Home tour: A bold, Japanese-inspired home in Park Avenue, New York

One of the first details Thomas noticed about this New York home was that each room had grand, high ceilings. To maintain a sense of lightness in the space, each wall is lacquered to mirror-like perfection. Even the ceilings feature a sheer metallic finish that suffuses the room with colour throughout the day. 

Yet for all its sophisticated surfaces, this room remains deeply personal. Every corner reveals treasures from the owners’ extensive art collection, from a vibrant Sonja Delaunay tapestry to Tom Otterness sculptures that playfully frame the windows, alongside pieces of African tribal art that speak to decades of collecting. “I needed to incorporate many elements from their past while leaving room to create new stories in the future,” says Thomas. “My clients are avid travellers and collectors of both modern and outsider art. I wanted to incorporate all of this into their new apartment.” 

Multiple seating arrangements accommodate intimate conversations and larger gatherings, while a custom mantlepiece created in collaboration with Chesney's celebrates the room's magnificent proportions. 

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Another key component of this home is its seamless connection to the outdoors. “They had grown accustomed to enjoying the outdoors while in an urban setting,” shares Thomas. The space includes a wraparound terrace accessible through French doors from both the living room and solarium. Here, Manhattan reveals itself in all its glory with views stretching down Park Avenue toward Midtown and across to Central Park and the West Side. 

Crossing back through the gallery leads to the dining room, where the boldness of crimson takes centre stage. Here, the apartment’s signature red imbues all millwork with its warm, dramatic hue—a deliberate departure from the more neutral palette of adjoining spaces. 

The custom circular table by John Boone anchors the space, alongside a display of Japanese woodblock prints, treasured china and crystal. Above the fireplace, artisans created a panel inspired by the displayed prints, symbolising an intuitive connection between the past and the present. Elevating the space further, the grandly proportioned chandelier was rescued from the clients’ previous home, infusing the room with comfort while emphasising the room’s impressive ceiling height.

Adjacent to the dining area, the solarium demonstrates how thoughtful renovation can transform potential into reality. By opening the ceiling to reveal previously hidden skylights, this space floods with natural light while serving multiple functions, from casual dining to quiet reading retreats. Custom chandeliers designed with Charles Edwards of London can be raised or lowered depending on the room’s immediate purpose, embodying the flexibility essential to successful city living.

While colour celebrates itself throughout the apartment, the kitchen takes a dramatically different approach. Finished entirely in graphite grey satin paint, this space intentionally recedes into the background when viewed from the dining room. The star here is an unexpected delight: a giant koi sculpture from Guinevere Antiques. The piece was converted into a chandelier with a single rock crystal bubble emerging from the fish’s mouth, adding a touch of whimsy to the space. 

Moving into the more personal spaces, the music room doubles as a home office and a guitar practice area. Blue lacquered walls bring vibrancy and light, balanced by yellow carpet and ceiling treatments that create visual harmony. A custom daybed from Ralph Pucci offers afternoon reading comfort while providing guest sleeping accommodations when needed.

The primary bedroom creates the unexpected sensation of residing in a luxurious hotel suite rather than a New York apartment. Walls upholstered in sumptuous raw cream linen outlined with the New York home’s signature red establish intimacy and charm. Meanwhile, a stunning vintage Donghia bed serves as the space's sculptural centrepiece. 

Every detail of this New York home is designed to echo the couple’s rich, dynamic history. “The greatest compliment I can get when a project is complete is to hear from the clients that their friends say ‘this apartment is so you,’” enthuses Thomas. And such is the case for this New York pied-à-terre. From the cherry blossom ceiling to the carefully preserved chandelier, this is the art of downsizing elevated to its highest form. It is a thoughtful distillation of experiences into their most essential and beautiful expressions. As family and friends enter the space, they recognise a profound truth: that the time and energy poured into one’s memories never goes to waste. Building a lifetime of cherished memories turns a house into a home. 

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