Highline Residence

A creative collaboration that started off as commission for a custom partition turned into a full-service interior design of a 3,500-sf apartment on the historic Highline walk in New York City. There was a natural rapport with the client and a common creative voice in the design process, which allowed the project to grow and evolve.

The client wanted a home that felt intimate and inviting to friends and family but could also regularly hold 100-person gatherings for her organization. Therefore, she needed an adjustable space that could easily pivot. Equally important was the city itself. As their NY pied-a-terre, the residence had to reflect the vibrancy and sophistication of Manhattan. With views in all directions, the cityscape became a backdrop for the furnishings within. The final key design element was the client’s extensive art collection where each piece punctuates the various spaces with sophistication and a sly wink.

Flexibility in the living area drove the organizational premise of the design. A moveable carved wood partition separates the main living area from the library. When the partition is closed, more intimate spaces are created, and when it is completely tucked away into the fireplace cabinet, the expansive area accommodates large events. A dynamic wave-like composition, designed through parametric modeling, splashes across all four full-height wood panels, and was formed by carving valleys and perforations into each one.

Organic shapes also define the materiality throughout the main living area. Two large custom-made sofas anchor the space and allow for multiple seating areas as one of the sofas is double-sided. The muted color palette of the furnishings allows for the art and accessories to visually pop, creating visual interest ranging from the vast scale of the city all the way down to the smallest accessory.

The transition from the living area to the private bedroom areas was previously dark and uninviting. To resolve this, wallcovering and cove lights were added to the ceiling, warm decorative sconces to the wood walls, and a rich textured runner to the floor.

It was important to the client that all the bedrooms had a dreamlike feel. The primary bedroom is a sanctuary with its dark, soft, richly textures. A dramatic floor to ceiling headboard covered in a dark metallic and cork wallcovering is flanked by backlit frosted and smoked glass panels. Jewel-like pendants add to the ambient lighting. A custom multipurpose dresser conceals a retractable television, and a custom lacquer vanity was designed to reflect light from the atrium of the building.

One of the most complex spaces in the home is the office/workshop/guest bedroom. The client, a new grandmother, wanted the room to reflect her recent status. To express this celebration, stork-like birds swoop across a dark blue sky in the accent wallcovering, winglike shapes define the decorative mirror, plush fabrics envelope the daybed, and feathery fabric lines the inside of the murphy bed. The room also has a built-in desk with specialty lighting and acoustical panels to accommodate her various interviews and podcasts.

The third bedroom is a combination of rich patterns and light neutral colors. Plenty of natural light flood the space, adding to its inviting quality, and highlights some of the client’s favorite art pieces, such as large Fornasetti wall panels.

The project was an ideal partnership with the client and contractor. A shared trust was present from start to finish, resulting in an idiosyncratic home that evokes a blend of elegance, luxury, ease, and whimsy.

Status: Completed 2023

Project Type: Single Family Residence

Project Delivery: Interior Architecture Design Build; Interior Design

Size: 3,500 sf

Location: New York, NY

Partner: Jennifer Wu

Project Manager: Michelle Lei