In the living room, the custom sectional is from Design Within Reach, and the coffee tables are from Milla Living Home.
Floor-to-ceiling windows provide sweeping views of the New York skyline.
Hay chairs from Design Within Reach surround a table from Knoll. The ceiling fixture is from Roll and Hill.
The primary bedroom features a B&B Italia bed with a bed covering from Design Within Reach. The armchair is from BluDot, and the curtains are from The Shade Store. Sconces by Allied Maker illuminate the space.
In a guest bedroom, the bed covering is by Coyuchi, and the wall covering is from Fayce Textiles. The rug is from TRNK.
A pied-à-terre is the perfect excuse to let the imagination wander during the design process—especially when presented with a young, interesting client who counts flying planes among his hobbies. So when architect and interior designer Aurora Farewell was tasked with renovating his 2,400-square-foot, two-bedroom Midtown condo, her goal was to imbue a sense of joy and whimsy. At the same time, she wanted to respect the residence’s pedigreed location within the 51-story Olympic Tower, which was developed during the 1970s in partnership with Aristotle Onassis and designed by architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. “The apartment had great potential, but the layout wasn’t taking full advantage of the incredible views of the city and Central Park,” recalls Farewell, who enjoyed the freedom that goes along with designing a space that isn’t occupied daily. Without all the typical mandates of a primary home, “our goal was simply to give the client a fun moment away.”
The most significant architectural changes included opening up the floor plan to celebrate the expansive city views, gutting the kitchen, reworking the ceilings, and installing oak millwork and flooring throughout to lend warmth to the sleek space. “Originally, there was a full wall separating the guest room from the living area that blocked off part of the windowed curtain wall,” explains Farewell. To retain the guest room without sacrificing the large expanse of glass, Farewell designed an operable wall of oak millwork between the living area and the guest room that houses the television as well as pocket doors on either side that provide privacy when friends or family are staying. Otherwise, the doors remain open to allow for the full view and additional natural light. Farewell also tweaked the ceilings in both rooms, lowering them a bit to accommodate overhead lighting. Because the living area is open to the dining area and kitchen, the dropped ceiling serves a dual purpose of helping to “create a more intimate, cozy zone,” she explains.
Farewell also employed this tactic in the new kitchen, lowering the ceiling to align with the island and therefore anchoring the space. “These dropped ceilings help delineate various functions within a small footprint,” she says. The kitchen itself is stylish and functional yet quiet enough that it doesn’t detract from the main living area and the views beyond. Simple white cabinets are joined by a marble backsplash and durable quartz countertops that resemble concrete. “We had a lovely conversation about how the client enjoys the ritual of making coffee, so I can imagine him spending mornings there and sitting at the island,” says the designer. “The white cabinetry disappears and becomes part of the architecture. We wanted to encourage movement past the kitchen and draw the eye through the apartment and towards the view.”
From aeronautical wood knobs in the kitchen to colorful wing-shaped cocktail tables in the living room to a metal mirror in the primary closet, there are subtle nods to aviation and industrial design throughout. “There’s a faceted mirror from the Future Perfect in the living room that has a similar geometry to the pair of transparent cocktail tables by Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola,” notes Farewell. “Both surfaces bounce light around the space.”
The streamlined contemporary furnishings feature greens, blues, yellows, oranges, and browns—a palette inspired by the view in various seasons that Farewell calls “a little groovy with definite 1970s vibes.” Meanwhile, neutral wallpaper in “rhythmic tonal patterns that resemble shadows” lend subtle texture to both bedrooms. The result is a city escape that’s sophisticated and refined yet doesn’t take itself too seriously. “We took the opportunity to have fun with our selections, which I think helps make the space sing.”