A Classical Prewar Park Avenue Apartment Spotlights Black Art

Piece by piece, an art collection becomes more than its individual works. They tell a narrative of color and form, united by the person who lovingly curated them. One such personal collection celebrates luminaries of 20th-century and contemporary art—especially artists across the African diaspora. Intersecting different periods, media and styles, there’s “a beautiful dialogue between these works,” says the New York-based collector, who dreamed of displaying them in a home richly layered in history and poetic vision. No nondescript white-box space would do.

Enter the ultimate prewar Park Avenue apartment, in a 1916 building designed by the father of New York high-rise luxury, architect James Edwin Ruthven Carpenter. With much of the original decorative columns, cornices and pilasters intact, the spacious abode beamed with light from north- and east-facing windows. One glimpse, “and I was smitten,” laughs the owner.

“This is the building you dream to work inside,” says designer Lindsay Falconer, who joined architect Ted Porter to integrate their client’s beloved collection into the space. Both felt inspired by the electric combination of art and architecture. “There is nothing better than seeing his contemporary works framed by these traditional details,” adds Porter.

Thoughtful edits were needed to fortify the apartment’s uptown glamour—first by enriching the foyer’s floor “with a clean, classic diamond pattern in black and white marble,” notes Porter. Elsewhere, the herringbone wood floors were restored, as were the surrounding moldings, and original details were carefully replicated where needed. Painted a nuanced, neoclassical white, the walls became a fresh yet characterful backdrop for art.

By design, most structural interventions melt into the existing millwork—seamlessly executed by general contractor James Paul Joplin’s team. “The workmanship is how I would imagine it would have been when this apartment was originally built,” effuses Falconer. Joplin’s refined craftsmanship shines through new bookcases in the dining area and main bedroom, featuring custom trim faithfully following the architecture. New doors cut between the living and dining areas “look like panels on the wall when the two rooms are open to one another,” notes Porter. Now, cocktail gatherings glide “from the entry into this gracious living room, then into the dining area and entry again in a circular flow,” he adds.

Areas less endowed with original features became a blank canvas for spirited flourishes. Wallcoverings in the newly marble-clad bathrooms feature prints that play off European old-world museum walls or merge contemporary New York street life with French toile. And for the kitchen, the homeowner shares that he “wanted something light, happy and joyful.” Displaying a vibrant fiber portrait of Muhammad Ali, the space exudes pop-art joviality with its lemon-print wallpaper, neon-orange Panton chairs and terrazzo marble floor. “The client loves to juxtapose sophistication with something a little wild and unexpected,” says Falconer.

Furnishing rooms became a curatorial affair, as the owner approached the process like his art collecting. “We really took our time to find the perfect pieces,” notes Falconer, adding, “He would rather have no chair than some chair he didn’t really love.” Classic midcentury modern furniture soon emerged as a theme as the pair hunted auctions for period designs. A 1940s Danish sheepskin love seat encourages intimate conversation around a Mickalene Thomas portrait. By the fireplace, a pair of Caviuna-framed armchairs by Italian Brazilian modernist Giuseppe Scapinelli are perfectly placed to admire the Kehinde Wiley painting. And an Edward Wormley tête-à-tête lies poised in between, so guests can straddle conversations on both sides.

Throughout, a palette of creamy whites and natural woods ensure the surrounding artworks remain on the center stage. Though monotone, “all the different textures add dimension, creating a rich backdrop,” says Falconer. There’s tactile upholstery in mohair and bouclé, while jute brings laid-back comfort underfoot, and window shades of delicate abaca fabric from the Philippines diffuse any glare. “The way the light comes through is so beautiful,” gushes the designer. “It glows on the furniture.”

And as every art lover knows, proper illumination is everything. A network of calibrated picture lights pronounce the paintings while, glittering above, Baccarat-crystal chandeliers crown the ceilings. “Those were nonnegotiable,” says Falconer. “They are so quintessentially Park Avenue, timeless and lavish.”

Enveloped in such appreciative warmth, the artworks now lie comfortably in situ, engaged in a visual conversion with their surroundings. “I’ve made many discoveries about my collection since I moved into this apartment,” shares the client. “That’s the great thing about art. With room to sit and reflect, you can discover new things about pieces that you’ve owned for years.”