Carolyn Roehm, author of interior and gardening books, fashion designer, and socialite, has relisted her superb Sutton Place duplex for $5.495 million after previously listing it last year for $6.15 million. Roehm was the assistant to Oscar de la Renta and Bill Blass, receiving mentorship from two iconic designers, and later launching her own fashion line in 1985. Her great taste and graceful style shines at her longtime NYC apartment, which she decorated impeccably.
“For clothes, you’re dealing with the human form and fitting is crucial; there are a billion different forms. Rooms are static: Once you have the measurements for a room, you’re set to work,” she told CTC&G in a 2016 exclusive interview. In her Manhattan residence, that philosophy comes to life through gilded furniture and curatorial sculptures.
Situated on the 12th and 13th floors of 322 East 57th Street, the palatial home showcases monumental that still feels in tune with the grandeur of the building, which was designed and built in 1929 by architect Harry M. Clauson. It was originally conceived as a studio hotel for artists. Today, still boasting its original neoclassical limestone façade as an enchanting reminder of decorative pre-war architecture, the co-op holds 19 apartments across 21 floors. It’s affectionately called the Mr. Chow building by neighbors, due to the renowned, celeb-favorite Chinese restaurant on the ground level that’s been there since 1979.
When it comes to Roehm’s special apartment, a semi-private elevator welcomes you to the enormous living room. Underneath the 18-foot ceilings, there are fluted pilasters with Corinthian capitals lining the room and deep brown wall panels in between. The ornate portrait paintings and built-in bookshelves suggest that whoever next calls this place home will need to be as erudite a collector as its current owner. Around the corner is the oval dining room, with pocket door that leads to the wet bar and comparably plain kitchen.
A dramatic limestone staircase curves elegantly towards the upper floor gallery, and straight ahead of the stairs is an oak-paneled den. The warmth of the wood and fireplace fosters a more cozy, intimate feel compared to the grandiosity of the lower level. The co-op’s three bedrooms await on the second floor as well.
Roehm purchased the poised residence in 2004 for $4.7 million, per publics records, but now she’s ready to move on. Charles Holmes and Evita Lasasso of Coldwell Banker Warburg holds the listing.