This Kaleidoscopic New York City Apartment Is a Living Art Gallery

When Jessica Shaw, director of interior design at The Turett Collaborative, first met with her client, Mara, about renovating her family’s 3,277-square-foot apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, she knew the project would be special.

“They are a very young, high-energy family, and are very social and hospitable, which leads them to entertain often,” she says. “They were very trusting and willing to make bold moves, which made for a very enjoyable project as a designer.”

Nestled inside a New Classical-style building, Shaw says the five-bedroom apartment was essentially a “white box” when they first began the design process.

“My client, and her colorful personality, were the driving force behind my inspiration for this apartment,” she says. “Early in the design process, she showed me a painting—Computer Whiz, 1987 by Robert Overby—that captivated her imagination, and from that piece, the goal became creating something equally as colorful, bold, and memorable.”

The end result is an immersive space with a kaleidoscope of color that carries from room to room. “Each detail acts as a conversation starter, like a livable, functioning art gallery," Shaw explains.  

Take a tour of this artful New York City home where color reigns supreme. 

To create an impactful entrance into the apartment that also cleverly conceals an AV closet, the design team widened the entryway and added graphic black-and-white wallpaper by Westfall & Kitson and a patterned Pierre Fray fabric upholstered entry bench.

“The bench and wall sconces in the entry pair so well together that they make that area sing,” Shaw says. 

When entering the primary wing hallway, a photograph of two red lips by Marilyn Winter boldly welcomes guests. “The blank palette gave us an opportunity to define the home in the youthful, modern way the clients wanted,” Shaw explains. “A blend of sophisticated and sexy.”

A cool gray area rug from Rug Art and grayscale accent wallpaper by Elitis balance out the bold violet hues in the primary bedroom. “

In intimate spaces like the bedrooms, we go crazy with the wallpaper and the color,” Shaw says. “It allows the hallways and main spaces to act as a bit of a palette cleanser from room to room, while still displaying art and accents of their own.” 

Floral-patterned window treatments from Romo Fabrics and art created by the client bring depth and dimension to the two-toned primary room while supplying strategic pops of color. “The goal in every room was to nail the color impact,” Shaw says. 

In the primary bathroom, an upholstered stool with horsehair fringe by Konekt brings a touch of pattern play to an all-white bathroom. “The natural light and city views in this apartment were very exciting,” she says. “You don't want to compete with these great views, you want to complement them.”

In the main room of the apartment, ultramodern blue velvet chairs by Piet Boon and a curvy Vladimir Kagan sofa upholstered in olive green fabric from Elitis draw from the colors of the custom ombre-style drapes by 4Spaces.

“The painting, Computer Whiz, helped us define our palette and create some ground rules,” Shaw explains. “Part of the story was to not go crazy with color in the main spaces and avoid going overboard with wallpaper or overstimulating hues.”

A clean-lined gallery wall above a custom gray suede sectional sofa and a neutral-toned area rug help define a designated seating area in the main room without creating visual clutter.

“The carpets in the living room from Warp & Weft are extraordinary and so important in design,” Shaw says. “It is important to find rugs that are striking but not screaming for attention.”

Off of the main room, bright orange countertop stools from Property Furniture bring a pop of color and personality to a monochrome kitchen while providing a place to perch.

“My design style aims to have a space that functions well for the user, which for me, usually means well-edited, balanced, and harmonious design, where silhouettes and textures are appreciated and noticed,” Shaw explains.

The kitchen also boasts a breakfast nook, complete with a Clay Table by M2L and a built-in banquette bench upholstered in Holland & Sherry fabric. “Recently, my style has become a more eclectic mix of style, as opposed to adhering to ‘all midcentury or ‘all contemporary’,” Shaw explains.

In one of the kids’ rooms, kaleidoscopic ceiling wallpaper by Flavor Paper creates a centerpiece for the room, while taking advantage of vertical space. “The kids’ rooms are fun and expressive spaces for two young sons,” Shaw says. 

Instead of traditional nightstands, a compact desk and a cubby-style drawer stand by Blu Dot provide bedside surface space without sacrificing an inch of functionality. “We tried to find and create storage opportunities wherever we could,” Shaw explains. 

A remodeled media room can easily be converted into a guest bedroom, thanks to a custom-designed sectional sleeper sofa and en suite bathroom. “The space was designed for family time, but also with overnight guests in mind,” Shaw explains.