Asking clients to step outside their comfort zones can be a tricky part of a designer’s job. But when the roles are reversed and a client freely tasks them with pushing the limits, magic happens. Such was the case when one fashion-industry couple moved from a converted loft space in New York City to a characterless 3,800-square-foot duplex in a prestige building in the West Village. They gave designer Alexander Doherty carte blanche to engage in a little color shock therapy.
“The clients had always lived in a beige world,” explains Doherty. “They wanted to experiment and try something they had never experienced before. I wanted to give them a real sense of departure because when you employ someone to do something like this, that person has to give you something you wouldn’t do for yourself. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
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This project is featured in our new book! Shop now for more inspiring, colorful interiors.
It helped that the apartment’s entry was dominated by a rare (for Manhattan) double-height foyer with floor-to-ceiling windows and a staircase, albeit a basic developer’s option with what Doherty calls “dreary black metal spindles,” which as one of the first things to go. But the stage for drama was set—all the home needed was someone to bring in the showmanship.
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Doherty accomplished this with a mix of saturated hues that added richness and glamour to the boring white box rooms. Cerused oak paneling and an espresso-painted ceiling create a cocooning effect in the entry; the coffee-inspired shade continues on the underside of the now curved stairway to maintain the room’s continuity—an important detail, considering the adjacent room is upholstered in grass-green felt. When asked how that specific color found its way into the palette, Doherty shrugs it off. “Why not? It’s not science, what we do. You have to demystify it a bit.”
Rich colors characterize the living room, where a pair of terra-cotta-hued sofas play off a jade cocktail table and burnt-orange poufs. “It wasn’t so much about choosing the wildest colors we could,” says Doherty. “It was more about creating visual interest. [The clients] are homebodies; they wanted a place where they could slouch around and really be comfortable but also feel inspired.”
Living Room
Pictured above.
To give the living room an eclectic feel, Doherty paired Parisian flea market finds with rich textures in a rainbow of colors. Vases: vintage Jacques and Dani Ruelland. Throw pillow fabrics: Holland & Sherry, Fortuny, and de Le Cuona. Stools: Aero.
A faux-parchment wall treatment establishes a serene backdrop for the exploration of color in the living room, where a vintage Luigi Massoni games table mingles with chairs upholstered in Rogers & Goffigon leather and a velvet Aero bench.
Entryway
“To have a staircase in New York is quite exceptional,” says Doherty. “I wanted to create a feeling of refinement.” To impart a sense of drama and glamour, he paneled the walls in cerused oak and added a custom Stark runner. Stool: vintage Jacques Adnet. Pedestals and busts: Gerald Bland.
The chocolatey hue on the ceiling in the entry extends to the underside of the stairway. Paint: Espresso Bean, Benjamin Moore. Console: vintage Milo Baughman. Lamp: Stephen Antonson. Art: Francis Bott.
Guest Room
A study in indigo, the guest room displays Doherty’s preference for saturated color. Farrow & Ball Stiffkey Blue sets the tone, while a Chelsea Textiles bedside table and Holland & Sherry–upholstered bed complete the scene. Lamp: vintage Murano glass. Console: vintage. Artwork: Francis Bott.
