Upper East Side Residence

The update of this 2,200 square foot Upper East Side residence, transformed the former home and art studio of Laurent de Brunhoff of Babar fame, into a comfortable family residence for a young couple and their three children. The addition of a bedroom, laundry room and the conversion of studio and library spaces into communal family space are central to the architectural renovation. The interior design includes an Alvar Aalto-esque column cover, concealing existing utilities and nodding to the apartment’s storied history, with its resemblance to an elephant’s ear. New coffered ceilings, hardwood floors, doors, interior fixtures and furnishings respond to the needs and taste of a modern family while preserving the historical elegance of the 1912 building.