{"id":208785,"date":"2023-04-13T13:34:16","date_gmt":"2023-04-13T17:34:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/?post_type=id_project&p=208785"},"modified":"2023-12-13T13:37:06","modified_gmt":"2023-12-13T18:37:06","slug":"meyer-davis-nyc-penthouse-design","status":"publish","type":"id_project","link":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/projects\/meyer-davis-nyc-penthouse-design\/","title":{"rendered":"Meyer Davis Designs a Sprawling Manhattan Penthouse"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n
\"an
Pierre Paulin lounge chairs gather beneath an Ingo Mauer pendant in the main bedroom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n

April 13, 2023<\/p>\n\n\n

Words: <\/span>Cara Greenberg<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography: <\/span>Eric Laignel<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n

Meyer Davis Designs a Sprawling Manhattan Penthouse<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

2023 Best of Year Honoree<\/a>\u00a0for Large Apartment<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A chance encounter started the ball rolling on the redesign of a full-floor penthouse atop one of New York\u2019s most avant-garde structures. The glittering 56 Leonard in TriBeCa, completed in 2017 by Herzog & de Meuron, is often affectionately likened to a stack of Jenga blocks. The cantilevered upper floors make the 57-story building a standout on the downtown skyline and give its lucky residents uninterrupted 360-degree views.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOne weeknight, I was out having drinks with friends when a potential client happened to pop in,\u201d recalls Will Meyer, principal of Meyer Davis<\/a>. The men were acquainted but had not seen each other in years. \u201cIt was midnight, but he said, \u2018I just bought this new apartment. Let\u2019s go look at it.\u2019\u201d Up they went several dozen stories, emerging into a 5,500-square-foot aerie surrounded by 14-foot-tall windows. \u201cImagine coming out of the elevator and seeing these outrageous views. It was a white box with nothing going on but also the most amazing blank slate possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Soon after, Meyer and fellow principal Gray Davis\u2014jointly inducted last year into the Interior Design<\/em> Hall of Fame<\/a>\u2014met with the homeowner to share their thoughts on making the vast residence more human-scale and inviting. \u201cThe client appreciates good design,\u201d Davis says, \u201cand loves music and hosting parties. But the apartment also had to feel comfortable when he\u2019s there alone or with his kids.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meyer Davis Creates a Warm and Approachable Penthouse Design<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"the
In a 5,500-square-foot New York penthouse apartment renovated by Meyer Davis, a raised oak platform furnished with beanbags covered in recycled sheep\u00adskin and a custom shelving unit encircling an existing concrete column create one of three sitting groups that help temper the living area\u2019s vast open plan.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe client had a clear idea of how it should feel: warm and approachable,\u201d says Meyer Davis associate Shannon Senyk, senior design lead on the project and at the firm. \u201cThe views were there, but the space itself was quite cold and austere. We needed to add layers through architectural finishes and soft, lush textures.\u201d Conjuring welcome is a practiced skill for the firm, which places not only 60th on our 100 Giants list<\/a> but also 24th among the Hospitality Giants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meyer Davis Transforms a Loftlike Layout into Functional Zones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The team devised a number of strategies to tame the open, loftlike layout, which is augmented by two terraces and a balcony totaling 1,600 square feet of outdoor real estate. \u201cA super-large space should be zoned in subtle ways, making rooms without making walls,\u201d Meyer observes. The designers arranged the furniture informally, with three separate seating groups in the main living area \u201cso you can hop around and sit in different places,\u201d as Davis puts it. Chief among the architectural upgrades\u2014and there were many, including four-and-a-half renovated baths and an oak-and-marble kitchen beneath an existing statement stove hood\u2014was a zoning gesture Meyer reports \u201cmade all the difference in the world\u201d: a raised oak platform that spans about a quarter of the living area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\n
\"a
In the entry, a Jenni Kayne leather vase sits on a burnt teak console \nby Andrianna Shamaris. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

One prime corner of the platform, groovily furnished with furry beanbags on a nubby Moroccan rug, became \u201cthe spot people gravitate to,\u201d Senyk notes, lured by its casual coziness. (The sunset views aren\u2019t bad, either.) Nearby, a custom shelving unit lightly encircles a hefty concrete column. \u201cIt divides the space and adds function,\u201d Meyer says of the freestanding structure, which incorporates a bar and a professional-level sound system that make the area emphatically party-ready. The column is one of a dozen that march rhythmically along the apartment\u2019s outer walls. \u201cThe rules we set were all about letting the architecture be what it is,\u201d Meyer continues. \u201cWe wanted a delicate piece of millwork that wrapped around the column but didn\u2019t touch it, didn\u2019t diminish its importance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wherever Meyer Davis made interventions, it introduced sensuous, luxe materials and finishes. The partition separating the entry from the dining area was refinished in graphite-colored Venetian plaster and the existing gas fireplace in it reframed with blackened-steel panels. \u201cWe liked the hand-finished quality,\u201d Senyk says. \u201cIt\u2019s another layer,\u201d and the dark massing is a striking contrast to the abundant light everywhere else. Closet doors at the entry were upholstered in leather. Pale cerused-oak wall panels turned one of the four bedrooms into a chill-out den that doubles as a guest room. And by installing the same paneling and a row of glowing pendant fixtures in the door-lined central hallway, a difficult space that Davis says \u201cfelt like a service corridor\u201d is now experienced as an atmospheric passage terminating in thrilling city views.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Furnishings Reflect a Relaxed Luxury Aesthetic\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The furnishings\u2014predominantly new or custom pieces with a couple of vintage items thrown into the mix\u2014all contribute to Meyer Davis\u2019s trademark relaxed luxury<\/a>, providing deep comfort while hold\u00ading their own against the grandeur of the architecture and the glory of the setting. Modern classics like Pierre Paulin lounge chairs and Ingo Mauer pendant fixtures join such contemporary pieces as a BassamFellows daybed and a Kelly Wearstler desk, the ensemble arranged so as not to disturb the pervasive feeling of cloud-borne calm. At the same time, the designers were mindful of placing the furniture in a way that, Meyer notes, \u201cenhances your ability to take it all in.\u201d The overall palette is neutral but far from colorless, comprising mostly blues, grays, and browns. The rust color of the velvet upholstery on a sofa in the den is the boldest hue in the apartment. \u201cWe brought in colors from the city and the sky,\u201d Meyer concludes, \u201cso as not to compete with the main event.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"Giants<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

2023 Top 100 Giants Revealed<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

See which firms top the list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
TOP 100 GIANTS<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n

Inside the Manhattan Penthouse With Expansive Views<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"the
Beneath the kitchen\u2019s original plaster hood, Hugo stools by William Gray, Meyer Davis\u2019s furniture line, pull up to an island of cerused oak and marble, while David Regestam\u2019s Viva chairs furnish the breakfast dining area.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"the
Oscar pendants by Roman and Williams and Tassel sconces by Apparatus illuminate the center hall.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"a
Meyer Davis: Made to Measure, a 2014 monograph by Dan Shaw, rests on a living-area table.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"a
E\u00c6 lounge chairs by Erickson \u00c6sthetics face a Timothy Oulton Cloud sectional in the living area\u2019s second seating group; matching custom pendant fixtures with linen shades tie it to the third grouping beyond.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"a
Crown chairs by Masspro\u00adductions surround a custom oak table in the dining area, where the fireplace wall is clad in glossy Venetian plaster and blackened-steel plates.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"a
Allied Maker\u2019s Grand Aperture chandelier joins an existing tub in the main bathroom. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"a
In a child\u2019s bedroom, Damo table lamps by Chen, Chao-Cheng and Studio Dunn\u2019s Sorenthia pendant fixture are back\u00addropped by a painted wall echoing the colors outside.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"an
Under a silk-covered pendant by Ruemmler in the den, the niche\u2019s custom daybed accommodates overnight guests while plush velvet upholsters the custom sectional.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"a
Viewed from the closet, a Kelly Wearstler desk occupies a prime window spot in the main bedroom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
The main bathroom\u2019s vanity is custom. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"the
The apartment tops 56 Leonard, a 57-story tower in TriBeCa by Herzog & de Meuron.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\"a
The bed is outfitted with a custom leather headboard backed by fabric-covered panels.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"a
The powder room\u2019s carved-stone vanity was existing but the Circuit sconce by Apparatus is new.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"the
The terrace hosts a Paloma teak sectional by Mario Ruiz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"an
Pierre Paulin lounge chairs gather beneath an Ingo Mauer pendant in the main bedroom.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
PROJECT TEAM<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
meyer davis<\/span><\/a>: anastasia bersetova; lindsay leonard<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
daniel demarco & associates; premium millwork<\/span><\/a>: woodwork<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
silverlining<\/span><\/a>: general contractor<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
PROJECT SOURCES<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
FROM FRONT<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
jg switzer<\/span><\/a>: beanbags (platform)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
contardi<\/span><\/a>: floor lamp<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
mellah<\/span><\/a>: rug<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
William Gray<\/span><\/a>: stools (kit\u00adchen)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
troscan design<\/span><\/a>: table<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
g\u00e4rsn\u00e4s<\/span><\/a>: armchairs<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
erickson \u00e6sthetics<\/span><\/a>: lounge chairs (living area)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
tibetano<\/span><\/a>: rug<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
BassamFellows<\/span><\/a>: day\u00adbed<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
rh<\/span><\/a>: sectionals (living area, terrace)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
andrianna shamaris<\/span><\/a>: black side table (living area), console (entry)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
jenni kayne<\/span><\/a>: vase (entry)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
flos<\/span><\/a>: pen\u00addant fixture<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
sacco<\/span><\/a>: rugs (entry, main bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
rw guild<\/span><\/a>: pendant fixtures (hall)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
apparatus<\/span><\/a>: sconces (hall, powder room), pendant fixtures (dining area, closet)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
armada new york<\/span><\/a>: custom table (dining area)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
massproductions<\/span><\/a>: chairs<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Allied Maker<\/span><\/a>: pendant fixture (bathroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
seed design<\/span><\/a>: table lamps (bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
studio dunn<\/span><\/a>: pendant fixture<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
castel; pollack<\/span><\/a>: daybed fabric, pillow fabrics (den)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Montauk<\/span><\/a>: sectional<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
ruemmler<\/span><\/a>: pendant fixture<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
brooklyn workroom<\/span><\/a>: custom daybed (den), custom headboard, custom sofa (main bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
mokum<\/span><\/a>: sectional fab\u00adric (Den), curtain fabric<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
menu design shop<\/span><\/a>: mirrors (closet, powder room)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
phillip jeffries<\/span><\/a>: wallcovering (closet, powder room)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Gubi<\/span><\/a>: chairs (main bedroom)<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
blackcreek mercantile & trading co.<\/span><\/a>: coffee table<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
Ingo Maurer<\/span><\/a>: pendant fixture<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
perennials fabrics<\/span><\/a>: wallcovering<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
THROUGHOUT<\/h6><\/div>\n\n\n\n
c&m shade<\/span><\/a>: curtains<\/span><\/section>\n\n\n\n
benjamin moore & co.<\/span><\/a>: paint<\/span><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n