEDS & DON’TS

Holly Go Lightly? Holly Hill, the late Brooke Astor’s estate in Briarcliff Manor, recently sold for $6.45 million, half of its original asking price.

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HEN THE LATE, GREAT philanthropist Brooke Astor died in 2007 at the age of 105, her cherished country estate, Holly Hill, was put on the market for $12.9 million. The circa-1927 10,000-square-foot manse in Briarcliff Manor has the grandeur of Downton Abbey, with its Sister Parish– designed formal rooms, spartan servants’ quarters, and 65 acres of rolling, landscaped grounds. Astor bought the place as a widow, after her third husband, Vincent, left her with some $60 million and the assurance, “You’ll have fun, Pookie.” A great deal has transpired in three years. In 2009, Astor’s son, Anthony Marshall, now 88, was found guilty of grand larceny for changing his ailing mother’s will and giving himself a retroactive $1 million raise for managing her finances (among other charges); he was sentenced to one to three years in prison,

a conviction he’s still appealing. Holly Hill’s asking price was reduced to $7.5 million, and a Sotheby’s auction of Astor’s art and antiques is scheduled for April 19. Late last year, the property was purchased through an LLC for $6.45 million, half of its original ask. According to the buyers’ agent, Tracy Isaacs of Coldwell Banker in Scarsdale, they have no plans to subdivide or demolish. Word is that they had already been living in Westchester but needed more room for their two children. Astor’s 778 Park Avenue co-op also recently sold at a steep discount, for less than half of its initial $46 million ask. A person close to the Westchester deal insists the Marshall scandal had nothing to do with the listings’ reduced closing prices. “There’s been a bit of a recession,” the source observes drily. (The Park Avenue place was reportedly a fixer-upper with a strange layout.) But another source familiar with the deal thinks it’s too great a coincidence that both properties closed at the same time, at half-price or less: “With the Marshall case tied up in court, the money will be held until a decision is made, though there are reports that Marshall is trying to line up funds—and fast.” —Diane DiCostanzo

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Katonah Crash Pad Ad exec Sara Arnell’s estate is on the market for $22 million; Angela Kessel of Houlihan Lawrence in Bedford has the listing (914-234-9099 x359).

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about the $22 million listing of ad exec Sara Arnell’s Katonah home is who isn’t mentioned: her husband, Peter. A Wall Street Journal report indicates only that Sara is unloading the property, but the Arnell story is much more complicated. A one-time ad-industry boy wonder, the famously eccentric Peter founded the Arnell Group and sold it to the Omnicom global advertising firm in 2001. The couple bought the Katonah property from music mogul Tommy Mottola and his (now ex-) wife, Mariah Carey, for $18.3 million the same year, as a fun, family weekend place (the Arnells have three children). Just last year, Omnicom fired Peter, who quickly filed a lawsuit citing failure to return personal property in excess of $1 million; Sara then took over his role as CEO. The WSJ also reports

that Sara put several million dollars into the 12,900-square-foot house, which has nine bedrooms, a conservatory, a threestory great room, a 20-seat home theater, and a kids’ cottage with a foosball table, arcade, and an ATV riding ring. Angela Kessel of Houlihan Lawrence in Bedford has the listing. —D.C . FEELING BLUE

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Menswear and eyewear designer Jhane Barnes and her husband, textile-industry exec Katsu Kawasaki, just sold their five-acre Pound Ridge property for $2.1 million, down from an initial $2.395 million ask. The 1994 four-bedroom home overlooks a private pond and was restored with salvaged materials throughout, from bluestone on the exterior to window frames and siding sourced from reclaimed wine and olive barrels, respectively. Barnes and Kawasaki are heading north, to the Waccabuc area. Linda Finn of Houlihan Lawrence in Brewster represented the buyers; Michael Neeley of Ginnel Real Estate in Bedford Hills, the sellers. —D.C.

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Park’s Wollman Rink, tennis and basketball courts, a pool, gym, and spa, a 12-seat home theater, and an X Games–approved motocross track. And what would a farm be without horses? Buyers could mount their own cavalry with Sky Blue Farm’s 18-stall stable and indoor and outdoor riding rings. If it sells for anywhere near its ask, Sky Blue Farm will easily beat Millbrook’s highestsale record of $15 million. Adam Hade of Houlihan Lawrence in Millbrook has the listing. —D.C .

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ong Island’s gold Coast, famously dotted wIth turn-of-the-century estates and mini-mansions, has always maintained the rarefied, Roaring Twenties air so closely associated with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s ode to the North Shore, The Great Gatsby. Once home to wealthy families like the Astors, the Vanderbilts, and the Whitneys, the area still lures a choice mix of boldfaced names, Wall Streeters, and doctors drawn to its topnotch schools, waterfront properties, country clubs, and luxury shopping along Manhasset’s Miracle Mile. Though the Gold Coast’s boundary is somewhat loosely defined, most brokers agree that it includes clusters of townships and hamlets including the Brookvilles, Centre Island, Cold Spring Harbor, Glen Cove, Kings Point, Laurel Hollow, Lloyd Harbor, Locust Valley, Matinecock, Mill Neck, Muttontown, Old Westbury, and Oyster Bay, among others. By many accounts, the Gold Coast’s 2012 market has been looking up, most notably in sales of high-end properties, which is also characteristic of the past year. The Gold Coast saw four sales at or above $10 million in 2011, the highest being 39 Applegreen Drive, a 22,000-square-foot, eight-bedroom Georgian mansion in Old Westbury that sold for $15.9 million. “This year’s figures could even eclipse last year’s,” says Robert Olita, a broker with Prudential Douglas Elliman. With 2011 sales up 4.6 percent, the Gold Coast outperformed the Long Island market overall, which was down 4.9 percent. On the Island, the 2011 median sales price

deeds & don’ts Farm Fresh Sky Blue Farm (opposite) is listed for $27 million with Adam Hade of Houlihan Lawrence in Millbrook; 845-677-6161 x309. Guest’s House Templeton, Cornelia Guest’s estate in Old Westbury (left), is on the market for $8.9 million; call listing broker Shawn Elliott at 516-364-4663 x111.

was $350,000, down 4.4 percent from 2010, whereas the median price of a Gold Coast property was $700,000, unchanged from the previous year. (The median sales price for upper-echelon Gold Coast properties was $1.4 million.) The promising 2011 statistics can be attributed in part to the fact that “home prices dipped to a six-year low, which helped sales,” says broker Shawn Elliott of Shawn Elliott Luxury Homes & Estates. Consider media mogul Rupert Murdoch’s sale of his Michael Smith–designed 11-bedroom Colonial estate in Centre Island, which netted $9.1 million,

down from $14.8 million. (Bonnie Devendorf of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty in Locust Valley had the listing.) This year, an increase of foreign buyers—particularly from China and Russia—“accounts for many of the upper-tier purchases so far,” Olita says. Like most North Shore brokers, Devendorf has a hunch 2012 will be good for sales. “I’m optimistic,” she says. “It’s an election year, and most election years are pretty good.” So will one of the plums on the market, Cornelia Guest’s Old Westbury estate, finally pique some interest? Templeton, Guest’s 1924 brick mansion, has been waiting (and wait-

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the town of Oyster Bay, has long been known as the well-to-do’s peaceful alternative to the gridlocked Hamptons, counting musician Billy Joel and Fox network talk-show host Sean Hannity among its flashier residents. While Gold Coast sales Sean Hannity in the $5-million-plus range rarely raise Talk-show Host an eyebrow, certain townships in the region still seem to be feeling the lingering effects of a softened market—and word is that some Centre Island listings have been languishing. Lately, Windfall? Windrift can now be had for less; call Barbara Candee perceptive sellers have been chopping prices to avoid a of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty, 516-759-4800 x136. curse of the white elephant. Case in point: The Mayrock Billy Joel ing) for a buyer. The Georgian-style home, which sits on family, once co-owners of the Fortunoff retail stores, just Musician reduced the asking price for Windrift, their sprawling 15.5 lush acres, hit the market in 2008 at $20 million and relisted for $8.9 million in January, after several incremen7,700-square-foot, five-bedroom European-style estate. tal reductions during the last four years. With three greenhouses, With nearly six acres on Oyster Bay Harbor, including a guest cotornate topiaries, and a 17-stall barn and paddocks, Templeton has tage, tennis court, pool, and pool house, the home has been rolled hosted countless legendary figures, from Truman Capote and back to $7.95 million from its original $12 million price tag. Barbara President Kennedy to Halston and Andy Warhol; Shawn Elliott in Candee of Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International Realty in Locust Woodbury has the listing. —B.T. Valley has the listing. —C.L .H.

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March/april new york cottages & gardens

WILLIAM WALDRON

Hamilton Heights townhouse, 76 . . . tribeca loft, 86 . . . Hudson Valley cottage, 94 . . . Brooklyn brownstone, 104 . . . Midtown high-rise condo, 112 march/april 2012

new york cottages & gardens

past pERfEcT

With a keen eye for collecting everything from Empire to exotica, designers Ron Wagner and Timothy Van Dam turn their Renaissance Revival townhouse into a showcase of the decorative arts By ANGELA VOULANGAS PhotograPhs By JOHN M. HALL

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Orient Express The club chairs (a score from New York’s legendary Havemeyer mansion), folding screen, and gas chandelier in the Chinese sitting room all date from the 1880s. See Resources.

ne night nearly 30 years ago, Ron Wagner and Timothy Van Dam were nursing drinks at Sardi’s, pondering a seemingly insurmountable problem.

Gothic Drama Ron Wagner and Timothy Van Dam bought the library’s 1860s American Gothic chandelier at a Hudson, New York, antiques store. The bookcases were fashioned from an antique paneled room that the couple purchased in its entirety and retrofitted. The whimsical feather headdress above the fireplace is a Juju hat from Cameroon. See Resources.

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“We wanted a real, actual house,” says Wagner, “but we didn’t want to have to cross a bridge or a tunnel to get to it.” Sitting fortuitously near them at the bar was the New York writer and historian Jervis Anderson, who “leaned over and said, ‘Check out Hamilton Heights.’ We thought, Great! . . . Where’s that?” Soon Wagner and Van Dam, who met while studying interior design at Pratt Institute and now run Wagner Van Dam Design & Decoration, found themselves among the early pioneer renovators in this leafy enclave on Manhattan’s upper Upper West Side. Named for Alexander Hamilton, whose 1802 Federal-style house stands just around the corner in St. Nicholas Park, the neighborhood boasts a heady assortment of 19th- and early-20th-century landmarked

architectural gems. Built in 1895, Wagner and Van Dam’s Renaissance Revival limestone beauty is part of a row of five designed by noted residential architect Clarence True. In a decidedly innovative turn, True did away with the high front stoops so favored by New York City brownstone builders for decades. Visitors enter through a cozy reception area and continue up a honey-colored paneled staircase to a marble-tiled central landing on the parlor level. Without a stoop entry to contend with, the regal bow-front parlor—outfitted with a gas fireplace and original ceramic logs—sweeps the full width of the house. Things weren’t quite so breathtaking when the men first took over the structure, which originally came

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Restful Retreat The bedspread in the guest bedroom is an antique Oriental carpet; the throw pillows are antique English Arts and Crafts. The American seascape dates from 1940. See Resources.

he couple were confirmed modernists, but were also intent on remaining true to the house’s original grandeur

he glorious central landing was once a “makeshift hallway and a bathroom”

with two tenants, and set to work. The glorious central landing, for instance, “was a makeshift hallway and a bathroom,” recounts Van Dam, and the upper floors included a tangle of small apartments with dropped ceilings, bright green paint, and lots of linoleum. “We were young—thinking we could do it all by ourselves,” Wagner adds. “We began by filling many, many Dumpsters.” While the couple were confirmed modernists, they were also intent on remaining true to the house’s original grandeur. And they liked it. “This place completely changed our aesthetic,” says Wagner. A lithe bronze Hermes atop a pedestal table in the center of the parlor “was our very first antique purchase,” the opening salvo in their personal rout of modernism. Next came exquisite pieces by 19th-century furniture houses like Pottier & Stymus and Herter Brothers, plus an enduring romance with Gothic Revival and American Empire styles. The more they found, the more excited and energized they felt. The pair were especially enamored of 82

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Grand Entrance The stairway, with its arches and fluted columns, is original to the 1895 house (above). Parlor Dame An 1842 portrait hangs above a cabinet attributed to the Herter Brothers (right). Dinner Theater An American Empire sideboard and a dazzling 1896 chandelier add drama to the dining room (opposite). See Resources.

French Empire furniture at first, but started collecting less expensive American Empire, this country’s hardier vernacular take on the French style. It was a product of an optimistic period, when America was celebrating itself and its ideals. “We found everything about it appealing,” enthuses Van Dam. Which is not to say that the couple’s leanings are limited to classic American antiques. Throughout the house eclectic treasures fill every crevice: a crewelwork pillow, an African headdress, a taxidermied peacock. The upstairs sitting room is an Orientalist fantasy of Aesthetic Movement and eastern-inspired decor, while the library features a Moorish-star ceiling decoration and four massive bookcases fashioned from a paneled room they purchased in its entirety and later had second thoughts about. The designers realized they “respected the house” too much to shoehorn an alien 84

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room inside it, and were unfazed when the individual bookcases proved to be too large to move up the stairs. “I just sat downstairs with the saw and started cutting,” Wagner says with a laugh. Even a discarded gilt sunburst frame—part Hollywood Regency, part Super Fly—is being resurrected as a ceiling medallion. “It’s a piece of garbage, but it’s got style!” Van Dam says. “We don’t go looking for things; we’re just always looking.” Literally the crowning glory to their ongoing labor of love is a magnificent workspace on the top floor, which opens up to a lofty 12-foot peak behind the building’s mansard roofline. The pair moved their office here from Union Square nearly five years ago, a comparatively modern counterpart to the antiquesfilled floors below. “We now work where the maids would have lived,” observes Van Dam. “Of course, we wish they were still here, too!” ✹

hroughout the house eclectic treasures fill every crevice: an African headdress, a taxidermied peacock

Suite Dreams A painting of Niagara Falls by Charles Richardson hangs above an 1860s American bed in the master bedroom (this page). Circa-1860 mirrors shimmer in the master bath (opposite). See Resources.

sparkling gem Jewelry designer Jennifer Fisher transforms a Tribeca loft, with glittering results By hope greenberg PhotograPhs By peter murdock

Lofty Ambition Jennifer Fisher’s light-filled Tribeca loft comprises a series of open but clearly delineated living spaces. Animal-print rugs in the dining room, family room, and entry hall are from the Rug Company. See Resources.

palate pleaser The streamlined kitchen includes bar stools by Moura Starr and a light fixture by Tom Dixon. The white ceramics are by Astier de Villatte. See Resources.

he word “mom” is pretty much the last thing that comes to mind upon meeting Jennifer Fisher, given her daily uniform of skinny cargo pants, vintage rock T-shirts, perfectly composed layers of chunky gold jewelry, and tousled honey-colored hair. But Fisher, who designs an eponymous line of jewelry and a fur collection called Wyler, is the quintessential New York City mother. Juggling the demands of raising two young children—son Shane, 6, and daughter Drew, 5— with the responsibilities of running her SoHo-based business, she faces the daily challenges of most working parents. So it’s hard to fathom how she also managed to find the time to do a gut renovation of her sprawling Tribeca apartment.

new york cottages & gardens

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Fisher, a Santa Barbara, California, native, was a freelance fashion stylist happily living in L.A. until 1997, when she met her future husband, Kevin, who was working on Wall Street. What began as a longdistance romance soon evolved into marriage and a move East for Fisher, who settled with Kevin in a West Village apartment, then a larger place in SoHo, before the couple started thinking about finding a more family-friendly neighborhood for their two young children. Tribeca, with the lure of the esteemed P.S. 234, was the answer. But the area’s profusion of dark, warehouse-like

Style Setter Fisher, wearing a Temperley dress, strikes a pose in the dining area. The chairs around the Saarinen table are from White on White. See Resources.

march/april 2012

new york cottages & gardens

t feels like you can see forever from almost any spot

spaces didn’t hold much initial appeal until they finally came upon what is now their light-flooded, 4,100-squarefoot apartment, with nearly floor-to-ceiling arched windows and north-, south-, and east-facing exposures. On a clear day it truly feels like you can see forever from almost any spot—including the master bath, where, from the his and hers sinks, the views uptown and to both rivers are so vast and sharp they’re practically vertigo-inducing. Converted to residential units in 1995, the building was originally a refrigerator warehouse. For Fisher, one of the best features, other than the “great poured-concrete floors,” was that upon conversion, “each unit was built out independently from raw space, so every apartment is different.” She chose to create a true loft space, with few walls other than those enclosing the bedrooms and bathrooms. “Sometimes I miss having walls,” she admits. “We have three televisions, but they’re basically all in the same room. You get used to a lot of togetherness—and chatter and noise!” That said, the main living area is cleverly divided into distinct sections—a kitchen, a family room, a playroom, and a dining room—with well-placed furniture and builtins, like an enormous Calacatta marble kitchen island and a set of low cabinets encircling the playroom. “We use the

Points Of View Womb chairs from Knoll add vivid contrast to a pair of deep couches from Montauk Sofas in the family room (this page); the cocktail table is covered in a python-print vinyl. Fisher collects photography, most of it hung in the entry hall (opposite). The petrified-wood table is from Lars Bolander. See Resources.

march/april 2012

new york cottages & gardens

‘‘i 92

don’t like to take too many risks or feel overwhelmed by

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‘

one one style. style. i’m i’m comfortable comfortable getting getting creative creative with with the the accents accents Kid Stuff In son Shane’s room (far left), two Roy Lichtenstein lithographs hang above a camouflage bedspread from Pottery Barn Teen. A suite of Trey Speegle prints adds an artful note to daughter Drew’s room (near left), complete with a Company Store bed and a play kitchen.

Beautiful Boudoir The master bedroom and bath (above left and right) are outfitted with sumptuous fabrics and materials, from the Calypso Home Mongolian lamb pillows to the Dornbracht bath fittings. A Bert Stern photo of Marilyn Monroe hangs in a corner. See Resources.

playroom cabinets as a sideboard when we entertain,” says Fisher. “It’s where the desserts go on Thanksgiving.” The sleek, slightly subversive aesthetic that defines Fisher’s jewelry also characterizes the apartment’s decor, which she did herself along with the help of a good friend, interior designer Michelle Gerson, who offered opinions about paint colors, furniture, and wallpaper and designed the family room cocktail table. “I wanted python,” says Fisher, “but it had to be kid-proof—indestructible, with no sharp edges. Michelle found an amazing python-print vinyl—you can spill anything on it and wipe it right off—and added a Lucite tray to the top. She always comes up with good ideas to counter my own. I don’t like to take too many risks or feel overwhelmed by one style, so I’m comfortable sticking to a neutral environment and getting creative with the accents.” Perhaps her two proudest achievements are in evidence in the master bath and in the kitchen. A “dressing room” that consists of open shelving along a full wall in the bathroom houses her pristinely arranged trove

of shoes, bags, clothes, and Rick Owens leather jackets. From the shower she can assess the weather through the bank of windows on one side and then turn her head to select her outfit for the day from the opposite wall. “To me clothing is like art, so I wouldn’t ever want it kept hidden behind closed doors,” Fisher says. “Having my things out like that is a design element.” But it’s the kitchen’s room-sized pantry, with its own freezer and two freezer drawers—in addition to her glass-door Sub-Zero—that really lights her up. “I live for my pantry. I’m a foodie, and I love to cook. To have that much space for food storage is an even greater luxury than a walk-in closet.” Although it would appear that downtime must be a luxury well beyond her reach, Fisher maintains that her bedroom is her “sanctuary.” Painted a soothing gray, the space reminds Fisher of a cloud. “It’s one of the few private areas in the apartment,” she says, “and where I go to breathe.” For a minute, one is tempted to buy the notion that she occasionally unwinds—until she adds that she likes to “clean out the closet to relax.” ✹ march/april 2012

new york cottages & gardens

At her home in the Hudson Valley, author and style arbiter Marian McEvoy proves that “crafting” can be uncommonly chic BY CYNTHIA KLING PHOTOGRAPHS BY DON FREEMAN

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A Vision In Red Marian McEvoy handletters place cards in her dining room (far left) while Chouia, her Shiba Inu, holds court in the living room. The Chesterfield sofa is from Ralph Lauren Home. See Resources.

march/april 2012

new york cottages & gardens

Luxurious Lair McEvoy has hand-painted or hand-appliquéd virtually every furnishing, including the living room’s seating pieces and curtains (near right). The mirror above the mantel is from Treillage; the branch sconces are from Pottery Barn. Stock Options Pinecones, acorns, and ribbon are stored on shelves along an original stone wall in McEvoy’s craft room (far right). The light fixture and baskets are finds from One Kings Lane. See Resources.

rom the outside, marian mcevoy’s colonial-era cottage in the hudson Valley is a sweet, well-tended, white clapboard affair. But walk in the front door, and wham! Bursts of color and wildly varied textures distinguish every surface, and things both handmade and haute live in perfect harmony. By any stretch of decorating logic, the mix shouldn’t work. But then, mcevoy is famous for mixing things up. A former fashion editor for Women’s Wear Daily in Paris, the L.A. native returned to the states in the ’90s to edit Elle Decor, spinning it into a stunning success before moving on to jump-start the then-staid House Beautiful. After relocating to the hudson Valley, she became a contributing editor to Domino and has just completed a forthcoming book on the groundbreaking ’70s-era decorator Bill Willis. “marian is one of those great fashion minds who understand proportion, harmony, invention, and delight, and that’s what she brought to shelter magazines,” says Joan Juliet Buck, a former editor of French Vogue who has known mcevoy since their cub-reporter days. “she’s just an awesome talent.” indeed, mcevoy’s mark on the shelter world has been so indelible that editors and designers often talk about her in revered, respectful tones, even though she’s down to earth, friendly, and extremely funny in person. “i’ve never met a color i didn’t like,” she says,

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new york cottages & gardens

All Booked Up Literally stacked to the rafters with books, the downstairs library is furnished with an antique French daybed, a painted hexagonal hall table designed by John Stefanidis and purchased at John Rosselli & Associates in New York, and a Wisteria cocktail table. See Resources.

If you’re going to paint a room gray, why not just lock yourself up and do yourself in? 98

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I never use a ruler, because I like the way you can see the hand in the work

Shell Chic In the master bedroom, a painted wooden Bernhardt bed and a suite of decorative plaques are encrusted with shells that McEvoy orders in bulk and glue-guns herself. The Moroccan-motif rug is from Williams-Sonoma Home. McEvoy decorated the table lamps with strips of fabric and ink pen. See Resources.

100

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surveying her ruby-hued living room, “except for maybe gray. if you’re going to paint a room gray, why not just lock yourself up and do yourself in?” Perched on a hill overlooking the hudson river, the circa-1740 house had been gutted by fire in 2000. its owner asked mcevoy, who was renting nearby, if she wanted to take it over after it was rebuilt. “i loved the views,” she recalls, “and it was beautiful at all times of the year.” her requests for updating the dark cottage: make a few rooms bigger for entertaining, and leave the ceilings open, exposing the beams, for maximum height. “i don’t mind looking at pipes and beams, but low ceilings make you feel like you’re living in a little box.” A staircase with a coral runner leads from the living room to two bedrooms. hers, in bright white and warm yellow, is dominated by a headboard covered with hundreds of seashells that she affixed herself with a glue gun; framed shell collages pick up the theme on the walls and the vanity. “they are slightly corny,” she says, “like something from the Lido in the ’40s, but i love them.” in the sublimely pretty guest room across the hall, a low slipper chair is appliquéd with bits of an old shawl, and lampshades are bedecked with ribbons. mcevoy has done virtually all the detailing and embellishment throughout the house, using an arsenal of pens, glue guns, seashells, leaves, and fabric remnants. “i never use a ruler,” she says, “because i like the way you can see the hand in the work.” her diY experiments started in the ’80s, when gold and silver gel pens hit the market and she began drawing dots on the oak furniture in her Paris apartment. over the years, she has stuck shells, nuts, and feathers on walls, ceilings, and lamps and re-covered antique seating pieces with fabric remnants; virtually every furnishing has met up with her magic markers, which she uses to add decorative lines to wooden tables, chairs, and mantels. Fascinated by the versatility of natural materials, mcevoy recently ordered 1,000 acorns to do a ceiling installation. But the former fashion force has hardly turned into a country bumpkin crazed with crafting. she has made at least a dozen trips to morocco to research her book on Willis, an American decorator who designed sumptuous North African palaces for various Gettys and rothschilds. “Bill was dramatic, theatrical, and very brave,” she says, “evolving the design of his adopted country while retaining great respect for it. i admire that.” the same could be said of mcevoy herself. much like her subject, she understands what it means to have a keen sense of place. ✹

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Paisley Perk The appliqués on the curtained closet in the guest bedroom are vintage embroidered fabric from Manuel Canovas; the curvy headboard is covered in a Muriel Brandolini fabric. The bamboo ladder is from Adams Fairacre Farms in Wappinger, New York. See Resources.

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Balancing Act How a faded Brooklyn brownstone became the ideal setting for life, work, and family By maria ricapito PhotograPhs By tria giovan

Family matters Fashion accessories designer Mariza Scotch and fitness trainer Dièry Prudent with their daughter, Gala, in the salon (this page). The vintage steel chairs in the living room (opposite) are by Martin Visser; the silk saris hanging on the wall are a find from Handloom House in New Delhi. See Resources.

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aced with faulty hardware on a built-in coat rack, some homeowners might run to the local hardware store

Soaring Heights The oiled walnut and oxidized bronze “Fin” table in the parlor-floor living room is by Brooklyn’s Selch & Co. (above). The custom credenza in the adjacent salon is by Aris Paganakis (opposite). See Resources.

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to pick up a reasonable substitute, while others might troll the internet and architectural salvage houses for a good match. Not Mariza Scotch. To replace a broken hook on the ornate wood-andmarble coat rack in the entryway of her 1871 Brooklyn brownstone, she found a local jeweler who made a mold from one of the unbroken hooks and cast a perfect replica in metal. Voilà—another item on her to-do list checked off, and the house inched one step closer to completion. “Everything you can see, we chose,” says Scotch, a freelance designer of high-end handbags who shares the house with her husband, Dièry Prudent, a fitness trainer, and their 12-year-old daughter, Gala. Scotch is nothing if not detail-oriented: During renovation she handed over a “manual” to the couple’s architect, specifying everything from light fixtures to sink hardware to wood finishes. That’s a familiar m.o. for Scotch, whose luxe purses for brands including Mark Cross, Kate Spade, Ralph Lauren, Tod’s, and Bally begin as sketches scribbled in Florentine taxis, wax models of hardware, and muslin prototypes before ending up on the arms of celebs on red carpets and movie sets.

‘‘a

lmost everything in the house was made nearby or by someone we know, or both,” says Scotch, “which makes it feel that much more special

tween Dream Norwegian Wood in Brooklyn restored the floors in Gala’s bedroom, which is decorated with some of her drawings and a whimsically embroidered armchair. See Resources.

‘‘

The entryway coat rack’s original marble shelf was cracked as well, so Scotch sought out a stone yard to find a replacement piece from a slab used in the construction of the Empire State Building, a New York touch she appreciated. An etchedglass panel in a pair of parlor-floor pocket doors was broken; Scotch found an old-time glazier who could make a peerless reproduction. Throughout the house, all woodwork and plaster details were stripped of stain and paint and finished with ecofriendly wax or oil, the better to show off the true charms of the mid-Victorian-era stunner. Perhaps the biggest undertaking was the professional-style ground-floor kitchen, now the heart of the house. The room originally suffered from “the three Ds: dingy, dark, and depressing,” says Prudent. The oven was positioned in the fireplace, and a bathroom had been built in the middle of the room, leaving the rest of the appliances to form a U-shape around it. The small windows on the back wall were barred, letting in very little light, so the wall was knocked down and replaced with floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors that open onto the revamped backyard. “We’re prone to seasonal affective disorder, as are many people,” Prudent says of the newly bright room. “Now you don’t feel like you’re closed in—there’s hope!” Open shelving and glass cabinet doors line the walls of the airy space and are devised for easy access. “This is 108

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Work in progress Scotch’s home office (above and this picture) is located on the light-filled top floor; she designed the garden’s ipé and CorTen steel table, which was fabricated by Jeremy Seigle (below right). Prudent works out and trains clients at the far end of the garden (above right). See Resources.

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he kitchen originally suffered from the “three Ds: dingy, dark, and depressing,” says Prudent

meant to be a cook’s kitchen,” adds Prudent, “and I want to know where the martini glasses are at all times.” The deep backyard, with its floating cedar decking, European-style gravel beds, and sculptural ipé-and-steel table, doubles as party central and Prudent’s training area. Here he works out with clients on a creation of his called the Fitnest, comprising cedar posts and metal bars for pull-ups, along with ropes for lunges. The best part: It can be taken down and tucked underneath the decking when the couple entertains. During inclement weather, Prudent trains in a room on the brownstone’s top floor opposite Scotch’s light-filled atelier—perhaps one of the more unusual “home office” scenarios to be found. It helps that their hive of creativity is anchored by such inspiring examples of local talent throughout. “Almost everything in the house was made nearby or by someone we know, or both,” says Scotch, “which makes it feel that much more special. But part of the balance we have here is that in many ways the house has been restored to its original beauty, the way it was intended to be all along.” ✹ Sweet Serenity A custom black walnut bed made by Brooklyn-based furniture designer Tom Edmonds enhances the peaceful atmospherics in the

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master bedroom (above A Duravit sink and bath fittings from Barber Wilsons & Co. Ltd. add polish to the streamlined master bath (near left). See Resources. left).

positively gleaming Scotch and Prudent tackled the kitchen renovation first before moving on to other rooms in the house. Open shelves hold their collection of Elettrofiamma pots and pans; white Arne Jacobsen Ant chairs further underscore the room’s simplicity. See Resources.

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SPECIAL

DELIVERY What do home-design gurus Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams like to do most in their New York pied-à-terre? Rearrange the furniture! BY MICHAEL LASSELL PHOTOGRAPHS BY WILLIAM WALDRON

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House Calls Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams (right) like to test-drive their company’s wares in their midtown Manhattan apartment. In the living room, a quartet of Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Major chairs echoes the clean lines of a Noguchi floor lamp. The photograph is by Tipper Gore. See Resources.

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T his is a love story— well, several love stories. It begins in New York in the ’80s,

when a Jersey boy named Mitchell Gold, then in the employ of Lane Furniture, met a Texas transplant named Bob Williams, a graphic designer for Seventeen. They fell in love and set up housekeeping, ready to pursue their Big Apple dreams and live happily ever after. But Lane transferred Gold to High Point, North Carolina, the epicenter of American furniture making, and he and Williams departed Gotham. Soon the enterprising duo decided to start a home furnishings company of their own, pooling their aesthetic and entrepreneurial resources and launching the company that now bears their names. Twenty-three years later, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams employs more than 600 people and sells upholstered pieces, case goods, rugs, lamps, and accessories in 80 retail venues, including 16 of its own showrooms. National chains like Pottery Barn, WilliamsSonoma, and Restoration Hardware carry MG+BW products, as does Bloomingdale’s, where Gold first worked right after college. Annual sales exceed $100 million and retail profits are up 27 percent over last year, according to Gold. Among the many American homes that contain MG+BW furniture is a certain white house at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. After 14 years together, Gold and Williams decided to go their separate romantic ways, although they remain devoted friends and business partners. Williams met and eventually settled down with Stephen Heavner, who now works for MG+BW, and Gold moved forward as a solo act. 114

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Sky-High Style The white leather and chrome Dean armchair is a new introduction from MG+BW. A NASA photograph of Saturn’s rings hangs on a wall painted in Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal HC-166. See Resources.

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Not surprisingly, their amicable split had absolutely no bearing on their shared longtime desire to buy a New York pied-à-terre together. (You can take the boys out of New York, but not New York out of the boys.) Several years ago they started shopping for an apartment with an open living/dining/kitchen space and two separate but equal master suites, though the market did not oblige. Eventually they purchased two adjoining onebedroom units on the 58th floor of the Orion, a new glass tower in gentrifying Hell’s Kitchen, and enlisted architect James Bartholomew to combine them into the high-rise haven of their dreams. In addition to the building’s amazing views and amenities, Gold says, “The floors were a beautiful cherry wood, and the kitchens and bathrooms were great.” Now all they needed to do was furnish the place. No problems there. Although MG+BW produces pieces with a variety of historical influences, the principals chose some of their mid-century-inspired designs for the Orion. “They just seemed right with the architecture,” says Gold, although he and Williams, like all designers, confess to an almost compulsive need for periodic makeovers. “The first sofa we had in the place was blue,” says Williams. “It was inspired by the sky,” adds Gold, “which is all around you when you’re up here. We didn’t want anything that would upstage the views.” Indeed, when one stands in the airy living room, the 240-degree panorama spans east down 42nd Street, south to the Statue of Liberty, and west to the Hudson River. By the time the renovation was finished, in 2007, Gold had met Tim Scofield, who was working in the Smithsonian Institution’s Postal Museum in Washington, D.C. The two men married in Iowa in June 2010, and Scofield—now CEO of the not-forprofit Velvet Foundation, which is dedicated to creating an LGBT museum in Washington—moved to North Carolina and changed his surname to Gold. Today the Golds, Williams, and Heavner are fast friends, if not family. “It’s not unusual for us to share Christmas dinner,” says Williams—or even for all four of them to be in residence at the Orion simultaneously. (Gold is even on the condo board.) “Every time I come to the apartment,” Williams muses, “I wind up staring out the windows. One of the places I can see is the YMCA, just a few blocks away, where I stayed when I first got to New York, in 1982. And I think, I never would have guessed 30 years ago that I could ever be way up here, looking out. It’s just so fantastic!” ✹ Conversation Pieces An MG+BW Josie sectional upholstered in multiple fabrics sits in the southeast corner of the long living room, which adjoins the open kitchen (above left and near left). The artwork is by Karen Cappotto.

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Quiet Contemplation The painting above the bed in the Golds’ room (opposite) is a $39 fleamarket find. The bed linens are by Matouk; walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Wedgewood Gray HC-146. See Resources.

heir split had absolutely no bearing on their longtime desire to buy a New York pied-à-terre

03.2009

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WINE & DINE

Best Cellars These five Manhattan restaurants boast New York’s most stellar wine lists wine cellars are found in New York’s finest restaurants, but which ones are legends in the making? Our wine expert savors five top contenders.

BOULUD SUD, 20 WEST 64TH STREET

This spacious Côte d’Azur–inspired venue is the latest jewel in Daniel Boulud’s mini-empire. Sommelier Michael Madrigale features wines from the Mediterranean basin; South of France offerings are especially strong. DULY NOTED: Entire pages of Bandol (“The greatest Mediterranean wine region,” Madrigale says), and Cornas, a soulful wine from the northern Rhône. MUST TRY: Viñátigo Gual 2008 ($69), an earthy white from the Canary Islands with a green-olive and almond flavor. SPLURGE ON: Cuvée Cabassaou 1988 ($395), a Bandol from the legendary Domaine Tempier. When aged, it changes from caterpillar to butterfly, tasting at first like Bordeaux, but finishing like burgundy. CASA MONO, 52 IRVING PLACE

Mario Batali’s sole foray into Iberian cooking is one of the best places to discover new Spanish wines. Director Ashley Santoro focuses on emerging regions, including a recent flush of reds from Galicia. DULY NOTED: An extensive sherry collection, plus wines from the Ribera del Duero and Priorat’s great producers, Alvaro Palacios and Clos Erasmus. MUST TRY: The Equipo Navazos La Bota de Manzanilla Pasada “Bota Punta” No. 20 ($115), made in limited quantities, has magical intensity. SPLURGE ON: R. López de Heredia Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva 1976 ($355). With age, it takes on earthy qualities. CIANO, 45 EAST 22ND STREET

This Italian hot spot features the flame-licked cooking of chef Shea Gallante. Wine director John Slover hand-picks some 200 bottles, from Piemonte and Alto Adige to Puglia and Sicily.

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Top of the List Left to right: Sherries and Spanish wines really stack up at Casa Mono; sommelier Michael Madrigale of Boulud Sud specializes in Bandols; Estiatorio Milos co-owner George Spiliadis in the restaurant’s cellar.

DULY NOTED: The fine selection of Super Tuscans and

Barolos—and half-bottles on Slover’s market list are half-price. MUST TRY: The rarely seen Fontezoppa Serrapetrona Falcotto 2008 ($58)—it’s somewhat like an intense, highly perfumed pinot noir. SPLURGE ON: Cantalupo Ghemme Collis Breclamae 1990 ($220), a Nebbiolo from northern Piemonte with expressive red fruit, bright acidity, and sandalwood notes. ELEVEN MADISON PARK, 11 MADISON AVENUE

This elegant four-star spot features imaginative dishes by chef Daniel Humm, smooth service, and an epic list. Director Dustin Wilson oversees some 3,000 selections dominated by French and Italian heavyweights. DULY NOTED: Mouthwatering pages of Domaine François Raveneau, Bodegas Vega Sicilia, and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. MUST TRY: Clos Rougeard Cabernet Franc 2005 ($125), from Saumur-Champigny, a spicy, terroir-driven wine made by the legendary Foucault brothers. SPLURGE ON: Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie 1989 ($795). Its freshness, elegance, and perfume make it the quintessence of pure syrah. ESTIATORIO MILOS, 125 WEST 55TH STREET

Director Michael Coll places high-level Greek wines on a pedestal, pairing them with a super-fresh Mediterranean seafood menu. DULY NOTED:

Malagousia, a flavorful, food-friendly white; Assyrtiko, a citrusy seafood white; and the cabernet-like Agiorgitiko. MUST TRY: Parparoussis Reserve 2004 ($130), a Nemean Agiorgitiko that tastes more like a Grand Cru burgundy, and Parparoussis Muscat De Rio Patras ($80), a sublime Sauternes-style wine with good acidity and focus. SPLURGE ON: Evangelo ($160), a petite syrah from the preeminent Greek winemaker Gerovassiliou. It has impeccable balance, minerality, and acidity. —Baroness Sheri de Borchgrave

WINE BOTTLE: LARS KLOVE

OME OF THE WORLD’S MOST DISTINCTIVE

Old Westbury Gardens

HONORS SHERRILL AND EDUARDO CANET AT THE 2012 GARDENERS’ FAIR “A NIGHT IN HAVANA”, SATURDAY, MAY 19TH

Old Westbury Gardens is a premiere public garden and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Over 200 acres provide infinite beauty and enjoyment to many visitors from around the world. Come and explore this natural treasure — close to New York City and just off the Long Island Expressway. For more information, visit our website: www.oldwestburygardens.org or call (516) 333-0048. Located at: 71 Old Westbury Road, Post Office Box 430, Old Westbury, NY 11568

INTERIOR DESIGN BY PHILIP GORRIVAN | PHOTOGRAPH BY WOUTER VAN DER TOL

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pA r T I e S & B e n e f I T S

Bailey House Benefit The 24th annual auction and party raised money to house homeless people with AIDS/HIV

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Fashion designer and event co-host Carmen Marc Valvo. The scene at the Lexington Avenue armory, site of the party. Alex McCord and Simon Van Kempen with members of the Imperial Court of Bailey House. Food Network chef Chris Nirschel. Co-host Jane Pauley.

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resources

Want to know where and how to get it? Look no further! MADE IN NEW YORK Pages 48–50: Livia Cetti, The

(T) = Sources available through architects, interior designers, and design professionals.

Green Vase, Riverdale, 646-2325152, thegreenvase.com.

Architects & Designers Building (A&D), 150 E. 58th St.,

NYC, 212-644-2766, adbuilding.com.

TRADE SECRETS Pages 54–55: Kitchen and bath design, Terry Scarborough,

Decoration & Design Building

Deane, Inc., New Canaan, CT, 203-972-8836, deaneinc.com. Main house kitchen: Cabinetry,

(D&D), 979 Third Ave., NYC, 212-759-5408, ddbuilding.com.

Deane, Inc. Microwave, GE, 800-626-2005, geappliances.com. Dishwasher, Miele, 866-6945851, mieleusa.com. All other appliances, Viking, 888-8454641, vikingrange.com. Sink, Franke, 800-637-6485, frankeusa.com. Master bath: Cabinetry, Deane, Inc. Tile, Artistic Tile, A&D, 212838-3222, artistictile.com, and Ann Sacks, annsacks.com. Guesthouse

New York Design Center

(NYDC), 200 Lexington Ave., NYC, 212-679-9500, nydc.com. SHOP TALK Page 40: Trays, Mariska Meijers,

305-733-3626, interdecorations. com. Lowballs, Artel Glass, 646216-9415, artelglass.com. Pillow, Dwell Studio, 155 Sixth Ave., NYC, 212-219-9343, dwellstudio.com. Dinnerware, Jonathan Adler, 47 Greene St., NYC, 212-941-8950, jonathanadler.com. Frame, Michael Aram, 136 W. 18th St., NYC, 212-461-6903, michaelaram. com. Cutting boards, Lostine (T), 215-825-7270, lostine.com. Fenwick Chart table, Oomph, 203-216-9848, oomphonline.com. Tote, Lance Wovens, 855-8526829, lancewovens.com.

kitchen: Refrigerator, wine storage, and ice maker, Sub-

Zero, 800-222-7820, subzero-wolf. com. Range, Wolf, subzero-wolf. com. Dishwasher, Bosch, 800944-2904, bosch-home.com. Sink, Kohler, 800-456-4537, kohler.com. Backsplash and floor tile, Artistic Tile. Counter, Deane, Inc. Pendant lamps, Holly Hunt (T), A&D, 212-891-2500, hollyhunt.com. Bar stools, Desiron, NYC, 212353-2600, desiron.com.

GARDENING Pages 42–44: Patrick Blanc,

Vertical Garden Patrick Blanc, verticalgardenpatrickblanc.com. Page 44: Finial, Barbara Israel Garden Antiques, bi-gardenantiques. com. Antique Garden Furniture Show and Sale, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, 718-817-8700, nybg.org.

PAST PERFECT Pages 76–85: Interior design,

Wagner Van Dam Design & Decoration, NYC, 212-862-0092, wagnervandam.com. Pages

76–77: Chinese sitting room: Wallpaper, Blue Mountain

Wallcoverings through Design by Color, designbycolor.net. SPARKLING GEM Pages 86–93: Interior design,

Items pictured but not listed here are either from private collections or have no additional details.

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Michelle Gerson Interiors, NYC, 917-273-6330, michellegerson.com. Pages 86–89: Dining room

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and kitchen: Dining table,

Knoll, NYC, 212-343-4000, knoll.com. Chairs, White on White, NYC, 212-546-9020, whiteon white.com. Rug, DVF, The Rug Company, NYC, 212-274-0444, therugcompany.com. Pendant lamps, Tom Dixon, 201-9845599, tomdixon.net. Bar stools, Moura Starr, NYC, 212-888-9058, mourastarr.com. Pages 90–91: Entry hall: Photo, Cowboy Kate, by Sam Haskins, Milk Studios, NYC, 212-645-2797, milkstudios.com. Side table, Lars Bolander, NYC, 212-924-1000, larsbolander.com. Ottoman, Barneys, NYC, 212826-8900, barneys.com. Runner, The Rug Company. Family room: Side chairs and ottoman, Knoll. Cocktail table, Michelle Gerson

As S

seen h

in o

the w

2011 h

Hampton o u

Designer s e

15 West 18th Street, Suite 201 New York, NY w w w . t i l t o n f e n w i c k . c o m

94 Interiors. Throw pillow and rug, The Rug Company. Couches, Montauk Sofa, NYC, 212-2741552, montauksofa.com. Pillows, Jonathan Adler, jonathanadler.com.

Pages 92–93: Master bedroom: Throw, Wyler, wyler designs.com. Pillows, Calypso, NYC,

212-925-6200, calypsostbarth.com. Vase, West Elm, NYC, 212-9294464, westelm.com. Mirrored dresser, Profiles (T), NYDC, 212-689-6903, profilesny.com. Sheepskin rugs, designed by Jennifer Fisher. Boy’s bedroom: Bed, desk, and chair, ducduc, NYC, 212-226-1868, ducducnyc.com. Lithographs, Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, lichtensteinfoundation. org. Bedding, Pottery Barn Teen, NYC, 212-879-2513, pbteen.com. Light fixture, Verner Panton, vernerpanton.com. Girl’s bed-

room: Quilt, The Company Store, thecompanystore.com. Stainlesssteel kid’s kitchen, Pottery

Barn Kids, potterybarnkids.com.

Master bathroom: Hardware,

Dornbracht, dornbracht.com. MADE BY MARIAN Pages 94–103: Interior design, Marian McEvoy. Pages 94–95: Dining room: Teak table,

repainted by Marian McEvoy, from ABC Carpet & Home, NYC, 212473-3000, abchome.com. Chairs, Baker, NYDC, 212-779-8810, kohler interiors.com/baker/index.jsp. Living room: Sofa, Ralph Lauren Home, NYC, 212-434-8000, ralph laurenhome.com. Mirror, Treillage, NYC, 212-535-2288, bunnywilliams. com/treillage. Sconces, Pottery Barn, 888-779-5176, potterybarn.com. Pages 96–97: Craft room:

E L A S 70% oFF

o t p U

io LEct E SE v i S S ood xtEn An E F FinE g o

resources

104 Hanging lamp and baskets,

One Kings Lane, onekingslane.com.

Pages 98–99: Library: Table,

John Rosselli & Associates, NYC, 212-593-2060, johnrosselliassociates. com. Tray table, Wisteria, 800-320-9757, wisteria.com. Pages 100–101: Bedroom: Rug,

Williams-Sonoma Home, 877-8126235, williams-sonoma.com. Bed, Bernhardt, bernhardt.com. Table, Pottery Barn. Shell art, by Marian McEvoy. Pages 102–103: Guest bedroom: Headboard fabric,

Muriel Brandolini, NYC, 212-6455940, murielbrandolini.com.

3rd annual

OF SOUTH A M PT ON H OM E S

Southampton Historical Museum S AT U R D AY, M AY 1 2 , 2 0 1 2 1 : 0 0 - 4 : 3 0 C H A M PA G N E R E C E P T I O N & P R E V I E W THE ROGERS MANSION 4:30-6:00 PM

TICKETS: $75 IN ADVANCE, $90 DAY OF TOUR WITH VISA, MC, DISCOVERCARD OR PAYPAL AT WWW.SOUTHAMPTONHISTORICALMUSEUM.ORG TO ORDER TICKETS PLEASE CALL 631-283-2494

BALANCING ACT Pages 104–111: Architect,

Murdock Solon Architects, 212-929-3336, murdocksolon.com. Landscape design, Foras Studio, Brooklyn, 347-750-6946, foras-studio.com. Builder, Amaro Construction, Staten Island, 718524-8666, amaroconstruction.com. Pages 104 and 106–107: Salon: Chair fabric, Zarin

Fabrics, NYC, 212-925-6112, zarin fabrics.com. Custom daybed, Tom Edmonds, Brooklyn, 718-5226445, tomedmondsfurniture.com. Custom credenza, Aris Paganakis, 347-489-0745. Living room: Table, Selch & Co., Brooklyn, 718-522-1122, selchnyc.com. Pages 108–109: Girl’s bedroom: Floor restoration,

Norwegian Wood, Brooklyn, 718218-8880, norwegianwoodfloors.com. Exterior: Custom table,

THE PETER JAY SHARP FOUNDATION

designed by Mariza Scotch and fabricated by Jeremy Seigle, NYC, 845-489-0613. Pages 110–111: Master bedroom: Custom bed, Tom Edmonds. Stand,

Journey Home, NYC, 718-797-9277, journeydumbo.com. Bathroom: Sink, Duravit, NYC, 212-6860033, nyc.duravit.com. Plumbing fixtures, Barber Wilsons & Co Ltd., London, barwil.co.uk. Kitchen: Pots and pans, Elettrofiamma, Italy, elettrofiamma. com. Custom cabinetry, Marlo Manufacturing, Inc., Boonton, NJ, 973-423-0226, marlomfg.com. SPECIAL DELIVERY Pages 112–117: Interior design, Mitchell Gold + Bob

Williams, 800-789-5401, mgbw home.com. Architect, James Bartholomew Architect, NYC, 212-645-0126, jbarchitect.net. All furniture, linens, and accessories are from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams unless otherwise specified. Paint, Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com. Pages 112–

113: Living room: Floor lamp,

Isamu Noguchi, The Noguchi Museum, Queens, 718-204-7088, noguchi.org. Page 117: Master bedroom: Bed linens, Matouk, matouk.com. RISING STAR Page 128: Interior design, Anna Cappelen and Nina Wolff, Curious Yellow, NYC,

646-490-8688, curiousyellownyc.com.

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Peter Jonas of Installation Decorator LLC. Tel/Fax: 914-834-4095 Office: 914-834-6436 1891 Palmer Avenue. - Larchmont. - New York.-10538

www.peterjonas.com Facebook @ Peter-Jonas-Interiors

Red & White Ball 2012 When Help Can’t Wait Honorary Design Chair

Victoria Hagan Showcasing Designer Table Tops

Saturday, April 28, 2012 6:00 p.m. NETJETS HANGAR WESTCHESTER COUNTY AIRPORT Thank you to our Media Sponsor

For more information, please call the American Red Cross at (203) 869-8444.

SHOWCASING DESIGNER TABLETOPS BY AMY ANDREWS FROM KATHERINE COWDIN INC. • CAREY KARLAN, LAST DETAIL • CATHERINE CLEARE INTERIORS • CONNIE COOPER DESIGNS DALE J. MINSKE • DATURA • EPICURE OF DESIGN • FINA DESIGN INTERIORS • HOME BOUTIQUE OF GREENWICH • JUBILEE EVENTS LES DESIGN NERDES • LYNN B. GARELICK, LBG INTERIOR DESIGN • MIA SCHIPANI FROM RMS RESIDENTIAL • OLGA ADLER INTERIORS OLLEY COURT • POINT ONE ARCHITECTS • SAM ALLEN • SANDRA OSTER INTERIORS • STARK FEATURING ROBYN KARP INTERIORS SUSAN GLICK INTERIORS • VICTORIA HAGAN INTERIORS • WHITE DRESS BY THE SHORE

Over $150M Sold In 2011 LISTed & SOLd 5/11

Tyndal Point. $44.99M* Top Sale In 2011

LISTed & SOLd 11/11

east Hampton. $6.295M*

SO L d 8/ 1 1

Sagaponack. $15.9M*

SOLd 11/11

Southampton. $26.9M*

SOLd 5/11

Southampton. $7.95M*

SOLd 11/11

Wainscott. 8.25M*

SOLd 4/11

Sagaponack. $9.95M*

S O L d 9/ 1 1

Water Mill. $3.995M*

SOLd 1/11

Sag Harbor. $7.9M*

2012 Off To A Good Start IN CONTRACT 2/12

Bridgehampton. $19.75M*

IN CONTRACT 2/12

Amagansett. $1.895M*

IN CONTRACT 1/12

Amagansett. $7.9M*

SOLd 1/12

east Hampton. $7.25M*

Exceptional Properties...Exceptional Results With over $150M sold in 2011, Gary DePersia has shown why buyers, sellers, renters and investors continue to contact him for all their needs in the Hamptons. In just sixteen years on the East End, Gary has participated in over a billion dollars of real estate transactions with more than 200 of his exclusive listings sold and closed, as well as matching hundreds of his own buyers and renters with the right properties. Benchmark 2011 sales included the 55 acre bay front estate Tyndal Point ($44.99M*) and the 2+ acre oceanfront residence Meadow Lane Development ($26.995M*) to two of his own buyers. His inventory of sensational exclusive listings from Quogue to Montauk and from Sagaponack to Sag Harbor includes such standouts as Bridgehampton’s record setting Sandcastle, the 40-acre enclave known as Sagaponack Greens, the incredible Edgefield, now in contract for the highest price ever achieved on Highland Terrance, and over a dozen new construction projects. With four licensed assistants Gary easily covers over $400M worth of properties he has currently listed. Contact Gary DePersia to explore the full range of services available to sell, buy rent or invest in the Hamptons today.

Gary DePersia | VP Associate Broker | 516.380.0538 | gdp@corcoran.com Equal Housing Opportunity. The Corcoran Group is a licensed real estate broker. Owned and operated by NRT LLC.

RISING STAR

Curious Yellow From a loft in SoHo, Scandinavian sensibility gets a fresh twist ★ WHO: Partners Anna Cappelen, a former ad-agency art director, and architect Nina Wolff, the Norwegian decorating team behind SoHo-based design firm Curious Yellow, named in part for the 1967 Swedish cult film I Am Curious (Yellow). ★ WHAT: Boho meets rocker chic.

from a cottage in Wainscott (ABOVE) to a modernist home in Oslo, Norway (BELOW), in addition to a line of pillow designs. See Resources.

★ WHERE: Recent projects include a Boerum Hill townhouse, a shingled cottage in Wainscott, and a residence in Bergen, Norway, Wolff’s hometown. They’re currently working on a 13,000-square-foot 1850s Cobble Hill home, with six floors, in the French Second Empire style. ★ WHEN: Cappelen and Wolff launched Curious Yellow in 2009, after a mutual friend introduced the native Norwegians, who are both parents of young daughters. “Once we sat down to work together, everything clicked,” says Cappelen. “There were no criticisms.” ★ WHY: “Seeing a project come to life—from an early mood board to the final fabrics—is what drives our passion,” says Cappelen. Adds Wolff: “We love being at home and enjoying our surroundings, and we want our clients to feel the same way.” —Allegra Muzzillo

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new york cottages & gardens

march/april 2012

PORTRAIT: DANIEL DISIPIO; PILLOWS: JOHN LAWTON

Dynamic Duo Decorators Nina Wolff and Anna Cappelen of the New York–based firm Curious Yellow have taken on projects ranging

Curious Yellow’s design aesthetic is characterized by rich, tactile fabrics, ample leathers, sumptuous furs, and edgy details—with a dose of cleanlined Scandinavian practicality. “We do love to incorporate antiques,” says Wolff. “We’re not married to modern things.” Adds Cappelen: “The ultra-simple Scandinavian archetype is actually a bit boring.”

Elevating chocolate. And you. Lindt Excellence 85%. Crafted by the Master Chocolatiers at Lindt. It’s perfectly balanced from a secret blend of cocoa beans. Carefully refined for extra smoothness. Then shaped thin to highlight its complex flavors and aromas. 165 years of our passion — all for that one moment of yours. www.lindt.com

sincerely inspired. kravet

fabrics. furniture. trimmings. kravet.com