The Home Observer by The Home Observer

THE HOME OBSERVER

FALL 2011

Five Generations at the San Remo

Decorators à la carte Paris on the Upper East Side

PHOTO CREDIT TK HERE

Entertaining Collecting Seasonal Living

The High Life! Downtown’s own great lawn seen from a WCA-designed Chelsea home. THE HOME OBSERVER FALL 2011

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Collage Studio

Sophie is in love with Ray and Contemporary Art. Ray is designed by Antonio Citterio. B&B Italia San Francisco: 2211 Alameda Street - San Francisco CA 94103 - www.bb-sf.com sales@bb-sf.com - T 1-415-565-0900 Other B&B Italia Stores: New York - Los Angeles - San Francisco - Seattle - Dallas - Washington DC - Sao Paulo i n f o @ b b i tal i au s a.co m - www.bebi tal i a.co m Time_Less Program Select B&B Italia pieces now in stock: www.bbitaliaquickship.com

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DESIGN PORTRAIT.

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AQUASILK

new york 212 674 1144 Delray beacH 561 279 7777 www.abcc arpet.com/aquasilk

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AVIATION BR 01-92 RED RADAR . Disk-based display system . Limited edition of 999 pieces Information: Bell & Ross Inc. +1.888.307.7887 . information@bellrossusa.com . e-Boutique: www.bellross.com

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Contents Features 40 Put It All on the Line

West Chin and Roseann Repetti create a home on the High Line to showcase a collection of robots and an otherworldly view. 46 Paris, Uptown

Elizabeth Bauer injects InStyle publisher Connie Anne Phillips’ studio rental with style, glamour and a hint of je ne sais quoi. 52 Village Green

Fawn Galli brings a quiet elegance to Jessica Brackman and Charles Melcher’s West Village townhouse. 58 In Season

Ellen Hamilton picks crisp colors to keep a Long Island beach home fresh year-round. 66 Art Crowd

It’s standing room only on the walls of Scott Campbell’s Lower East Side apartment. 72 Brooklyn Bijoux

Alexis Bittar’s Brooklyn Heights brownstone ﬂoor-through is bedazzled with special ﬁnds.

58 52

52 CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: BRIAN PARK; RAEANNE GIOVANNI-INOUE; EMILY GILBERT

Clockwise from top left: A paneled double-height living room on Long Island; the table is set for fall at Alexis Bittar’s Brooklyn home; a peaceful place to work at the BrackmanMelcher townhouse in the West Village.

CLICK IT! The Home Observer is available as a hyperlinked online issue at observer.com/ nyohome.

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THE HOME OBSERVER FALL 2011

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Country House eleganCe: an arCHiteCtural Vision exceptional Furnishings for extraordinary Homes

Country House Elegance: An Architectural Vision Clockwise from top left: Lot 1019, Lot 1018, Lot 1132, Lot 1119

Auction Calendar New York · November 2011

christies.com November 1 Impressionist and Modern Art Evening Sale Sale 2477

November 2 Impressionist and Modern Works on Paper and Day Sale Sale 2478 & 2479

November 8 Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale Sale 2480

Viewing october 28 – november 1 Conor Jordan cjordan@christies.com +1 212 636 2050

Viewing october 28 – november 1 David Kleiweg de Zwaan dkleiweg@christies.com +1 212 636 2050 stefany sekara Morris ssmorris@christies.com +1 212 636 2050

Viewing november 4–8 Koji inoue kinoue@christies.com +1 212 636 2100

CHRISTIE’S NEW YORK 20 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020 Join us for the presale exhibitions and auctions, all of which are free and open to the public Monday – saturday 10 am – 5 pm and sunday 1 pm – 5 pm. For specific viewing times, please call +1 212 636 2000.

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November 9 Post-War and Contemporary Art Day Sale, Session I, Including Works from the Peter Norton Collection Sale 2482 Viewing november 4–8 andrew Massad amassad@christies.com +1 212 636 2100

November 21 Country House Elegance: An Architectural Vision Sale 2641 Viewing november 18–21 andrew McVinish amcvinish@christies.com +1 212 636 2199

November 22 500 Years: Decorative Arts Europe – The Gilded Age Sale 2486 Viewing november 18–22 Will russell wrussell@christies.com +1 212 636 2200

REGISTRATION IS EASY register to bid in person or by telephone by calling our Bid Department at +1 212 636 2437. if you are unable to attend the auction, visit christies.com to arrange for absentee and online bids. also available on christies.com are the international auction calendar, online catalogues, and a full listing of upcoming valuation days around the globe.

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30 Questions about products featured in this issue? Email us at home@observer.com

68 Columns 17 Guess What’s Coming to Dinner

Marianne Rohrlich’s curious picks for fall tables 18 Designer Alex Papachristidis

Papachristidis talks with HOME about inspiration, accessories and New York. 22 I Can Get It For You Retail

Get the decorator look for less. 24 Required Reading

Design books on coffee tables this fall: Black & White, Brilliant, Clarence House and Roy Lichtenstein At home with the owners of beloved West Village shop Mxyplyzyk 34 Chef’s Kitchen (Literally)

Advice from the experts on giving dinner parties at home 36 Coat Weather

Manhattan’s most fashionable (buildings) are all bundled up for fall. 84 (Upper) West Side Story

Five generations of women at the San Remo 12

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courtesy of The Future Perfect; Courtesy of Katie Lee

30 Short on Vowels, Long on Style

the home observer fall 2011

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TOGO sofa by Michel Ducaroy

250 Park Avenue South New York (212) 375-1036 www.lignerosetny.com 155 Wooster Street New York (212) 253-5629 www.lignerosetny.com 4131 Main Street Philadelphia (215) 487-2800 www.rosetphilly.com

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160 NE 40th Street Miami (305) 576-4662 www.lignerosetmiami.com

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Finest selection of contemporary European stoves, fireplaces, and grills

the home observer editor in chief Rebecca Morse art director Scott Dvorin designer Lauren Draper production director Tyler Rush

Phoenix Grill

photo editor Peter lettre advertising/production coordinator lisa medchill Managing Editor Emilia Ferrara

contributing Writers Daniel Cappello Nicole Gibbons Hannah Ghorashi

Sarah Hucal Linda O’Keeffe Marianne Rohrlich

Contributing Photographers Emily Gilbert Raeanne Giovanni-Inoue Dan Hallman Peter Murdock

Wittus Inc. 914.764.5679 www.wittus.com

Brian Park Lauren Reindhardt Hannah Thompson Andrea Wang

Associate Publisher, The home observer betty shaw lederman Account Managers David Bendayan Michelle Morgan

alexander nuckel David Wolff

Sales Assistant Elyse adler

observer media group Publisher Jared Kushner editorial director Elizabeth Spiers President Christopher Barnes Executive Vice President Barry Lewis Senior Vice President/associate publisher jamie forrest Vice President sales & marketing David Gursky classified ad director ken Newman marketing manager Zarah Burstein V.P. Circulation kratos vos

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Tuesday, February 24, 2009 14:16 Yellow Black Cyan Magenta

Protect Your Furnishings From Fading

Applied to the interior surface of your windows, Sunshield Energy Control Systems’ invisible coating offers the state-of-the-art in protecting your fine furnishings, fabrics and artwork from the destructive effects of sunlight. Their proprietary preservation products have been utilized in the world’s finest homes as well as the most prestigious museum environments. Energy conservation benefits are additionally realized through solar heat and glare reduction. Sunshield’s knowledge and expertise will ensure that your valuable investments will be kept safe for future generations to enjoy.

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circulation alexandra enderle, peter parris, Carlos Rodriguez

THE NEW YORK OBSERVER 321 West 44th Street New York, NY 10036 212.755.2400 www.observer.com

On the cover WCA’s West Chin and Roseann Repetti create a sexy and functional home for a young television producer. Views of the High Line dominate in a bright, clean space with massive storage—and even bigger personality. B+B Italia Athos dining table from B+B Italia, 150 East 58th Street. PK8™ chairs designed by Poul Kjærholm at Fritz Hansen, 22 Wooster Street. FLOS USA’s Taraxacum 88 Pendant at DDC, 181 Madison Avenue. Client’s own white porcelain robot (by Seletti) and electric wire vase (by Gary Mhoon). Photograph by Emily Gilbert. the home observer fall 2011

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Julie Blackmon, Camptown Races, pigment ink print, 2005. Estimate $2,000 to $3,000.

AT AUCTION

Important Photobooks & Photographs DECEMBER 13 Specialist: Daile Kaplan • dkaplan@swanngalleries.com

Visit our website for catalogues, previews and auction times 104 East 25th Street, NY, NY 10010 • tel 212 254 4710

SWANNGALLERIES.COM

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Turning and vintage furniture, lighting, art and accessories just keeps getting better and better. Whether you visit us online at center44.com or in our huge

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Center44 222 East 44th Street New York, NY 10017 212-450-7988 â&#x20AC;˘ Center44.com Photo by: CarlosBido.com

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IMAGES COURTESY OF THE FUTURE PERFECT, MOSS, GAIA & GINO, NESPRESSO, PAN AMERICAN PHOENIX, WILLIAM SONOMA, AND ANTHROPOLOGIE

In the SHOPS

GUESS WHAT’S COMING TO DINNER Flora and fauna enthusiasts will delight in table settings that look like they came from a cabinet of curiosities rather than a china cabinet. Bugs, crocs and other creatures are set upon pitchers, plates and candlesticks, creating a whimsical and sometimes odd landscape.

1 RIDING HIGH The 21.5-inch tall Horse Candlestand, made of nickel-plated resin, is $282 by special order at the Future Perfect, thefutureperfect.com, 877-388-7373.

BY MARIANNE ROHRLICH

2 COLD CUTS Materials like bone,

clay and rope are held together with resin to create a ham hock and four coasters. By Brooklyn artists Chen Chen and Kai Tsien Williams, it is $400 at Moss, mossonline.com, 866-888-6677.

3 POSIES Four-inch round ceramic “Bloom” bowls are decorated with abstract designs inspired by nature. Designed by Emir Uras for Gaia & Gino, they are $29.50 each at venokado.com, 310-576-2500. 4 DIMINUTIVE The Pixie by Nespresso is a pint-size espresso machine that comes in colors like orange or lime green; $249 at Gracious Home, gracioushome. com, 212-517-6300.

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5 POUR IT ON Silver plate pitchers embellished with creatures like crocs, frogs, or butterflies are made in Mexico, come in a variety of sizes and cost $565 to $715 at Pan American Phoenix, panamericanphoenix. com, 212-570-0300.

6 FLORA A set of four Pear Botanical Placemats with vintage horticultural illustrations is $48 at Williams Sonoma, williamssonoma.com, 877-812-6235. 7 FAUNA Natural World Dessert 6

THE HOME OBSERVER FALL 2011

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Plates are adorned with bugs, birds and reptiles. The eight-inch, bone china dishes are $18 each at Anthropologie, anthropologie. com, 800-309-2500.

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Native NYer

Alex Papachristidis that is highly service-oriented and one that is infused with an appreciation for the little things.

Where do you live? I live on the Upper East Side in a postwar building, reﬁtted inside to have the feel of a prewar. What is your favorite aspect of your apartment? You can build a beautiful home anywhere, but what you ﬁnd when you leave your home in New York is irreplaceable. Variety and convenience are essential aspects of life in New York and two qualities I love in my neighborhood. It is also a neighborhood 18

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Greatest challenge you’ve faced in a project: Rebuilding an apartment on

the top of a building with elaborate terraces & pergolas. It was complicated and challenging yet extremely successful in the end. What is your favorite room in New York City, whether public or private, and why? Our living room, ﬁlled with so many personal and beloved

You have a wonderfully international portfolio. How do New York City projects differ from those in other urban capitals? New York is a city of doers, a center of nonstop action. In other words, it’s a lot easier to get things done in New York. There’s a culture here that embraces ambition and efﬁciency and leans toward a challenge. How has the way we live as New Yorkers changed over the course of your career? Life and culture are always changing, and trends come and go. But my style has always been based on creating a timeless “meeting” of classical and contemporary. Your interior should support and enrich your life on any occasion—rather than you changing your lifestyle to ﬁt your interior. I always encourage my clients to embrace an aesthetic that combines elements of the

ROGER DAVIES

ORN AND RAISED on the Upper East Side, Alex Papachristidis still lives there—but only when he’s not travelling the country (and the globe) working on projects for clients who love his sophisticated vision. The Parsons graduate talks with The Home Observer about inspiration, accessories and why it’s easier to get things done in New York than anywhere else.

You are a native New Yorker. How does having grown up in New York inform your process in designing New York living spaces? I love New York—the pace, the buzz, the energy—and growing up here I developed an understanding of the need for private space. The home has to have a peaceful clearing, somewhere to take a break from all the excitement.

modern casual and the traditionally elegant. Modern-day architectural bane: I am not generally a fan of open kitchens but they can work in a loft setting.

Top left: Alex Papachristidis with Teddy. Above: Maison Jansen commode in Papachristidis’ Upper East Side apartment.

THE HOME OBSERVER FALL 2011

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Modern European Design + Sleek Modern Classic New York Stylish Service Dreams Really Do Come True

An updated kitchen for culinary life as it should more smoothly than you could have imagined, trust be. A bath designed for the luxury of enjoyment. For in Elgot. Sincerooms 1945,in Elgot has provided inspiration and need expertise the most important any home–rooms to be the The only stop you to maketoforbring your kitchen proud of–come to Elgot. or bath design is Elgot. Offering the finest in Ameridream kitchens to life. From start to finish, our seasoned professionals Elgot has been the choice New project Yorkers with for tender can andloving European cabinetry andthe major appliances will handle the ofentire care. Offering finest kitchen and bath design and remodeling since 1945. Elgot’s seasoned professionals will listen to you, ininAmerican and European all you major and andof everyFor inspiration helping you choose the bestcabinetry, appli- help withappliances, your choices, anddesign take care remodeling services, Elgot isto the only needyour to have ances and fixtures, for unsurpassed know-how get first thingand every stepstep of theyou’ll way. Make first and only the job done quickly and correctly, for theYou expertise stop visit to Elgot. your dreams come true. can trust inaElgot. Come and be inspired. that brings together the dream and the finished result

Manhattan’s Premier Kitchen and Bath Designers 937 Lexington Avenue • Between 68th and 69th Streets New York, NY 10065 212-879-1200 www.elgotkitchens.com

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Native NYer

objects and pieces of furniture. Everywhere I look in our living room, I am reminded of moments, images, people and places that mean a great deal to me. A room tells the story of those who inhabit it, and the most wonderful rooms are those whose stories are told in the most layered and unique ways. Where do you go to to be inspired? I am most inspired by meeting with my clients in their own homes. The combination of people and the spaces they live in, the fixed architecture and the expanse of their imaginations is what makes me feel most passionate about the work I do. What era of New York City architecture most inspires you? Prewar architecture is my favorite. It was a time when generous and grand living were the norm.

What are you working on now? n A townhouse for a young family on the Upper East Side in a classical, modern style; n A combination of multiple apartments in a 1912 West Side buliding, where we’re creating our interpretation of an Arts & Crafts interior; 20

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Papachristidis’ colorful New York bedroom.

stone home in New A Hampshire, in a private club with an American flare for casual living; n A sophisticated country manor in Milbrook with an exciting layered palette of English & French styles; n suite of rooms for a spectacu A lar home in Connecticut that we are adding on to an existing project. n

Best advice for choosing a color scheme for a home: Ask yourself what color you

look best in. Also think about what colors are on the modern side of timeless and what colors you have a personal feeling about. Best “instant fix” Re-accessorize! Buy new lamp shades, pillows, pretty throws, etc. It’s amazing how new details can make an older room feel brand new and exciting. Shop pier shows, flea markets, ABC Home and West Elm. If you see it and think you might love it, try it out. You can always change it again if it doesn’t work.

Favorite local (New York) shopping source or haunt J.Crew, Bergdorf, Hermés, HM Luther, Louis Bofferding, Liz O’Brien, Todd Romano. Most special place you’ve ever lived – whether special for personal or design reasons! Our family home in the Hamptons. It is a beautiful place and I love it for that, but more importantly it is a place where we have all been together, and that permeates every inch of the house for me.

roger davies

Great design has become accessible—Parsons tables at West Elm, Missoni for Target, Ikea for everyone. Are there any catalogs or large chainstores you find particularly inspiring or well done? I do buy from catalogs here and there. For rooms such as playrooms, kids bedrooms and staff quarters, I like to mix high and low, using pieces from Restoration Hardware, Crate & Barrel and West Elm for example.

the home observer fall 2011

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B:9.125” T:8.875” S:7.875”

Different language. Different food. Different customs. An HSBC mortgage can make you feel right at home. 40ºN – New York, USA

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1 To be eligible for a Premier mortgage, you need to maintain a Premier relationship and a minimum of $100,000 USD (or equivalent) in qualifying personal and/or commercial deposit and investment balances with HSBC in the U.S. or your home country. Interest rate may increase per the terms stated in your adjustable rate note, and for both fixed and adjustable rate Premier Deluxe Mortgage options in the event you cease to maintain the requirements stated above. Discounts and loan amounts depend on specific programs and may require certain Premier balances, reserves, equity and automatic payment from a Premier Checking account. United States persons (including U.S. citizens and residents) are subject to U.S. taxation on their worldwide income and may be subject to tax and other filing obligations with respect to their U.S. and non-U.S. accounts – including, for example, Form TD F 90-22.1 (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (“FBAR”)). U.S. persons should consult a tax adviser for more information. Mortgage and Home Equity products are offered in the U.S. by HSBC Bank USA, N.A. and are subject to credit approval. Borrowers must meet program qualifications. Programs are subject to change. Geographic and other restrictions may apply. Equal Housing Lender. Deposit products offered in the U.S. by HSBC Bank USA, N.A. Member FDIC. ©2011 HSBC Bank USA, N.A.

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Brand Name

(The Decorator Look For Less) BY MARIANNE ROHRLICH Oglers of shelter magazine centerfolds take note: if you lust after the signature look of high-end decorators, but don’t have the time or budget to hire one, help has arrived in the form of ready-to-wear rather than couture. Get the look for less by shopping in decorators’ showrooms that are open to the public, where their private label furniture and accessories are sold and “à la carte” professional help is available. Here are four decorators who sell their furniture and accessories to everyone and offer design expertise as well.

Contemporary Classicism THE SHOP Mariette Himes Gomez Decorator Mariette Himes Gomez, a classicist with a modern flair, opened The Shop ten years ago for the public to buy THE SHOP her line of private label furniture and 504 East 74th Street lighting. Many of her pieces, includ(877) 466-7467 ing upholstered ones, are in stock and theshopnyny.com ready to be delivered—cash and carry so to speak. Floor samples are available too: if it fits in a cab, it’s yours. There are some accessories, but this shop is more about furniture and lighting. Editions of Ms. Gomez’s photography are sold here too and ready to hang on walls. Decorating assitance is offered for a fee based on scope of work.

Top: Courtesy James HUniford; Bottom: Lamp and couch by Widner Creative, Portrait by Jade Albert; Store inset by Edward Addeo

I CAN GET IT FOR YOU RETAIL

Worldly Urn Floor Lamp, $3,200. Round Hall Stool, $4,200. Left: COurtesy vincent wolf; Above: Dominick rotundi

VW HOME Vicente Wolf “For me, opening VW Home had to do with my love for travel,” said interior designer Vicente Wolf about the retail space he runs in a loft building in the West 30’s, next door to his design studio. Wolf is best known for his elegant modern interiors, punctuated with objects and art found during his travels. At VW Home, there is an assortment of furniture and ethnic objects and art he collects on his trips around the world. He offers a line of upholstered furniture and wood pieces of his own design that are custom made in a choice of fabric, size and finish. For a fee, the showroom director is available to do floor plans and VW HOME manage a decorating project from 333 West 39th Street beginning to end if needed. 10th floor

Paris armchair $3,688; Gold Buddha hand, $1,750.

(212) 244-5008 vicentewolf.com

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Hushed Elegance HUNIFORD James Huniford “Many people wanted bespoke furniture designed by me, “ said James Huniford, a decorator known for his quiet, contemporary style. “They didn’t want to hire a decorator but they wanted stylish, well-proportioned pieces that are made in America.” The Huniford line of upholstered furniture is all custom made (your fabric or his) and offered at the showroom alongside lamps of his design and vintage and antique pieces, handpicked by the decorator himself. Decorating assistance is HUNIFORD available; the fee depends on the job. 210 11th Avenue

Top: Courtesy James HUniford; Bottom: Lamp and couch by Widner Creative, Portrait by Jade Albert; Store inset by Edward Addeo

6th Floor (212) 717-9177 huniford.com

Manhattan Chair, $2,850. Plymouth Table, $2,200.

From Ming To Modern BEELINE AT TRELLIAGE

Left: COurtesy vincent wolf; Above: Dominick rotundi

Bunny Williams

John’s Sofa, $5,000. Pheasant Feather Lamp, $950.

the home observer fall 2011

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“My philosophy is to design timeless rooms,” said Bunny Williams, who started her career at Parish Hadley before opening her own decorating business 23 years ago. “I use a mixture of old and new designs to create spaces made to be lived in.” (And sipped in: Every chair needs a drinks table next to it, Ms. Williams said). She said her collection is for people who want to buy furniture and lamps with a refined sense of design at accessible prices. At her retail store, Trelliage, floor samples are for sale and TRELLIAGE 1015 Lexington Avenue many pieces are stocked (212) 988-8800 and ready to be delivered. bunnywilliams.com /beeline

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On the SHELVES

What’s Black, White & Read All Over?

Black and White (and a bit in between) Celerie Kemble Clarkson Potter, $50

HOSE OF GENERATION X and beyond have no proof that life was not actually black and white before the arrival of Technicolor to mainstream media, but it’s likely that Celerie Kemble would welcome such a theory with open arms. Her new book, Black and White, elegantly sweeps

REQUIRED READING

English Country House Interiors, by Jeremy Musson Rizzoli, $60

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the reader into a world of—indeed, black and white—where, astoundingly, it becomes clear that such stark extremes can have many facets or better yet, hues. The book ‘s focus is the idea that limiting one’s home design to black and white actually (counterintuitively) allows for a greater sense of freedom, style, and order to one’s life. The book is written in a lovely, almost poetic voice: “Pearlescent plastered walls...a pale cream sueded headboard, frosty white rug, hammered silver chest, and rock crystal hardward each have a slightly different value adding up to a cloudlike and restive blur of white.” We enjoyed the fact that Kemble did not merely stop with her extol of

the most extreme colors on the color spectrum, but also incorporated such vibrant tints such as ﬂamingo pink and ocean blue to add interest to a room, as well as explaining various complementary textures such as metal, wood and even plant life. An endless variation of beautiful black and white layouts are placed abundantly throughout, resulting in a book as visual as it is instructional. Kemble moves smoothingly through the many different styles and lives of her clients from downtown bohemians to Park Avenue ladies who lunch. Her best line? “A black and white palette can be your own design Rorschach.” Very true. —Hannah Ghorashi

COURTESY CLARKSON POTTER, RIZZOLI, UNIVERSE & FRANCES LINCOLN

Fall’s design books! From Linda O’Keeffe’s Brilliant: White in Design and Celerie Kemble’s Black and White to Clarence House’s profusion of color, there’s something for everyone on the spectrum.

On bookshelves and coffee tables this fall, something for the Downton Abbey addicts, a luscious dip in Michael Smith’s bathtub and an intimate portrait of the red-lacquer life of Sister Parish.

The Way Home

Kitchens and Baths

Adirondack Style

Sister Parish

World of Muriel Brandolini

by Jeffrey Bilhuber Rizzoli, $60

by Michael S. Smith Rizzoli, $45

f-stop Fitzgerald & Richard McCaffrey, Universe, $50

by Martin Wood Frances Lincoln, $60

by Muriel Brandolini Rizzoli, $65

THE HOME OBSERVER FALL 2011

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Clean design outside. Seamless performance inside. Refreshing possibilities all around.

Monogram is opening a new door in refrigerator design with models that can not only be customized, but also fully and seamlessly integrated with cabinetry. This new collection of 30” refrigerators and glass-door wine reserves is the perfect answer if you’re looking for a true ﬂush ﬁt. View these and other refreshing appliance innovations in our A&D showroom.

Architects and Designers Building, 150 E. 58th St. | 212.223.1699 | Monday−Friday, 9 a.m.−5 p.m. adbuilding.com | monogram.com

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On the Shelves

Roy Lichtenstein In His Studio

BRILLIANT: White in Design Linda O’Keeffe Monacelli, $50

he arguably trite phrase “hauntingly beautiful” will have to be groaned at once more here: what else can we say? Linda O’Keeffe’s hauntingly beautiful book, Brilliant: White In Design, opens with a debate on whether the universe could be adequately described as “skyvory” or “univeige” in response to scientific research that the earth’s atmosphere is composed of invisible, off-white molecules. This erudite information is punctuated with images of shapely white objets: a pearl, an ivory spoon, a sculpture of a woman. Yes, even the latter is indeed associated with white, and with beauty. While much of the book does indeed delve into the architectural and design utilities of the color, what’s especially refreshing and fascinating is that

O’Keeffe (a Home Observer contributor) included the history of white as well: “‘White’ and ‘light’ share linguistic roots...the universal poster child of purity and innocence. It exemplifies cleanliness in the form of a crisp white shirt, a bleached linen tablecloth...” It is—here it is again—breathtaking (perhaps minty-fresh so?) to flip through the photos of radically different rooms: eerily, darkly clear ice hotels in Sweden and Finland, urban New York apartments, the tongue-in-cheek colonial-style hotel rooms of Singapore, Indian sandstone country estates and avant-garde Italian homes—all in white, eggshell, bone, alabaster. Most of these homes were bathed in white to invoke cleanliness and purity, creating a peaceful place to exist as the reflective background for the life of the owner. Favorite images would have to include, a pure-white chandelier designed to resemble icicle, an ivory hallway featuring white portrait frames—without portraits and dots of color from macarons in a totally white patisserie. The resulting aesthetic is a pensive, shivery minimalism that borders on existential, but is never colorless. —H.G.

In her new book, Roy Lichtenstein In His Studio, New York photographer Laurie Lambrecht (a Home Observer contributor) gives us a rare glimpse into the working life of iconic pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. The world of an artist at work is one usually shielded from the public eye, but Lambrecht, who worked as an assistant to Lichtenstein for three years in the early nineties, opens the door with spectacular images from her Hassleblad camera. During those years, when Lichtenstein was preparing for a retrospective of his work at the Guggenheim, he encouraged his then-assistant to photograph him, his sketchbooks and scrapbooks, supplies, and inspirational materials like clippings from comic books and newspapers, as well as his works in progress in the studio. The resulting images, which have an uncanny resemblance to the paintings, have been compiled into the 128-page book with a forward by Dorothy Lichtenstein, the artist’s widow and president of his foundation. From the photo on the front cover in which Lichtenstein appears to be standing in his painting, to the final picture in the book, in which Lambrecht photographs herself in a mirror in the studio, one feels an intimacy with an artist and his work—a momentary trip into someone else’s world and proof that the artist at work can be as much as masterpiece as his creations themselves. —Marianne Rohrlich

courtesy monacelli

By Laurie Lambrecht Monacelli, $35

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Clarence House By Kazumi Yoshida Random House, $65

ands and eyes are catered to sumptuously in Kazumi Yoshida’s memoir Clarence House. A treat for the eyes with refreshingly vivid photos of fabric, wallpaper and furniture designs interspersed throughout the book, Yoshida begins with the history of his famed mentor, Robin Roberts. Equally luxurious

in both lifestyle and design, Roberts took Yoshida under his wing (a wing well-stocked with champagne and caviar) around Europe and Asia, immersing him in a world history of design for inspiratio; Roberts checked

out every room at Claridge’s in London and Plaza Athénée in Paris to ensure they stayed in the best one. Yoshida fondly remembers how Roberts taught him to channel his “clubkid self” and allow his natural artistic filter to blossom over every inspiration, whether eighteenth century Chinoiserie or Matisse’s personal documents. Yoshida is nostalgically enthusiastic about Clarence House’s accomplishments over the years, including its shift from classic eighteenth century opulence to more modern sensibilities. Yoshida’s interest is in style, every style—from children’s artwork to classic Japanese painting to Cubism to a “simple blowsy peony.” For Yoshida, inspiration is found in everything. The book will be of particular interest to Clarence House fanatics, but may even draw in the less design-minded. Besides eighteenth century brocades, another grand thing about this book is the glossary at the end, which is quite enlightening. —H.G.

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One of a Kind

Short on Vowels, Long on Style The cleanly modern Jersey City home of Kevin Brynan and William Cleary, proprietors of the beloved West Village giftware emporium Mxyplyzyk BY MARIANNE ROHRLICH Ellenville, New York in the 1950’s was the epicenter of the Borscht Belt—home to resorts like the Nevele Hotel, where up and coming comedians like Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and Jackie Mason got their starts. It was also known for its summer bungalow colonies inhabited by families ﬂeeing the New York City summer heat. Certainly, it was never known as the modern design capital of the world. But for Kevin Brynan, 55, the owner of Mxyplyzyk, the wellknown home design store in Greenwich Village, it was where his love for modern décor began. Unlike most people who grew up there, Mr. Brynan lived in a sleek, midcentury modern style house built from plans his parents found 30

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in a magazine. “The entire back wall of the house was glass and overlooked a hill,” Mr. Brynan said, tracking his early design inﬂuences back to his mother and that modern house. “My Mom would take me to George Jensen and Lord & Taylor in Paramus, New Jersey,” he said. “From early on I was exposed to good design.” After four years at Vassar College, Mr. Brynan followed his design instincts to a sales associates job at Bon Marché, a store in Greenwich Village that sold inexpensive, modern, apartment–size furniture like the iconic iron and canvas Butterﬂy chair. “It was also the beginning of High-Tech and we suddenly looked at industrial products and

The Balloona Stool is made of 500 balloons wrapped around a wood frame; it is $215 at Mxyplyzyk.

materials to use in the home,” he said. “We were buying industrial rubber ﬂooring and cutting it up to use as placemats and notebook covers.” With ﬁve years experi-

ence, he and his colleague, Kevin Terpstra, left Bon Marché to open a giftware shop called Dot Zero in what is now known as the Flatiron District—perhaps before its time. Dot Zero closed in 1992, after five years. Nine months later the partners along with a third principal, Peter Maase, opened a shop at 125 Greenwich Avenue and called it Mxyplyzyk. With a name that is seemingly nonsensical, almost unpronounceable (Mix-ee-PLIZ-ik) and defiant of all spelling attempts, the store, with its aesthetic of simple contemporary home design and giftware, quickly developed a loyal following both in the West Village and on its website (mxyplyzyk.com). In October, they opened Mxyplyzyk’s first out of town location on Grove

RAEANNE GIOVANNI-INOUE/PRODUCT IMAGES COURTESY OF MXYPLYZYK

Brynan and Cleary at home. The Hans Wegner–style chairs are $250 each at Mxyplyzyk; the painting is from Mr. Brynan’s mother’s home. Left: porcelein vases, $42 each.

THE HOME OBSERVER FALL 2011

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Street in Jersey City. “I have never wavered from my original design sense or taste,” Mr. Brynan said of the product mix at his store. “It’s a lifestyle and a look that has never changed. It’s clean and spare. I’m not into decoration or unnecessary embellishments.” Recently Mxyplyzyk introduced a line of furniture derivative of classic midcentury modern pieces. “I’m paying homage to the past even though I don’t sell originals,” Mr. Brynan said. Mr. Brynan lives with his partner of 12 years, William Cleary, in a newly built six-story high condominium in Jersey City. They own a one–bedroom apartment that could be an advertisement for the store. It has the same pared-down modern look; there is no clutter or frou frou in the place. Each piece is carefully chosen, much of it from the Mxyplyzyk archives. “I have stayed true to what I sell and to what I live with,” Mr. Brynan said, adding, “whether it’s a Parsons table covered in bands of recycled balloons or a new sock monkey. It all goes back to the soul of the piece. Where there’s experimentation it’s in the materials; the form remains the same.” 32

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raeanne giovanni-inoue/product images courtesy of mxyplyzyk

One of a Kind

Clockwise from top left: Sunburst wall clock by George Nelson, $115; Painted wood and metal fish on the wall were bought at a Baltimore crafts show; The Manhattan store, at 125 Greenwich Avenue; A console table is made of recycled wood is $295, and a chair inspired by the classic Eames lounge is $1,100 with ottoman. All at Mxyplyzyk.

the home observer fall 2011

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Expert Advice

CHEF’S KITCHEN (LITERALLY)

It’s party season, and nothing is more intimate (and economical) than entertaining at home. We asked the experts (a cooking teacher, a caterer, a restaurant chef, a nutritionist, a cookbook author and two online cooking gurus) about their own, home “chef’s kitchens” and how to give a great dinner.

Who Amanda Hesser & Merrill Stubbs What Duo behind food52.com and The Food52 Cookbook (William Morrow 2011)

The Country Girl

Where Brooklyn Heights (Amanda); Park

Who Katie Lee What Cookbook author, Early Show con-

The Nutritionist Who Joy Bauer What Nutritionist, Today Show contributor and cookbook author

Where Rye Brook, New York Kitchen Open, colorful and cozy—but state of the art.

Best appliance Keurig. I love how convenient it is to grab a single cup of coffee at any time—especially in the wee hours when I’m headed to The Today Show.

Can’t Live without An oil mister: spraying instead of pouring saves hundreds of calories.

planned for fall I’m hosting a Halloween party pre-trick or treating. I like to fill all the kids up with a balanced meal before they set off on their sugar rush.

always in your fridge. Hot sauces. I have always loved spicy food! Added bonus: research shows spicy peppers help suppress appetite and kick your metabolism up a notch. Who knew?

Dinner party tip I always put out a

tributor and novelist

less steel appliances with wood cabinets; Amanda’s is better organized!

Where Water Mill, New York

can’t live without Amanda: Meat

a slate countertop and a big island where I do all of my prep while my friends sit at the bar and hang out.

pounder. Merrill: Mini-whisk.

Always in your kitchen Amanda:

Kitchen My kitchen has white cabinets,

Maldon sea salt, Whole Foods’ dried mango slices, brioche for toast and sandwiches. Merrill: McVities Digestive Biscuits, dark chocolate, about seven kinds of cheese.

Can’t Live without My mini food

hostess present Amanda: A cool

best dinner party The Scotto fam-

kitchen tool or an ingredient I think they might like. Merrill: Homemade jam (I often make several batches of blueberry or tomato jam at the end of the summer).

dinner party tip Merrill: If the dinner is seated, it’s fun to have everyone switch places after the main course. Amanda: Prepare dessert and set the table the day before; the rest will seem easy.

processor.

dinner party style I’m casual, but I still like a properly set table. Comfort with a touch of couture. ily has the greatest dinner parties at their home in Southampton. I do a double workout before going to their house.

planned for fall? I do a chili party every year on a Sunday in the fall. I make a big pot of chili, set up a toppings bar and let everyone serve themselves.

hostess present I put together a basket of fresh vegetables from the farmstand instead of a floral bouquet.

go-to appetizer Deviled eggs. dinner party tip Have a “house wine.” Always have a case of red and a case of white on hand. I work with Clos du Bois, and I love their pinot grigio and pinot noir. Both are food-friendly. If you’re short on space, store it under your bed.

platter of crudité with an interesting dip; it gives people something healthy to snack on while I’m finishing up the meal.

THO_Fall2011_ChefsExpertAdvice.indd 34

clockwise from top: courtesy katie lee; courtesy merrill stubbs and amanda hesser; reprinted from “slim and scrumptious” by permission of william morrow.

Slope (Merrill)

Kitchen Merrill: We both have stain-

The Foodies

the home observer fall 2011

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The Teacher Who Gail Monaghan What Cooking instructor and cookbook

The Restaurant Chef

author

Where Midtown Kitchen The island in the middle can actually seat 16 people comfortably (I give cooking classes there). Cabinets are light wood; countertops and island are indestructible black granite.

Who Sam Talbot What Executive chef at Montauk’s Surf Lodge and Imperial No. 9 at The Mondrian; author of The Sweet Life (Rodale 2011)

Best appliance My 20-year-old Simac “Il Gelataio Magnum.” I’m addicted to ice cream and make it every day.

Where Lower East Side Kitchen It’s large, open to the dining room, very neat and ready to cook.

Must-have tool I cannot do without my mixing bowls and micro plane.

Always in your cabinet Almond milk and Truvia natural sweetner, since I avoid processed sugar because of my diabetes.

entertaining style Entertaining for me is pure enjoyment, always informal, very casual, and dogs are welcome, since I have one named Tank.

What being a chef teaches about entertaining at home Stay focused and keep your eye on the prize before you settle into that second glass of pinot.

The Party Guy Who Peter Callahan

Home Chelsea Kitchen White Carrara marble counters with white cabinets, tabletop applances visible for easy access, dry goods in jars on open shelves, ugly food items put away in the closet.

Best appliance Our Fisher + Paykel undercounter drawer dishwashers run practically all day on weekends.

Go-to appetizer Korean yams with olive oil, cinamon bark and sea salt. Go-to dessert Peanut butter and apple

Dinner party tip Serve hard alco-

cobbler with graham cracker tops.

dinner party tip Keep your guests doing things and being involved in the process; they’ll love the community feeling that it naturally evokes.

preserved lemons, dosa batter, nonfat Greek yogurt

What Caterer to the stars and author of Bite By Bite (Clarkson Potter 2011)

Go-to dinner party entree Boneless beef short ribs can be made a day ahead and hold beautifully in the oven without getting overcooked.

Go-to cocktail Concord Grape Spritz.

Always in her fridge Moroccan

hol after the main course to liven up the party. I’ll bring the margarita or martini shaker right out to the table. The shaking ice cubes jazz everyone up and shake off the wine snooze.

clockwise from top: courtesy katie lee; courtesy merrill stubbs and amanda hesser; reprinted from “slim and scrumptious” by permission of william morrow.

dinner parties planned for fall I just gave one. The guest list got a bit out of control: planned for eight, ended up with 18. A friend brought great Spanish wines, and I cooked Spanish food (pork roast with fresh figs and a caramalized plum galette with Sherry ice cream for dessert). I’m planning a repeat this month with foods and wines from Puglia.

Best dinner party ever An Iftar feast at a Turkish friend’s home on the Bosphorus. Amazing views and the food was spectacular and much of it new to me. Ditto the people.

dinner party tip Prepare ahead as much as possible. Eschew recipes needing lots of last minute attention.

the home observer fall 2011

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10/21/11 7:54:58 AM

Real Estate

Coat Weather

Baby, it’s cold outside! Manhattan’s most architectural buildings are covered up in chic outerwear. by Rebecca Morse illustration by Andrew Degraff

blazer

The New Museum 235 Bowery

Trailblazer, that is: with a seamless aluminum mesh that covers the building with a shimmering skin, SAANA Architects changed the look of the Bowery with the Museum’s avant garde design.

dinner jacket HÔtel Americano 518 West 28th Street

¡Que guapo! The hot new West Chelsea hotel was designed by Mexican architect Enrique Norten; atop its exterior facade rests a steel mesh scrim.

trench coat

windbreaker

Metal Shutter House 524 West 19th Street

A Light Wrap

The COOPER UNION 41 Cooper Square

Just warm enough: Morphosis Architecture wrapped 41 Cooper Square in a transparent layer of perforated stainless steel that provides environmental control within. 36

THO_Fall2011_RealEstate.indd 36

Apartments in Shigeru Ban’s spaceage condominium have fully retractable, floor-to-ceiling windows—and retractable mesh shutters that can either open to the world outside or cocoon the condo a solid steel cube.

Like the classic flasher, 15USW has a surprise inside: the old Tiffany Building, which was totally reclad in black glass by Eran Chen in 2010.

clockwise from top: dean kaufman; courtesy of metal shutter houses/michael moran photography; mario morgado

15 Union Square West

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THE HOME OBSERVER

EMILY GILBERT

FALL 2011

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chelsea

Put It All on the Line

WCA’s Roseann Repetti and West Chin call on Space-age style to showcase a television producer’s robot collection and otherwordly view— the High Line, floating amidst the warehouses and glass towers of the “new” Chelsea.

By rebecca morse Photography by Emily Gilbert portrait by brian park

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At home on the High Line. Patricia Uquiolaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lowland Sofa (at Moroso) defines the living area. White Martinelli Luce Cobra Lamp from Nova 68. Selettiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Burlesque the Wize Chimpanzee Candelabra.

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the falcone flyover © Iwan baan, 2011

happening on the line n CHINA ON THE LINE. Darren Almond’s Fullmoon@ TheNorthSea, an image of the Huangshan mountain range in China, is the last in the Landscape with Path series of photographs being displayed on a 25-by-75 foot billboard at 18th Street. Through October 31st.

Right: Robots at the table. Eric Joyner’s Happy Hour (2007). Flos Taraxacum 88 Pendant light at DDC; B&B Italia Athos table; Fritz Hansen’s PK8TM dining room chairs. Below: The home owners. The High Line is visible in the windows behind them. Opposite: In the kitchen, Cappellini’s Hi Pad stools; FTF Design Studio corian trays. Jonathan Adler Utopia footed bowl.

F YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME. In New York, they will come and wait for you to build it. (Second Avenuedwellers, take note: This is a story with a happy ending.) When a young television producer bought the apartment in the West Twenties, the High Line park was just a twinkle in New York’s eye. For that matter, the apartment was just a twinkle in the developer’s eye. But as plans took shape for the first phase of the renovation of the elevated railway tracks, the bachelor took the plunge, with the hope that someday, green shoots would sprout in front of yet-to-be-built windows. The fairly godmother—and father—of this tale? Roseann Repetti and West Chin, the husband and wife behind WCA, the architecture and design firm known for their sexy, functional interiors. Having seen their portfolio online, the client knew they were the perfect team to position a place at the intersection of midcentury and ultra-modern, a showcase for both views that were emerging and a robot collection that was evolving. The collection included two moody Eric Joyner oil paintings, one depicting a solitary robot mowing the High Line itself (in the other, a robot sits alone at a table with a checked oilcloth

the home observer fall 2011

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n CHANNELS ON THE LINE. Every night, the lights flicker in the windows of the condo at 245 Tenth Avenue. Residents turning on their Tivos? Not quite: the building isn’t yet occupied. Remote Nation is an installation by Kevin Cooley; 100 analog television sets in the empty building turn on at 6pm nightly, all to the same channel–a real time stream of what the artist’s father is watching at home in Colorado. Through October 29th. n BOOK ON THE LINE. Joshua David and Robert Hammond’s new book, High Line: The Inside Story of New York City’s Park in the Sky (Farrar, Straus and Giroux 2011), hits shelves this month. It’s a facinating first person tale of two West Village residents with “no particular knowledge” who saved the railway track built in 1934—and turned it into the ultimate 21st-century park. n BOO ON THE LINE. Bring the kids in costume on Sunday, October 30th for a pumpkin patch and a Halloween parade that includes a giant train puppet. Visit thehighline.org for details. 43

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the home observer fall 2011

10/21/11 8:07:20 AM

skirt, under a painting of a donut). “Art is so personal,” says Repetti. “It tells you a lot of about the people that purchased it. I think we got a lot about who he was from that. He wanted to convey his style and who he is clearly in his home—through the artwork, through the accessories and definitely through the furnishings.” Repetti sourced pieces with a modernist soul and a sense of humor: lighting with personality, circular bedside tables and a pop of color from a blue Egg chair. Meanwhile, Chin opened the space, adding lighting and reflective surfaces, a shapely, sleek kitchen and massive hidden storage—all WCA signatures cohesive with their aesthetic, which is “handsome at some points,” Repetti says, “perhaps more androgenous. I would say they are apartments that men and women can live in comfortably.” Good thing. The High Line, since completed through West 30th Street, wasn’t the only thing in bloom. Now the client’s fiancée lives in the apartment too: A telelvision producer herself, “she loved it from the get-go,” says the homeowner. “The only thing that she is a bit hesitant about is all my robots. Every time I get a new one, she’s a little overwhelmed.” And they lived happily ever after. the home observer fall 2011

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Above: WCA left the master bath untouched. Zuma tub; Prato Milano glass tile; Duravit fixtures; FTF Design corian bath tray. Inset: One of the apartment’s many robots. Left: Eric Joyner’s The Gardner (2010) hangs in the master bedroom. Molteni&C’s Clip Bed; Matteo Tailor sheets from ABC Home; Serge Mouille’s MSC-R1C Rotation Sconces at Gueridon; Cassina’s Levels side tables; Taccia short floor lamp by FLOS at Design Within Reach.

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Studio with style. A Tibetan sheepskin rug from ABC Carpet helps define the studioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s living area, where a pair of bergĂ¨res found in Paris are covered in a Brunschwig & Fils zebra print. The sleeping alcove is set off by 19th-century Louis Phillipe screens.

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Paris, Uptown Upper east Side

Elizabeth Bauer brings style, glamour and a hint of je ne sais quoi to InStyle publisher Connie Anne Phillipsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Upper East Side rental studio. By Nicole Gibbons Photography by Emily Gilbert

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A salon-style installation of gilt-framed pieces in the living room. Ralph Lauren sofa. Schumacher table. Maison Schembri palm. Below: Elizabeth Bauer.

utfitting a home is like getting dressed for a special event, when endless thought and care is put into finding the perfect statement pieces and accessories. But what do you wear for a quick trip around the corner? True style means being chic no matter what the occasion—or apartment. For Connie Anne Phillips, the publisher of InStyle magazine, a temporary rental—and a studio at that—was no excuse to scrimp on style. Though her dream apartment on the Upper East Side won’t be ready until 2012, Phillips’ short-term abode a few blocks away perfectly reflects her “traditionally chic” sensibility—thanks to the vision of her longtime friend and decorator, Elizabeth Bauer. “I told Elizabeth that I wanted the Left Bank on the Upper East Side,” says Phillips. “I wanted it to feel as though I was coming home every night to Paris.” Quelle coincidence! Paris is, in fact, where the two were first introduced, when Bauer, then a college senior, bumped into Phillips while travelling with friends who knew the then-associate publisher of Vogue. Several months later, the fashion-saavy Bauer had landed a job as Phillips’ assistant. The two instantly bonded over a mutual love of collecting. “Sometimes she’d have downtime between meetings or we’d stay at work late and spend hours on eBay searching for collectibles like silver objets, vintage barware and iron doorstops,” says Bauer. And when Bauer founded her own design firm, Phillips became a dream client: “She’s stylish as hell. She lives and breathes fashion, and she has the best wardrobe of anyone I know,” says Bauer, whose work for Phillips includes the design of a home in the Hamptons and the new apartment in progress uptown—both considerably larger then 48

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TRÈS È PETIT, TRÈS CHIC!

Elizabeth Bauer’s secrets for living large in smaller spaces ■ TEST PATTERN. Eyecatching color and pattern will give a small space a large dose of personality. Don’t be afraid to paint a room (even in a rental) or cover your walls in a great pattern–the bolder the better! If you can’t quite muster up the courage, keep your furnishings neutral, but accent them with brightly colored pillows or throws. ■ DIVIDE AND CONQUER. Accessories like area rugs, curtain panels, screens and pendant lighting can create visual separation between different areas of a room. ■ TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOURSELF. Mirrors and reflective surfaces really open up a space: Try positioning a mirror across from a window or install mirrored walls. They reflect light and make your small space seem much larger. ■ DOUBLE UP. Invest in versatile furniture that serves dual purposes. A china cabinet can store books and clothes; a large desk can moonlight as a dining table. Bauer uses bar carts in all of her projects: They can be a bar, a side table or a dessert cart! ■ SHED SOME LIGHT ON THE MATTER. Strategically placed ambient light highlights the good and camouflages the bad. A variety of light sources (floor lamps, table lamps, reading lights and pendants) can make your room feel softer and easier on the eye. Use dimmers to control the room’s mood.

How to display a collection InStyle? Phillips’ Louis Vuitton suitcases, found in Paris and at a Doyle auction, become a home for one of the vignettes she and Bauer love to create. Antique Foo Dog; Christofle Two Fish vase. Hallway painted in Farrow & Ball’s Green Blue no. 84.

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Clockwise from top left: a vintage faux ostrich desk; a framed copy of Fleurs du mal; a 19th-century boudoir chair found in a Paris flea market and upholstered in Schumacher’s Chiang Mai; an elephant table from Bergdorf’s.

photo Credit TK Here

the 750-square-foot studio where Phillips is temporary camped out. But the size didn’t stop Bauer and Phillips from exploring big pattern. They both fell in love with Schumacher’s Chiang Mai print: Applied strategically to the back wall, the aquamarine and coral chinoiserie paper transformed the formerly bland, white-box apartment. Unable to make structural changes in a rental, Bauer added dimension with color, pattern and layering, framing the apartment’s only window with stationary drapery panels in the matching Schumacher fabric. “If I use a pattern, I like to use it everywhere like the French do,” says Bauer. “In Connie Anne’s apartment, I wanted to use this pattern to create one very strong moment—to help define the space and serve as a focal point.” The pair settled on Farrow and Ball’s Green Blue no. 89 for the other walls, a shade Phillips says looks perfect day or night. “I love the fact that everything is either wallpapered or painted or a color. I feel like I’m walking into a jewel box when I come home.” The duo filled that jewel box with global finds, all of which will move with Phillips to her next home. Each piece—from a life-sized gold palm tree to a pair of 19th-century Louis Phillipe glass screens— exudes a sense of glamour and is bold and vibrant, just like Phillips. “Elizabeth completely achieved what I wanted,” she says. “After a long day, it’s fabulous to walk into my home and look at wallpaper that I adore and beautiful things that make me smile.” Nicole Gibbons is founder and author of sohautestyle.com.

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photo Credit TK Here

In the sleeping alcove, a mirrored wall creates the illusion of space. Custom headboard in Lee Jofa fabric; antique Persian rug from ABC Carpet; vintage Sputnik chandelier from Elizabeth Bauer Design, 43 Greenwich Avenue. the home observer fall 2011

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Village Green west village

Fawn Galli brings vintage elegance and contemporary sensibility to Jessica Brackman and Charles Melcher’s 19th century townhouse, creating a place of purity and peace in the heart of the Village. By HANNAH Ghorashi Photography by Emily Gilbert

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hardly love at first sight with the stately townhouse ,which sits on one of the West Village’s most aweinspiring blocks. After making an initial bid on the home (which then had a restaurant in its basement), the couple reconsidered and backed off. A few months later (concurrent with a different search for a home for Melcher’s company), they approached the house again. A second (alas, higher) offer was accepted, and the work began—uncovering more than just the original architectural details. “There was a secret space in the basement that was a speakeasy during Prohibition,” says Brackman. “The

photo Credit TK Here

n with warm modern, out with cold contemporary! Call central casting and order up “the perfect West Village townhouse.” Think, as inspiration, Manhattan’s Gold Coast (circa Edith Wharton) meets the art deco glamour of the Forties. Voila! You’ve conjured up a home that is not a hypothetical at all but a dreamy reality for Jessica Brackman and Charles Melcher; they had, says Brackman, “always—since our first date—imagined ourselves living in a brownstone.” The real estate hunt didn’t turn out as well as that date did (the two are married and have a son): It was

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photo Credit TK Here

The parlour floor of the 19th-century townhouse features a Flexform couch and a custom reclaimed teak table. Pendant light, Nancy Robbinsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Reflexion. Tibetan Rug from Dolma. the home observer fall 2011

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Jessica Brackman in the kitchen. Vintage holophane lights from Good Ole Things and Phil Watson. Kitchen painted in Benjamin Moore’s Soft Fern. Architect Leslie Gill renovated the house, adding a kitchen that opens onto an oversized backyard.

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concealed shelves that hid the booze were still intact when we did the renovation.” Now the house’s cocktail hours take place out in the open, whether at the election phone banks that the couple has hosted or at smaller salons with speakers like Al Gore. Luckily, Mr. Melcher doesn’t have to rush home for such events: The townhouse’s ground floor has become the site of the office for his eponymous publishing company, whose books include Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth and Our Choice. New York’s easiest commute home takes Melcher up his stoop’s steps and across the threshold to a world far away from the media madness and downtown delirium—into a

home that is awash in period architectural details and a sort of vintage, golden light. The woman who turned on that light was Fawn Galli, the New York¬based designer whose experience includes working under such architectural heavyweights as Robert A.M. Stern and Peter Marino. Galli’s resume may be seriously star-studded, but her work here, with a touch of Europe and California in equal measures, stayed closer to the ground; a natural, earthy palette was chosen—earth, though, sprinkled with a few drops of Champagne. Architect Leslie Gill had brought the townhouse’s magnificent gardens inside by installing a wall of windows at the back of the the home observer fall 2011

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“When weather permits,” Brackman says, “we have lunch out back under the Japanese maple—or, on mild summer nights, a small dinner party under the stars.” Left: The vintage Heywood Wakefield kitchen table was stained ebony. Holly Hunt chairs uphostered in Great Plains’ “Made in the Suede” in Stoned.

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In the living room, an antique settee is covered in Bergamoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lavello fabric. The photograph is from Mitch Epsteinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s American Power series.

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house, lightening up the dark rooms that often victimize townhouses. With a nod to the flowering plants and the Japanese Maple tree visible beyond, Galli filled the kitchen and the parlour with mint green and cream tones, punctuated by the solid reclaimed¬wood tables and wood-framed mirrors hanging above the long living room’s two carved marble mantles. “We wanted to create a nice marriage of old and new,” says Galli’s client Brackman, “to keep much of the original detail but to open the space up with a modern sensibility and clean, smart design.” Sculptural touches, like the carved legs of an antique settee, shapely the home observer fall 2011

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Holly Hunt chairs and an ebony-stained vintage Heyman Wakefield table, complement the original architectural details—mouldings and marble that manage to be simultaneously intricate and somehow simple. Custom bookshelves in the living room display Melcher Media titles, from Darfur/Darfur: Life/War to Jessica Seinfeld’s Deceptively Delicious to Aqua Erotica (and Aqua Erotica 2). The house is as much a study in contrasts as the contents of its bookshelves—a moment of peace within the city; a place for family and for work; a sophisticated house, but one as warm, genuine and inviting as a really good book.

Left: Jessica Brackman and Charles Melcher in front of a parlour¬floor bookcase that houses many of Melcher Media’s titles. Right: a powder room with an antique mirror from Provence’s Isle sur la Sorge market is tucked into the hallway.

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In Season Long Island

Ellen Hamilton picks warm, crisp colors to keep a Long Island beach house fresh long past the last days of bathing suit weather. By Sarah Hucal

Sitting pretty: the view of the bay from the lawn.

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photo Credit TK Here

Photography by Brian Park

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A peek of sea greets guests at the front door. Below: Designer Ellen Hamilton arranges fall leaves on the back porch. Handmade African tall wood vase from Seaport Flowers, Brooklyn.

photo Credit TK Here

o everything there is a season, and for a beach house, it’s probably summer. Like Rosé, hydrangea and white jeans, the beach place peaks right around Labor Day. But does it have to? Enter Ellen Hamilton, whose choices of color and texture keep a shingled bayfront house on eastern Long Island fresh all year long, from summer days of watermelon and bathing suits to fall nights of pumpkin and cashmere. After all, endless water views should know no season. Those views didn’t happen by chance. A deep connection to the outdoor landscape was a priority for the homeowners, who hired architect Mary Knowles to build a home that seamlessly blends its natural setting with its physical design. The seminal example of this is the home’s wood–paneled screened porch: It brings the outdoors inside and not just on balmy nights. “It’s the major, pivotal, four–seasons room,” says Hamilton, “even fantastic in the snow, because there’s a huge roaring fire.”

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So what happens when the outdoors actually do come in? For an active family whose fall weekends include group football games, dirt happens. Not a problem. Hamilton used textured rugs and sturdy custom upholstered pieces; virtually indestructible outdoor fabrics from Holly Hunt and David Sutherland were deployed outdoors—and in. “You could be sweaty from golf and still be able to sit down everywhere and not worry about it,” says Hamilton. Here, elegance meets livability: “One of the great assets of the interior,” says Hamilton, “is that it’s warm and rich in its materiality. It’s not so minimal as to be boring and not so extravagant as to not be a beach house.” On the soaring walls of the double–height living room Knowles insalled paneling, a detail which provides depth and architectural richness without being visually overwhelming (and which answers that age-old question about the walls of a double-height living room…that is, what exactly to do with them). “You have a room with beautiful paneling, glass 59

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and curtains and upholstery,” says Hamilton. “Very little sheetrock. Most houses suffer from too much sheetrock!” It’s not the only successful departure from the norm; straying away from the typical beach-house palette of neutral tones and blues, Hamilton opted for warm oranges and reds that are bright, seasonless and comfortable. That sense of comfort was important—until it needed to be jettisoned. “I always say she tries to push me a little bit beyond my comfort zone,” says the homeowner of Hamilton, who indeed knows just how far her client’s comfort zone stretchs. They’ve been working together for the past 20 years on several homes. “When you’ve worked together for so long, there is the ability to

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photo Credit TK Here

Comfort inside and out. Clockwise from top left: Restoration Hardware’s Santa Monica lounge chairs and ottomans; the sculptural staircase; a vintage wood lamp from Aero on the client’s woodtopped cabinet; peeking into the kitchen. DeLany & Long sheer curtains; Pierce Martin wicker chairs. Opposite: the paneled living room. Globe chandelier designed by Jose Esteves, at Interieurs. Custom seating surrounds a vintage Belgian coffee table found at Balsamo Antiquities.

photo Credit TK Here

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take ideas to the next level and really focus on design,” says Hamilton. Another plus of such a long relationship? A history of fabulous pieces. Indeed, nearly 80% of the furniture from the family’s previous Long Island weekend home was incorporated into this new space, a decision which was both an homage to the beloved old home and a thoroughly practical design choice. “It was like putting together a puzzle,” said the homeowner of finding old pieces new homes. And once settled, they didn’t stop moving: Virtually everything is on wheels. The kitchen table? On casters. A custom armless sofa-turned-banquette? Ready to roll. When caterers come in or a big party is ready to be thrown, off it can go to a more convenient spot. And big parties are the norm, after all. “I think welcoming is the headline here,” says the homeowner: The family entertains yearround, hosting 25 family members for Thanksgiving, 20 of whom stay overnight. Each bedroom has an en suite bathroom, and the downstairs guest room boasts its own private entrance. “When [guests] come visit they can have privacy but in a very comfortable, welcoming way,” explained the homeowner. Hamilton concurs: “It’s important to keep guest rooms really layered and personal: Don’t underfurnish, because it looks like the room no one is ever in. You need to care about all the little things just as much as the big ones. The room should feel populated by both things and effort.” The effort paid off—not just for lucky visitors. “Often my husband and I are there quietly and love that too,” says the homeowner. “The best is when the kids are there and happy and we’re all together.” Left, The screened room welcomes guests at an oak Bigfoot table by Phillip Mainzer and Florian Asche. Donghia Anziano chairs in ivory. Above, The entry. Roost table; antique lamps and x-stools from Duane Antiques; Orley Shabahang rug. Walls in Yolo Colorhouse’s Clay.06

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courtesy of diptyque

Above: McGuire’s Thomas Pheasant Woven Core stools pull up to the kitchen island. Deborah Czeresko’s “Three Park Incalmo” Illuminated Orb pendants from Site Specific Art Management. Left, the dining room features a Troscan Fiona table and custom Holly Hunt chairs. The chandelier and double– sided Ludwig & Larsen strip scounce are both from Hudson Furniture; Arthur Casas sideboard.

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COURTESY OF DIPTYQUE

THE SEASONAL HOME

For houses on the beach, the detritus of bathing suit season can linger well into October. Designer Ellen Hamilton offers tips on helping a “summer house” glide into fall.

PLAN FOR FIRES. When building a beach home, tuck a fireplace onto the screened porch. “What a way to pass a sunny, crisp fall day—by the fire, but with an ocean breeze coming through!” says Hamilton.

Hamilton suggests creating a sleeping porch, where cozy duvets can dress a double chaise or daybed that served as a sunbathing station in the summer.

BREAK COLOR RULES. “Who says a beach house has to be white, blue and green?” Hamilton used a warm yel-

low, orange and red palette in designing her clients’ Long Island home: It looks just as right in November as it does in July. If you’re living in neutral, add an orange cashmere throw or deeply textured pillows in velvet or fur when the leaves start to turn.

HIBERNATE OUTDOORS. When chillier weather descends, it’s time to cuddle up.

MAKE SCENTS. No fireplace? (For that matter—no beach house?) Create the feeling of roaring flames with a smaller one: Light a candle with a woody scent, like

Diptyque’s Bois du Feu.

NEW BLOOMS. Replace summer’s hydrangea and

sunflowers with magnolia branches and deeply-hued calla lilies.

START A TRADITION. The best way to make your beach house feel like fall? Use it. “Have a clambake in October: Give guests a blanket to sit on, and share your favorite sweatshirts,” says Hamilton, “or plan Thanksgiving by the sea and create memories.”

Gloster’s Luna Loungers and teak round table and chairs, all from Walter’s Wickers, line the pool area.

THE HOME OBSERVER FALL 2011

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photo Credit TK Here

Scott Campbell’s Lower East Side living room. Sofa from ABC. On table, Chuck Price’s Bronze Wishbone; NEST’s Elton John Candle at candledelirium.com (benefits the EJAF).

Art Crowd Lower East Side

Home installation! It’s standing room only on the walls of Scott Campbell’s flat, where Meisel’s Minelli and Makos’ Warhol hang with a Haring print found in a trash can. By Linda O’Keeffe Photography By Peter Murdock

photo Credit TK Here

“

never think of this as a ‘collection’,” says Scott Campbell, surveying the salon style arrangement of artwork that lines the walls of his 800-square-foot Lower East Side apartment. Would a parent describe his children as a collection of girls and boys? Campbell trips on the word: It too carelessly glosses over the personal narrative attached to each handpicked painting, collage, print and photograph he owns. “All these pieces trace my life’s journey over the last few decades, so I see them as artifacts,” he says. They remind me of all the people and places I’ve known.” His characteristic laugh saves the statement from sounding maudlin. The decision to gang the art together—a display rather like threedimensional wallpaper—stemmed from space limitations rather than a particular aesthetic strategy, but the result packs a visual wallop that leaves Campbell’s modest one-bedroom apartment feeling grand and compact in equal measures. Each frame-filled wall is awash with character and projects an emotional intensity—and the celebratory vibe of a cocktail party in full swing. Campbell is the executive director of the Elton John AIDS Foundation; artists he has encountered through his philanthropy created much of the work on display. He developed an affinity for Jack Pierson’s photographs after their paths crossed at several charity auctions. Louise Bourgeois donated a lyrical print of two flowers joined to a

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single stem, entitled I Do, to the national Freedom to Marry campaign, and it immediately struck Campbell as powerful and poignant. Many close friends are represented: Eileen Lang and her shoreline–inspired watercolors, Portland McCormick’s collage constructions, photographs by John Scott and Pablo Prietto. Then there are Jeff Divine’s surfer photographs from the 1970s and the touching portrait Adrian Nivola painted of his grandmother, alongside iconic memorabilia like Steven Mesiel’s gamine-like study of Liza Minnelli and Christopher Makos’s mesmerizing shot of a poised Andy Warhol in drag. A yellow Keith Haring figure painting dated “84” —the year Campbell moved to New York—was found in a trash can by a friend. “This is my first adult apartment,” Campbell says, comparing the living room’s wall of bookshelves to the umpteen piles of books that held the floor of his former Gramercy Park studio apartment hostage. When he first moved here six years ago he enlisted an old friend, designer Rob Southern, to configure the furnishings. Shelter magazines often feature 68

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photo Credit TK Here

Above: Platform bench by George Nelson for Herman Miller; Barney Kulok’s Unitled (Decomposition) (2005). Left: Design Technics lamp; Kunie Sugiura’s Study for Four Necks Positive (1997). Opposite: A view into the living room.

photo Credit TK Here

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Above: David Hilliard’s Jesus in the Guest Room (2009) hangs beside a framed embroidery by Campbell’s grandmother. Right: Richard Misrach’s Golden Gate Bridge 3.19.99 in the foyer.

Southern’s bold use of pattern. but here he insisted on a neutral shell. “The artwork needed to have a hyper-simple, non-discordant background,” Southern says. “If we’d used color we ran the risk of trying to match it to the art. and that’s not a good way to go, especially because Scott likes to rotate things.” Campbell is a clear fan of midcentury modern, but he describes the style of his décor as “reuse, recycle and recover.” Southern, for instance, reupholstered a sofa and a pair of stools Campbell bought twenty years ago but left the distressed cowhide on a pair of vintage Eames side chairs as–is. He gave priority to boxy, clean lines—“no curls or swirls”—as well as furniture with low profiles that optically heighten the ceilings and leave the windows and their panoramic views of Chinatown, Little Italy and the Financial District unobstructed. “I’ve actually come full circle because I lived down here when I first came to New York 27 years ago,” says Campbell, without a trace of nostalgia, “and I’m happy to be part of this community again. That’s not to say that I’d object if my living room were 5 feet wider and 5 feet longer.” 70

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HOW TO HANG… SALON STYLE Salon style, the method of closely arranging differently sized artwork of all medias across an entire wall, originated in the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries, when it allowed galleries to exhibit several artists at the same time. While it defies the standard curatorial rule that art is hung at eye level surrounded by a respectful amount of white space, salon style has re-emerged as a modern and stylish way to display a collection.

Scott Campbell enlists the eye of woodworker Stefan Karfakis, who made his living room bookshelves, to arrange and rearrange his eclectic artwork. “I don’t keep anything in storage, so when I buy something new and we have to rethink a wall, it feels like we’re playing with a Rubrik’s cube,” Campbell says, “and Stefan knows intuitively how to replace things and maintain a state of harmonious chaos.” Salon style may not be for the artist who sees negative space as a prerequisite to viewing his work, but it’s very appealing for any art lover who lives with limited wall space. It’s also highly effective for introducing a focal point into any room and universally applicable to any style or period of artwork.

strives for uniformity in the mats or frames:“The width of the mat and the size of the frame should be based on the individual piece of art. Sometimes a work begs to float within a frame and sometimes it calls for a 4-inch mat. Every piece is different, and, as any framer will tell you, art should never be upstaged by its housing.”

According to Peter Muscato, who frames all of Campbell’s art in his Williamsburg shop, there are no hard–and–fast rules for installing art salon style. He generally starts close to a baseboard and works his way up, but just as often he starts high and works his way down. Each piece has to be plumb, but it’s not a question of neatly confining frames or edges in a pre-designated perim-

eter; nor is it about grouping colors, materials, textures, artists or subject matter together. “It’s actually the opposite,” says Muscato. “Salon style is intuitive and random in every sense of the word. That’s why it’s such an energetic and individualistic form of display.” When Muscato frames an eclectic collection of work like Campbell’s, he never

Campbell preserves his art with solar window shades and archival framing (acidfree glues, mat hinges and boards). Each frame’s glazing has a UV filtration to protect against light. Muscato tends to favor plexi over glass: “It’s lighter, stays drier and adapts to temperature changes, and it’s less breakable than glass, although it can sometimes warp a reflection when it’s used on a large scale.”

A silver lamp purchased at Ruby Beet’s in East Hampton sits atop a Heywood Wakefield Wishbone table. Walls in Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White.

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photo Credit TK Here

Alexis Bittar in the window of his Brooklyn Heights living room. A Victorian pedestal of Atlas from Bittarâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection of antiques was sculpted from a solid piece of wood.

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Brooklyn Bijoux Brooklyn Heights

A slice of life: he grew up in a converted Bay Ridge pizza parlour, but self-made jewelry mogul Alexis Bittar’s brownstone apartment is more mahogany wood than wood-burning oven. BY MARIANNE ROHRLICH Photography by Raeanne Giovanni-Inoue

photo Credit TK Here

ooh, and maybe aaahh, are the only things to say when you enter Alexis Bittar’s second floor, Brooklyn Heights apartment. Yes, it looks out on the harbor. Yes, it’s spacious (2,000 square feet). Yes, it has original architectural details from the 1850’s, but what is breathtaking is his collection of antiques. And the collection begins as soon as you open the front door. “Where did he ever find that?” is the question you ask yourself again and again from that moment on. You have entered a collector’s personal world that has been carefully thought about, curated, edited and lovingly arranged to be lived-in and enjoyed. And indeed “where did you find that?” is the question women have asked for years when they spotted Bittar’s bracelets, earrings and necklaces with their geometric shapes and luminous colors that have had more impact than any amount of platinum and diamond bling—even though Bittar’s signature material has always been humble plastic.

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At any rate, that question has been asked since the 1990’s when Bittar was selling his Lucite designs from a folding table on street corners in SoHo. His business, like his home, has evolved, and now this award-winning designer’s jewels are sold worldwide through a network of more than 600 department stores like Neiman Marcus, at specialty shops and at seven eponymous stores in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. But for this self-made jewelry mogul, his Brooklyn Heights apartment remains a very personal domain. The collections begin just inside the entrance, opposite the front door, in a niche appointed with a primitive American painting from 1870, art nouveau silver candelabrum and a turn of the century carved ivory head. So the sense of eclecticism at its finest begins before you even walk in. “Everyday I come home and love my apartment more,” said the 43-year-old Bittar, who is now at the helm of a multimillion dollar international business. “There are so many 73

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In the bedroom, a Victorian partner’s desk is paired with a 1970’s chair with Lucite arms and legs. A medieval iron helmet sits under a 1940’s painting of a World War II naval officer.

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The bedroom fireplace has a faux marble hearth made of pieced linoleum; 19th century Italian marble sculptures and a 1930’s gold ceramic sculpture decorate the fireplace. Below left: Silver Viking sculpture with chain mail apron.

Treasure Trove

Bittar scoures European flea markets for antique finds— but some of his sources are closer to home. n Leah Kleman Antiques 1050 Second Avenue, at 53rd Street, (212) 872-1422 n New York Showplace Antique Center 40 West 25th Street, between Broadway and Sixth Avenue, (212) 633-6063 n Mantique Modern 146 West 22nd Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, (212) 206-1494 n Manhattan Art And Antique Center 1050 Second Avenue, at 53rd Street, (212) 355-4400 n Olde Good Things 124 West 24th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, (212) 989-8401 n The Pier Antiques Show stellashows.com (for dates)

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windows here, and they open up onto the water and New York Harbor,” he said. “It’s like living in a fishbowl surrounded by things I love that give me inspiration for my work.” This two bedroom, two bath floor-through is deeper than most because of an extension built onto the back end of the brownstone. The enormous square living room is somehow both spare and overflowing with carefully chosen objects. The focal point is a 1930’s operating room lamp that when spread out spans most of the width of the room. A carved mantel is home to a large sterling silver British sculpture of a Viking complete with sword and chain mail apron. The furniture here is less the point than the art and accessories in the room: it forms a sort of neutral background offering comfortable perches to sit on while admiring the collection. Bittar, a Brooklynite who grew up in Bay Ridge, is the son of a Syrian father and an Irish mother. When he was fifteen his father bought a pizzeria in their neighborhood, gutted it and turned it

into the family home. The family’s summer home in Maine was a renovated water tower his parents moved from Westchester. (His parents now live in the water tower full time.) So it’s not hard to see that he comes to his unusual eye and sense of possibility honestly. The dining room is the hub of the house. “I’ve learned to love entertaining,” Bittar said showing off the long rectangular table set for a fall dinner for eight. “I love having a venue for socializing; I enjoy bringing my life together. I love cooking.” His tableware includes 1960’s Arabia dinnerware from his maternal grandmother’s home as well as cutlery that his father’s mother brought with her from Syria as a young newlywed. A massive 1920’s American crystal chandelier lights the table, and an eight-foot tall painting of a woman in mourning rises from floor to ceiling as if overseeing the dinner and controlling the conversation. A dark Jacobean cabinet on one wall is clad in blackened brass over carved oak with an an75

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Clockwise from top left: A Jacobean cabinet has a Josef Hoffman silver teapot on its shelf. The dining table set for eight with 1960’s Arabia dinnerware; an art-deco crystal chandelier and a 1904 painting decorate the dining room. Franny, a 16 year-old cat; 1940’s flatware from Syria.

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gel motif. On its ledge sits an exquisite Josef Hoffman teapot with an ivory handle and a turn of the century sterling silver fruit bowl. “I try to surround myself with art and craft that inspires me,” Bittar said, admiring his Weiner Werkstatt pieces by Hoffman and others. “I have high respect for craft before 1950; I’m always looking at the way things are made.” He said his own work shows inspiration from Lalique crystal, and early Bakelite jewelry. With no formal training as a designer (or interior decorator), he has learned to rely on his innate eye, business sense and taste. A graduate of Bronx High School of Science, he

dropped out of college after a year to pursue his creative vision. Today Bittar is the creative director and the chief operating ofﬁcer of a company, headquartered in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, that employs 250 artisans and a hundred other employees. In many ways, it’s a classic New York success story. In 1990 Bittar started making jewelry by hand in his East Village apartment and selling it on the street to admirers who bought his baubles on the run. “Mary Boone and Lauren Hutton would come and wait for me to show up,” he said. “I was designing everything and making it by hand; Soho was a real art scene then,” he recalled. THE HOME OBSERVER FALL 2011

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The living room décor includes a latex moon-shaped mask made for W.C. Fields, a 1930’s operating room lamp, and an art nouveau marble bust as well as a beige couch and ottoman. Below, Bittar in the kitchen. the home observer fall 2011

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“I would sell out every weekend and then make new stuff during the week,” he said. One day, a director of the Guggenheim stopped by Bittars’s stand and told the jeweler he was selling himself short by vending on the street. Empowered by her statement, he went to Takashimaya and Barneys: both bought his jewelry. An international brand was born. But that transition was a difficult one for Bittar. “I made so much money as a street vendor I would take four months off in the winter and go to Florida. Towards the end I had multiple vendors selling on various streets for me. One of my vendors was an Elvis impersonator who sat on a lawn chair on the corner of Green and Prince; he was from Bensonhurst.” Stories aside, where does Bittar find the treasures he lives with? “I think you have to search,” is his somewhat elusive answer. “I go everyplace— all the flea markets in Paris and London,” he said. “I’ve been collecting since I was 22 years old. I surround myself with things I love. I’m so busy all day—my home is my escape.” 77

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HOME Gallery

ABC Carpet and Home offers a diverse selection of globally sourced products at the cutting edge of design, beauty and sustainability. ABC encourages you to create your home as an expression of your vision and values. Our dynamic and inspiring assortment includes vintage & antiques, ABC Goodwood furniture from responsibly managed forests; chemical free organic beds; indigenous artistry from global cooperatives; jewelry and apothecary; tabletop and lighting, and the largest collection of rugs and carpets in the world. 888 Broadway, New York, NY 10003, www.abchome.com, 212-473-3000

Atelier offers an exceptionally innovative selection of Italian residential and contract furniture, lighting and accessories. The contemporary designs offered are exceedingly advanced in quality, comfort, functionality and aesthetics.   Atelier presents a plethora of lifestyle alternatives for contemporary living while providing highly personalized and comprehensive furnishing services for their clients. Atelier partners with suppliers who invest in eco-friendly production aiming to significantly reduce the negative impacts on the environment. Atelier is not only a valuable resource for high-end contemporary furniture but also an art gallery showcasing works by national and international artists.

Center44, the midtown Manhattan marketplace for antiques and modernism. 75 dealers and every time period are represented at Center44’s showrooms, open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm, 222 East 44th Street, New York, NY 10017 212-450-7988. Take a look at our website www.center44.com. Nate Berkus recently said “Center44 is my favorite place to shop!”

1056 Third Avenue New York, NY 10021 212.838.1585 www.carlylesofa.com

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Elgot 937 Lexington Avenue (68th/69th Sts.) New York, NY 10065 212-879-1200 www.elgotkitchens.com

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245 Central Avenue South Bethpage, NY 11714 Tel: (800) 538-1880 | Fax: (516) 495-7227 brunschwig.com.

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At Carlyle you can purchase a new custom sofa or sofa bed that will last for over 50 years. Have us recover that same sofa over and over again. Have us replace your cushions and/or mattress when needed. Have a trusted source for all your heirloom re-upholstery and cushion needs. With over 50 years of expertise, our own showrooms and a local factory make us the wise choice for quality driven New Yorkers.

For over 60 years Elgot has been Manhattan’s premier source for kitchen and bath design, remodeling and major appliance sales and installation. That’s why discerning New Yorkers rely on Elgot for quality, service and experience. Our staff is always happy to help you choose energy efficient and ecofriendly products to allow you to support green living in Manhattan. From too-tight spaces and arcane building codes to co-op regulations, we’ve seen and done it all!

Brunschwig & Fils is best known for its prestigious French heritage and iconic prints and designs.

LE FANION brings you chandeliers, pottery, fine art, antique furniture and more. Each dazzling colorful crystal fruit chandelier, inspired by the French Kings, is unique in design and combination of colors and fruit. The whimsical pottery is simply extraordinary. Fine art, including rare prints and drawings, is also offered. Everything in the store, including the lovely antique French Country furniture, has the essence and origin of Southern France. Any one of these gems will transform your house. The store is open 7 days a week (except Sundays during the Summer) and is located at the charming corner of West 4th and Bank Streets in Greenwich Village, NYC. Tel. (212) 463-8760 or go to lefanion.com for even more treasures from the South of France.

Christie’s April 15th sale, A Trumbauer Estate on the Philadelphia Main Line, will feature a spectacular collection of furniture and works of art including Baccarat crystal vases, exquisite carpets and Sèvres porcelain, among other highlights. With designer Barbara Eberlein, the collector assembled an extraordinary group of works representing an inspiring quest to collect the very best. Explore Christies.com, Sale 2504 to view the entire collection. Sale Viewing at Christie’s Rockefeller Plaza: April 9–15. Inquiries: Laura E. Armstrong learmstrong@christies.com +1 212 636 2434

GE Monogram Design Center A must-visit destination for the latest in luxury kitchens, the GE Monogram Design Center is a 4,000-sq.-ft. appliance showroom located on the tenth floor of the Architects & Designers Building in Midtown Manhattan. The center is equipped with three kitchens, a wine-themed lounge and a host of Manhattan-inspired details which give you the sense that you’ve not only arrived, but that you’ve also entered the realm of the extraordinary. Located in New York’s A&D Building 150 East 58th Street, 10th Floor New York, NY 10155 (212) 223-1699

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HOME Gallery

J. Pocker & Son has spent over 80 years developing a superior reputation in the picture framing and decorative prints industries for good taste, product knowledge and customer service. We are a thirdgeneration, family-owned business. We strive to make relationships with our clients the focus of our business. Our clients include neighborhood loyalists, the best of the interior design world and the next generation of New York trendsetters. This makes J. Pocker & Son the perfect resource for “the city that never sleeps.”

Established in 1938, Jaguar of Great Neck was the first Jaguar dealership in the Country. Our experience has led to a reputation of value, personal service and after-sale support that is unrivaled. For 70+ years we have been selling to and servicing the New York area with the pride and attention it deserves. Model for model, option for option, no one is more competitive than us. We will beat any advertised price in New York...guaranteed! Fulfill your passion for perfection with one of our 2012 Jaguar XK Convertibles. There’s one waiting for you at Jaguar of Great Neck.

Contact: Website www.jpocker.com, By Phone: 1-800-443-3116, info@jpocker.com

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Both of Ligne Roset’s Manhattan locations display Europe’s largest collection of brilliant contemporary furniture designs. We are proud to introduce new groups of upholstered chairs created by the late, renowned Pierre Paulin just before his death last spring. Our talented design staff is always ready to work with you on that one special piece or on a total plan for your new condominium. For the full Ligne Roset collection and Quick Ship program go to lignerosetny.com 250 Park Avenue South at 20th, 212-375-1036 155 Wooster Street at Houston Street, 212-253-5629 www.lignerosetny.com

JUST SHADES, the source for custom and ready made lampshades, has been serving the industry and the public for over 40 years. This “go-to” shop for interior designers and set designers features an extensive selection of modern and traditional shades in a wide range of sizes, from shades small enough to fit a chandelier or wall sconce to shades large enough to hang as pendants. Our expert professionals are always on hand to provide assistance in selecting the perfect shade for your lamp. If you can’t make it in person, assistance is available by phone or e-mail. There is also a large selection of finials to top off that perfect shade! 21 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012, 212-966-2757, info@justshadesny.com

The Manhattan Art & Antiques Center is New York’s largest antique center (the length of an entire city block!), housing 100 galleries on three levels with varied collections from America, Europe, Africa and Asia. We specialize in fine furniture, silver, jewelry, tapestries, paintings, clocks and many other objects of art.

Does your home or office have a great view? Why not explore it and enjoy it as much as possible with Oberwerk Long-Range Binoculars and Binocular Telescopes? Highest quality optics provide stunning clarity and sharpness at surprisingly affordable prices. See us online at www.giantbinoculars.com

Second Ave. (between 55th & 56th Sts.) Tel: 212-355-4400 www.the-maac.com info@the-maac.com Open Monday thru Saturday 10:30AM to 6PM, Sunday 12 Noon to 6PM.

For free catalog, call 866-623-7937 or email to info@oberwerk.com OBERWERK CORPORATION 866-623-7937. www.giantbinoculars.com.

ReFor more than two decades, New York’s Little Elves has applied the platinum standard to everything we touch, in turn earning the trust of the metropolitan area’s most exclusive and demanding clients. We were proudly named one of the 5,000 fastest growing private companies in America by Inc. Magazine three years in a row and recognized as “Best House Cleaner” by New York Magazine. We believe that your property, your possessions and your privacy should be treated with the utmost integrity, and only hire legal, expert and dedicated cleaning professionals who have undergone extensive, ongoing training. Contact us today for a free estimate. New York’s Little Elves 212-673-5507 info@nyelves.com

the home observer fall 2011

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se Because New Yorkers’ have everything but space: techline Studio- furniture that fits. Architect owned, we measure, design, and install our modular systems for a custom fit solution. Our job is to help you make the most of your home and office space and to find spaces and places for the things that matter most. 35 East 19th Street, NY, NY 10003, 212-674-1813 www.techlinestudio.com

Applied to the interior surface of your windows, Sunshield Energy Control’s invisible coating offers high tech protection of fine furnishings, fabrics and artwork from the destructive effects of sunlight. Their proprietary preservation products are utilized in the world’s finest homes and most prestigious museum environments. Energy conservation benefits are additionally realized through solar heat and glare reduction. Sunshield’s knowledge and expertise will ensure that your valuable investments will remain safe for future generations to enjoy. Sunshield Energy Control Systems “The Intelligent Solution to Solar Control” 129 Union Avenue New Rochelle, NY 10801

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HOME Gallery

At Under Glass we are committed to our Motto: “Elegance and Function”. With over 150 years of history in building custom-designed greenhouses, solariums, skylights and glass enclosures, Under Glass Mfg. Corp. is the exclusive manufacturer of the original Lord & Burnham greenhouses and solariums. We were established in 1989 after acquiring the Lord & Burnham product line and remain committed to the idea that the growing environment cannot be compromised. Under Glass Mfg. Corp., PO Box 81, High Falls, NY 12440, 845- 687-4700. Email: ugmfg@aol.com, www.underglassusa.com

Wittus – Fire by Design has the finest selection of European contemporary indoor and outdoor fireplaces, stoves, and accessories.

40 Westchester Ave., POB 120, Pound Ridge, NY 10576 914-764-5679 www.wittus.com

Yael Sonia’s modern cutting-edge jewelry creations are as unique as each of its owners. Inspired by children’s toys this kinetic jewelry is comprised of rolling spheres, swinging pendulums and spinning tops. It’s jewelry that comes alive with its wearer as the melodic sounds are perpetually emitted when the fine gemstones and pearls meet the art of handcrafted 18K gold structures. Yael Sonia art jewelry boutique at 922 Madison Avenue (btw. 73rd & 74th Sts.), 212.472.6488 yaelsonia.com

Your brand will feel right at home in the next Home Observer dedicated to home furnishings and luxury living. Reserve space now! For more advertising information please contact Betty Shaw Lederman Associate Publisher/Home 212-407-9359 or blederman@observer.com

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NYObserved

Above, left: Patsy Tarr’s grandmother and mother at the latter’s wedding, the San Remo’s north tower visible through the window. Right: a young Patsy and her sister in Central Park.

WHEN IT COMES TO NEW YORK CITY LIVING, rarely do we think of community, let alone connection. In New York, you don’t even know your neighbors’ names—unless, of course, you’re related to them. Patsy Tarr has lived in the San Remo, the Emery Roth apartment building on Central Park West, for almost 40 years. She knows a neighbor or two: her daughter, Jennie Tarr Coyne, lives 18 ﬂoors below with Patsy’s granddaughter, Cameron Coyne. In fact, ﬁve generations of women in Patsy’s family have called the San Remo home, beginning with her maternal grandmother, Lita Kahn, and her mother, Rosine Kahn Goldstein. “No one ever said we all had to live here,” Patsy says from her kitchen in the south tower, which is lined with subway tiles from the 1930s, when the building was built, and has a view of the north tower where her grandparents lived. “It’s just that when you live in a place, you sort of grow into it,” she says. “And I guess we just all grew into it here.” She is not a San Remo native like her daughter and granndaughter are: Patsy was born in the Beresford, another Roth building

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Five generations of women at the San Remo

on Central Park West, where Harvard alumni who started her parents lived at the time. (unrelated) technology-based So did her grandparents. dating services. In the 1960s, When the Beresford went cowhile an undergraduate, Jeff op in 1962, neither chose to Tarr co-founded Operation buy and instead they moved Match, a ﬁrst-of-its-kind into rentals at the San Remo. computer dating service The San Remo went co-op in that matched couples with a 1972; they all stayed. quantitative personality test. “The funny thing is that Chris Coyne, his son-in-law, I didn’t even want to stay is a founder of OKCupid.com, here,” says Patsy. In the 1970s Three generations: Tarr with the Internet dating site. Each she moved into her husband’s Jennie and Cameron Coyne. was the one to convince his Upper East Side apartwife to move back “home” ment. Her parents thought she was crazy. (after a stint downtown, the Coynes are now “But you have to remember that the Upper on their second San Remo apartment). West Side was not a nice neighborhood in So, do they ride up and down the elevator the Seventies.” Her husband—a native of in bathrobes? “It’s been done.” Borrow cups Auburn, Maine, who didn’t care much about of sugar? “No, just clothes.” Daughter and the difference beween east and west in New mother wear the same size. York—loved the building her family called Patsy likes to think she’ll never leave. Well, home, “and so we moved back,” to the apart- maybe never. She is obsessed with reading ment they still live in. real estate magazines, imagining where else “This family has amazing consistency,” she might live. And to what far-ﬂung corner says Patsy. She and her daughter, each, in of New York would she decamp? “Probably fact, married men from Maine; both men are the Beresford.” — Daniel Cappello.

BACKGROUND: ELLEN MCKNIGHT; PORTRAIT BY HANNAH THOMPSON; ARCHIVAL IMAGES COURTESY OF PATSY TARR

(Upper) West Side Story

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