BEAUTY: Interior--Steven Sclaroff

Steven Sclaroff has done a marvelous job on the restoration and interior design of an iconic building registered with the National Register of Historic Places. The home currently belongs to Kate and Andy Spade but it was built as a residence and studio for artist William Merritt Chase (1849–1916) in 1892, as part of a larger Chase Art Colony. Chase was an American Impressionist painter and a highly revered teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later would become Parsons The New School for Design. But his personality was flamboyant and his Manhattan studio was extravagantly filled with opulent furniture, decorative objects, stuffed birds, oriental carpets, and exotic musical instruments. And clearly, Sclaroff used that as inspiration to fulfill the Spade's own penchant for interesting and art-filled interiors. In this project, Sclaroff retained the two large rooms where Chase taught and I love how he has covered the walls with art which is hung salon-style, along with Oriental rugs, a mix of classic comfortable furniture pieces, books, ethnic sculptures, and other fascinating objets. The mix of patterns is artful, playful, fun, and interesting without being overwhelming. The kitchen and bathrooms feel fresh yet period-correct too (how about that master bathroom?--you could park a few cars in it). I think Chase would feel right at home.

http://stevensclaroff.com/