new york for long islanders
BY NATALIE WEINSTEIN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JACK ADER
The first time I was asked to do a Manhattan apartment for clients whose Long Island home I had decorated a decade ago, my initial thought was of the Long Island Expressway and how many hours I would be spending on it. Not my first Manhattan commisssion, I especially looked forward to this one because it was in the Essex House, whose upper floors had recently gone condo. I felt I would prepare myself for the long ride home by gazing out on Central Park. Unfortunately, their great three-bedroom apartment had one serious downside - no view. I guess my clients felt that was missing too, because this past fall i was called upon to "work some magic" on a second apartment they had purchased in the same building - and this one had it all.
Interestingly, my clients didn't think the rooms were so special and felt the layout was difficult and wasteful, with too many hallways and an uninteresting kitchen. I, on the other hand, saw what most designers see, the "what could be." I quickly outlined some broad concepts and my staff jumped on the bandwagon. While I was happily shopping with our clients, Anne, my amazing project coordinator, was scheduling Al Altton and his construction team and David Goldstein, our expert cabinet-maker, so that we could finish in record time, since our clients were now eager to move into their new apartment, having rented the other one. In a week, were stripped, bathrooms and kitchen were gutted and carpet pulled up. Soon after, new plumbing fixtures sat in the living room awaiting installation and hundreds of feet of new crown, base and chair rail molding was stacked and ready to be installed.
Paint colors were chosen once the area rugs from Peykar Rugs were purchased and a session at another of my favorite haunts, Corinthian Antiques and Reproductions, landed some great furniture, most of it in stock or quick delivery. We were on our way and my clients were beginning to think that great view of snow-covered Central Park was in their future.
The apartment did have some challenges but, with judicious space planning, we were able to create interesting and varied destinations on the "view side and camouflage the "lack there of" on the master bedroom and guest wing side. There were a large number of hallways, but one was deep enough to create a library and reading area outside the master bedroom suite. The rest became a wonder i venue for a unique, colorful and special.art collection amassed with the help of Sol and Linda Adams of Marlin Art Galleries. Another challenge was to provide some seating that could expand to house more than just my two clients in their charming new kitchen where we also created a bar area, if needed. That's when built-ins like window seats provide the answer, without taking up much space.
Since the apartment had a master suite and a guest suite, the third bedroom (on the park side) was turned into a paneled library. Amenities include a comfy but concealed sofa bed, mahogany chest of drawers and a desk well suited for this ample, but not overly large room.
And now to the great room and I mean great room. This became their main living space with full dining table - (which expands by adding outside circular leaves) and upholstered seating designed to gather around the newly installed fireplace (a hologram, of course) and media area, while capturing every inch of that fabulous view.
Once again, window seats filled the lower portion of the window wells, and I must confess, I was the first to sit on the beautiful upholstery work of Albert Vitiello as I gazed out at the ever-chang-ing panorama of people walking, jogging, biking, carriage riding and generally enjoying Central Park.
Not too much time to watch the show, though, because accessories needed placing as the finishing touches turned a work site into a home away from home for my Long Island clients.
So what do they think of their new digs? Here's what they said...
"When we saw this apartment for the first time, we truly didn't know what to do with it. But we loved the view and we knew the perfect person to transform it. Still we never in our wildest dreams imagined the masterpiece Natalie and her team would create, down to the accessories and art work. I'm sitting on the living room window seat right now and keep looking at the view - inside as well as out and all I can say is, 'wow!"
Special Thanks to Albert Vitiello Upholsterers, Corinthian Reproductions, Ultimate Styles of America, ALP Construction, Peykar Oriental Rugs, Floor Decor, Lighting Gallery, Final Touch, Marlin Art Galleries, Sleepy Hollow Fireplace, Old Country Tile, Davis and Warshow, Werner Glass and Mirror, my wonderful design team, Anne, Lisa, and Donna and my super support staff, Gina, Sheila, and Elsa who allow Natalie Weinstein Design Associates to create living spaces for people to enjoy.
Interestingly, my clients didn't think the rooms were so special and felt the layout was difficult and wasteful, with too many hallways and an uninteresting kitchen. I, on the other hand, saw what most designers see, the "what could be." I quickly outlined some broad concepts and my staff jumped on the bandwagon. While I was happily shopping with our clients, Anne, my amazing project coordinator, was scheduling Al Altton and his construction team and David Goldstein, our expert cabinet-maker, so that we could finish in record time, since our clients were now eager to move into their new apartment, having rented the other one. In a week, were stripped, bathrooms and kitchen were gutted and carpet pulled up. Soon after, new plumbing fixtures sat in the living room awaiting installation and hundreds of feet of new crown, base and chair rail molding was stacked and ready to be installed.
Paint colors were chosen once the area rugs from Peykar Rugs were purchased and a session at another of my favorite haunts, Corinthian Antiques and Reproductions, landed some great furniture, most of it in stock or quick delivery. We were on our way and my clients were beginning to think that great view of snow-covered Central Park was in their future.
The apartment did have some challenges but, with judicious space planning, we were able to create interesting and varied destinations on the "view side and camouflage the "lack there of" on the master bedroom and guest wing side. There were a large number of hallways, but one was deep enough to create a library and reading area outside the master bedroom suite. The rest became a wonder i venue for a unique, colorful and special.art collection amassed with the help of Sol and Linda Adams of Marlin Art Galleries. Another challenge was to provide some seating that could expand to house more than just my two clients in their charming new kitchen where we also created a bar area, if needed. That's when built-ins like window seats provide the answer, without taking up much space.
Since the apartment had a master suite and a guest suite, the third bedroom (on the park side) was turned into a paneled library. Amenities include a comfy but concealed sofa bed, mahogany chest of drawers and a desk well suited for this ample, but not overly large room.
And now to the great room and I mean great room. This became their main living space with full dining table - (which expands by adding outside circular leaves) and upholstered seating designed to gather around the newly installed fireplace (a hologram, of course) and media area, while capturing every inch of that fabulous view.
Once again, window seats filled the lower portion of the window wells, and I must confess, I was the first to sit on the beautiful upholstery work of Albert Vitiello as I gazed out at the ever-chang-ing panorama of people walking, jogging, biking, carriage riding and generally enjoying Central Park.
Not too much time to watch the show, though, because accessories needed placing as the finishing touches turned a work site into a home away from home for my Long Island clients.
So what do they think of their new digs? Here's what they said...
"When we saw this apartment for the first time, we truly didn't know what to do with it. But we loved the view and we knew the perfect person to transform it. Still we never in our wildest dreams imagined the masterpiece Natalie and her team would create, down to the accessories and art work. I'm sitting on the living room window seat right now and keep looking at the view - inside as well as out and all I can say is, 'wow!"
Special Thanks to Albert Vitiello Upholsterers, Corinthian Reproductions, Ultimate Styles of America, ALP Construction, Peykar Oriental Rugs, Floor Decor, Lighting Gallery, Final Touch, Marlin Art Galleries, Sleepy Hollow Fireplace, Old Country Tile, Davis and Warshow, Werner Glass and Mirror, my wonderful design team, Anne, Lisa, and Donna and my super support staff, Gina, Sheila, and Elsa who allow Natalie Weinstein Design Associates to create living spaces for people to enjoy.