Widespread fantasy

FLAIR AND INVENTION IN A MANHATTAN APARTMENT FULL OF CONTRASTING COLORS AND DARING GEOMETRIC FORMS.

Intense blue lacquer walls, soft velvet upholstery, the glow of gold leaf to enhance the ceiling in the library, one of the most emblematic spaces in this Park Avenue apartment. Kelly Behun, the American interior designer, has translated the suggestions of the owner – a globe-trotting art collector with a large family – into effective solutions. Before opening her own studio Behun worked with the design team of Ian Schrager, the famous entrepreneur-hotelier, as well as with Andrée Putman and Philippe Starck. For this project, however, she started from scratch. The client had purchased two flats plus part of a third in an elegant Forties building on Park Avenue, with the idea of making a single residence with an area of over 500 m2 and seven bedrooms. There were no existing decorations that linked the house to the time of its construction. Behun has used a selection of wallpapers and patterns in the bedrooms, especially in those of the young grandchildren. Another exuberant space is the large living area, enhanced by Schumacher wallpaper in tones of blue, a soft Moroccan rug and custom furnishings inspired by Memphis. The entrance features Porter Teleo handpainted wallpaper, a vintage carpet with Picasso drawings and a wall sculpture by Rana Begum. The owner’s art collection plays a key role, along with some outstanding design pieces, including the Racket Chair by the Campana Brothers, important pieces by Hervé Van der Straeten, and vintage gems by Josef Hoffmann and Piero Fornasetti.