Rather than attempt to transform the dark, windowless entry of this otherwise glass-walled condo into something it’s not, Eric Roseff worked with what he had, which included a closet full of fabulous clothing. “The homeowner’s edgy personal style—leather pants, a python jacket—influenced the scheme,” he says. With the 18-foot-long corridor painted in Benjamin Moore’s Temptation, Roseff entices visitors to journey into the heart of this 1,870-square-foot home perched above the city. “I accentuated the darkness,” he says. “You know there’s something waiting for you.”
As the living space unfolds, the city hits you from every angle. To soften the lines of the condo’s sharp geometry, Roseff designed a 16-foot-long swooping sofa with lustrous cushions atop faux ostrich upholstery. A massive steel and sand-blasted acrylic cocktail table, also his design, follows the curve of the sofa, and vibrant orange hair-on-hide pillows set the tone for the pops of color throughout. In the dining area, an African juju feather headdress punctuates the dining area above an undulating black lacquered steel shelf. White tiger skinpatterned upholstery emphasizes the exaggerated silhouettes of the head chairs, which have crocodile-embossed patent leather seats. The sleek dining table boasts an aluminum top that will only improve with age. “The metal will patina beautifully with wear,” Roseff says. “The manufacturer—and homeowners— encourage you to drag things across it.”
Tucked behind the main living space, an overdyed Turkish rug in a saturated shade of purple de nes the study. “Purple wasn’t initially on the radar, but the husband loved it,” Roseff says. The 1960s Italian chaise and the desk with its inset faux snakeskin top made by local workshop Loki Custom Furniture allows for dual functionality of the room—as a his-and-hers o ce and a supplementary spot to read or watch television.
The door that leads to the guest room is lacquered in Hermès orange to enhance the architecture. Inside, it’s pop, bang, wow with the ceiling and an accent wall painted in SherwinWilliams’ Fireworks. Roseff recalls, “The wife likes red, so I said, ‘Let’s really do it.’” Geometric carpet and bedding, along with floating white lacquered cabinetry, add to the graphic punch, while superherolike portraits of the Beatles reference the homeowners’ predilection for pop culture.
The master bedroom is muted but multilayered. A subtly striped snakeskinpatterned wallpaper anchors the simple Poltrana Frau bed from Montage, which sits atop a topstitched chevron hair-on-hide rug. An intimate artwork, one of only two pieces the clients brought to their new urban abode, hangs above the bed, while a vintage poster dominates the adjacent wall. “The image really speaks to them,” Roseff says. Overall, the home is more colorful than everyone anticipated, but with the open floor plan and sunlight, it works, all without detracting from the view. “It suits the couple, who are urban at heart,” Roseff says. “It evolved as it was meant to.”
Photography by: PHOTOS COURTESY OF SABRINA BALOUN OF SABRINA COLE QUINN PHOTOGRAPHY
