An Uptown Maisonette Is Reborn With Unexpected Panache
Rising-star designer Meg Sharpe turns a traditional warren of rooms into an airy idyll where livability and flair are winsome bedfellows
By Kamala Nair
Photography by Kyle Knodell
July 26, 2019
a large living room with creamy walls and a geometric carpet
Meg Sharpe has a knack for reimagining historical buildings—her out-of-the-box designs have transformed many an old New York landmark into a buzzy restaurant, from Bill’s Townhouse to the erstwhile Lion. So when a Manhattan power couple approached Sharpe about updating their 1920s Upper East Side maisonette, she was more than up for the challenge.
“It was really wild,” she says, recalling her first impression of the property, which counts David Duchovny and Téa Leoni among its previous owners. “It was this maze of rooms, all deeply saturated in burnt umbers and dark reds.” Her clients asked Sharpe to open up the space and to revive some of its original details, which had been lost behind layers of drywall.
a bedroom in whites and greys with a mantle and antique fixtures
Sharpe created custom moldings in the master bedroom, beginning with a geometric pattern on the walls and moving to a curve on the ceiling. The room features a custom limed-oak bed, a Barovier & Toso chandelier, and Maison Arlus sconces flanking the fireplace, which is original to the home.
“The design had been butchered over the years, so our goal was to peel it back and expose any of the base architectural elements that we could, and then layer in a lifestyle that works in today’s world,” explains Sharpe. The resulting space, with its soaring ceilings and soft ivory walls, feels airy and contemporary while retaining much of its old New York flair, thanks to paneling and molding throughout, and an ornate original fireplace which she was able to preserve in the master bedroom.
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The sense of architecture also extends to the decor, where streamlined shapes live alongside the sculptural. “We wanted the space to feel fun and fresh and young and a little sexy in certain elements, but also with some grandeur,” says Sharpe. In the living room, for example, curved armchairs by French designer Pierre Yovanovitch flank a crisp-edged formal fireplace, while the wife’s master bath pairs an angular mirror with a bulbous vanity. “We always made sure to include a nod to something architectural, something with a great shape, whether it was found or totally customized,” says Sharpe.
a pink bathroom with a wooden vanity and geometric mirror
In the wife’s master bath, a bleached walnut mirror hangs above a ball-foot vanity, both by Meg Sharpe Interiors. The sconces are vintage, and the floor tiles feature a stone pattern.
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In the expansive dining room, where the homeowners regularly host large parties, spherical glass bulbs dangle above a custom 18-person ebonized-oak table. “While we did everything we could to maximize the space, it’s still a New York City home, so you’re always looking for extra corners and nooks and whatnots,” notes Sharpe, who ensured the massive table could be split in two so the couple and their four children could still enjoy intimate family meals.
Because the wife loves color and art, Sharpe did not shy away from bold gestures. The husband’s den is paneled in deep green, while the wife’s master bath features pale pink tiles that somehow manage to feel both retro and elegant. Jewel-like light fixtures abound throughout, maintaining a sense of playfulness (a Venini chandelier over the breakfast table, a Barovier & Toso chandelier in the master bedroom).
In the dining room of an Upper East Side maisonette designed by Meg Sharpe MTS Elettra chairs for Arflex upholstered in...
The silveredbronze metalwork cabinetry in the breakfast room was created by En.Zo Metalwork and the stone countertop and...
The powder room vanity is a custom design made of ebonized oak with a faucet by the Water Monopoly and the Venini...
A shag rug by Sacco Carpets a custom sofa covered in a Pierre Frey fabric and velvet pillows create a cozy corner in the...
The living room of a Manhattan home designed by Meg Sharpe features custom sofas and a cocktail table made of Calacatta...
Sharpe created custom moldings in the master bedroom beginning with a geometric pattern on the walls and moving to a...
Sharpe paid tribute to the wifes love of color with pale pink tile walls in her bathroom along with a custom green...
Also in the wifes master bath a bleached walnut mirror hangs above a ballfoot vanity both by Meg Sharpe Interiors. The...
On the outdoor patio the custom sofa and the builtin Corian side tables are by Meg Sharpe Interiors.
A custom console by Sam Amoia purchased through Jean de Merry makes a sculptural statement in the upper entry foyer...
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A custom console by Sam Amoia, purchased through Jean de Merry, makes a sculptural statement in the upper entry foyer, which features a textured plaster wall treatment and white oak chevron floors, as seen throughout the home.
The breakfast room, with its square shape and awkwardly placed window, presented Sharpe with her greatest design challenge. But instead of panicking, she decided to build around the room’s limitations, using curved cabinetry to add dimension and depth. “I wanted the room to feel purposeful and intentional, as opposed to, Oh, we have this odd thing here we’re trying to cover up,” she says. To bring the cabinets to life, she opted against a more traditional wood or high gloss and instead chose a silvered-bronze metal, which could withstand being banged and beaten up: “While I wanted it to be beautiful, it’s a home for living in, not some showcase.” The gleaming finish, applied using several layers of oils and waxes, makes the room feel as if it’s undulating when it catches the light.
“It was sort of an experiment,” says Sharpe. “I was lucky enough to have a client that trusted me and said let’s go for it, and what came out in the end exceeded everyone’s expectations.”
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