Inside This Playful But Glamorous Chelsea Penthouse

Thom perfectly balances classic and au currant,” says Catherine Juracich, who with her husband, David, hired Thom Filicia to design their penthouse duplex in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.

Filicia was quick with ideas on how to transform the space — a shell the first time he saw it — into something that would truly function for the couple and their four children. “It needed to be fresh and young, but not too modern,” says the designer.

Wanting to keep the interiors respectful of the Art Deco architecture, Filicia devised a contemporary floor plan with a main living area that welcomes two or 20.

His knack for understanding the balance of comfort and glamour flows throughout the home — from the master bedroom, which features a serene pattern-on-pattern palette, to the master bathroom, adorned with white marble and a bold yet welcoming rug.

Filicia took the same level of thoughtfulness onto the terraces, where he mixed periods and feels. “It feels collected, not purchased,” he says.

In the end, not only did the couple love their finished space; David found a new appreciation for interior designers, even contracting Filicia for another project in Amagansett.

“I initially thought cushions were annoying, so I told him no cushions, but now it’s ‘More cushions, Thom!’ and ‘Give me all the sconces you’ve got!’”