— Photographer:  / October 9, 2024
neutral chic living room with a portrait of a man above the fireplace

Although they consider themselves New Yorkers through and through, the owners of this Tribeca penthouse have a passion for the great outdoors—particularly destinations like Wyoming and Utah. So when the time came to renovate the space into their dream home, the goal was to embrace materials and textures that nod to the Rocky Mountain West. The challenge? Making one such inspiration feel fitting for Manhattan.

Home Details

Interior Design

Sean Anderson, Sean Anderson Design

open concept living and dining area with neutral finishes and elegant style
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The living area is anchored by Woven rugs, a Bieke Casteleyn coffee table and a sectional from Egg Collective covered in Mark Alexander linen. A bespoke reeded oak bar flanks a dining area comprised of Massproductions chairs around a Giopagani table. At left is art by Ilona Golovina.

library room in a light brown tone with a sofa and rustic fixtures
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A transitional room was redefined as a library lined in millwork painted Benjamin Moore’s Porcini. A sofa fabricated by Grant Trick is joined by an Ian Love coffee table and stool. The pendants are Apparatus and the floors are reclaimed French oak from Exquisite Surfaces.

neutral chic living room with a portrait of a man above the fireplace
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The living room of this Tribeca home showcases the abode's penchant for rustic elegance with layered neutrals and soft textures.

black cabinetry in an elegant kitchen with walnut finishes and exposed beams
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Antique limestone pavers from Material contrast with cabinetry painted Portola Paints’ moody Fade to Black in Roman Clay finish. Appliances are ornamented with walnut handles by Ochre. The footed wooden stool is by Ian Love.

chef's kitchen with a marble-topped island and backsplash, brass plumbing fixtures and exposed beams
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In the chef’s kitchen, barstools by Caste and pendants by Ann-Morris Inc. join an island topped with honed Arabescato Corchia marble, which is also used for the backsplash and floating shelving. The brass plumbing fixtures are Officine Gullo.

neutral bedroom with a moody tapestry above a vintage French dresser
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The primary bedroom includes a tapestry from Roweam above a 1930s French dresser from Jada Gallery. Lighting takes the form of a table lamp by Roark Modern and chandelier from Lucca Antiques. The armchair atop the Woven rug is Pierre Augustin Rose.

moody bedroom with dark blue built in bookshelves and gray bedding
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In the guest bedroom, millwork painted Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue, an antique rug from Sarkis Kish and drapes of Nobilis wool create a cozy cocoon. The side chair is Lawson-Fenning and the artwork above the bed is by M. Weiss.

chic bathroom with white and gray marble vanity and shower
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The primary bathroom boasts Arabescato Corchia marble for the vanities and walk-in shower, paired with white oak flooring from Exquisite Surfaces. A pedestal from Galerie Was and a chair from Harbinger add patina. The ceiling fixture is Roll & Hill.

alfresco dining space on the terrace of a Tribeca home surrounded by plants and skyline views
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On the terrace, an alfresco dining space is anchored by a pedestal table by Mondo and dining chairs by Bonetti Kozerski for Sutherland Furniture. The stone orbs are from Campania.

a doorway opens to the terrace of a Tribeca home with rustic yet elegant style
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Leading to the terrace, the kitchen includes an intimate desk and seating area with a mohair-covered settee. The chair is antique from Harbinger, the side table is CarmWorks and the coffee table is from Awet New York.

Interior designer Sean Anderson, who is known for his tactile approach, was up for the task. “The homeowners shared their love of rustic interiors with elements like exposed brick walls and wood beams,” recalls Anderson. “We wanted to integrate that feeling while honoring the structure we were working within,” he adds, noting the historic nature of late 19 th -century building.

Collaborating with residential designer Jaimie Abel with an assist from architect of record Mike House, Anderson set out to transform the interiors. “I’d gotten to know their style over the years,” recalls Abel, who had been friends with the clients for nearly a decade before turning the relationship professional. “I knew Sean would mix well with them because of his layered, tonal approach,” she adds.

First, Abel reoriented the kitchen and main living area, a process that converted a labyrinthine series of formal rooms into two open spaces with a relaxed, organic flow. Next, Abel and Anderson hatched a plan to play on two primary materials for the interior palette: stone and wood. Abel knew she wanted marble casing on two central doorways, as well as faux wood beams in the kitchen, while it was Anderson’s idea to introduce European limestone for the flooring in the kitchen and foyer. “There’s an irregularity to them because they are reclaimed and, with the tumbled edge, it gives a feeling of age,” he shares.

The light color and sandy texture of the pavers play off the roughness of the ceiling beams and the dark-toned cabinetry in the kitchen—a sense of juxtaposition that is Anderson’s calling card. "To me, that element of contrast is what feels like home," says the designer, who paired new with old throughout the residence. In the library, antique reclaimed French oak herringbone flooring sets off custom upholstery and millwork, while the main living area is a mélange of contemporary and vintage pieces. “There’s a storied quality to the mix, and it helps tell the tale of this family and this place,” he notes.

chef's kitchen with a marble-topped island and backsplash, brass plumbing fixtures and exposed beams

In the chef’s kitchen, barstools by Caste and pendants by Ann-Morris Inc. join an island topped with honed Arabescato Corchia marble, which is also used for the backsplash and floating shelving. The brass plumbing fixtures are Officine Gullo.

Filling the home with the work of local artisans was also paramount to the designer. “Ilona Golovina is a Brooklyn-based ceramicist that I discovered over the course of this project,” says Anderson, who peppered the artist’s vessels and soil paintings in several spaces. “The rough textures and ‘imperfections’ in her work speak to who I am as a designer,” he adds. The wooden stools with animal-like feet prowling through several rooms came from another New York favorite: woodworker Ian Love. Other locals Anderson was happy to source from included Galerie Was, antiques dealer Michael Trapp and painter Alexandra Yan Wong.

The overall result is a cozy, eclectic home where each room feels like a new chapter in the same well-worn storybook. “I’m big on symmetry and balance when you walk into a space,” says Abel. “With Sean, there’s a layering of stories, but it’s all connected.” Anderson quotes similar materials and shapes throughout to make the home feel cohesive, such as the curve of the bar wall in the living area, which is mimicked in the rounded edges of the plaster coffee table and in the marble dining table. To cap off the symmetry, Abel and Anderson reimagined the skylight above the dining area to mimic the shape of the table. “We tried to soften everything to make the space feel more fluid,” says Abel.

Outside, the wraparound terrace completes the back-to-nature assignment the team began with. “We actually had to edit because there were so many plants out there that it began to feel like a jungle,” laughs Anderson. “We created a pocket within the trees for the dining and cooking areas.” A stone table and a set of wooden plank-like chairs now offer the ideal haven for dining alfresco. Taken together, the result is perfect symmetry.

neutral bedroom with a moody tapestry above a vintage French dresser

The primary bedroom includes a tapestry from Roweam above a 1930s French dresser from Jada Gallery. Lighting takes the form of a table lamp by Roark Modern and chandelier from Lucca Antiques. The armchair atop the Woven rug is Pierre Augustin Rose.

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