Living with Posen

2010 May 13

16W21
Evan Joseph View Gallery

(NEW YORK) It seems like the only thing Zac Posen wasn’t involved in was real estate...and now all that has changed with the debut of his first residential interior design project at 16 West 21st Street, nestled between the Flatiron District and Chelsea art galleries. 16W21 is the first designer collaboration by New York-based developer F&T Group, who turned to Monaco-based real estate services firm Gruppo C'E to define the concept. The Daily was given a personal tour led by Posen as he put the finishing touches on the lavish two-story apartment. The four bathroom, two bedroom apartment teems with vibrant, one-of-a-kind pieces and artwork. Posen, motioning towards a recovered Joseph Hoffman chair that he reupholstered in pale pink, explained, “The apartment has eclecticism and a mix to it. We’re playing with color, and I’ve been collecting and designing objects for this project for the past year.” From the Rosson Crow paintings to a tea set the designer purchased in Russia last summer, each item is supremely personal.

Every element is detailed and thoughtful, down to the grainy, tiger print tile on the guest bathroom floor. “So you don’t slip! Plus, it just feels better on your bare feet,” Posen noted. The apartment is palatial by New York standards, (there is, of course, a floor to ceiling mirrored walk-in closet) but there is also a distinct homey feel. The upstairs was created to be more of an adult, after-dinner drinks room, while the downstairs “is more of a family area, a kid-friendly zone,” said Posen. Although, there is a hideway bar in the kitchen on the lower floor. “So you can just shut the doors and forget about it!” Posen is a chef and foodie in his own right, and so the kitchen is created with a keen eye for entertaining. “I cook multiple times a week, and the kitchen was the obvious choice for me when it came to favorite rooms to design.” Not surprisingly, the designer is a bit fatigued. “I haven’t slept the past two days!” he confessed, as he scanned his final work. Check out the photo gallery for all the Posen-created delights. Simply stated: we'd live here.
EMILY POPP

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