Two design stars took on a decaying but equally starry art nouveau-style mansion in Manhattan’s West Village and brought it back to life in the most amazing way
BALLROOM
‘So many of the period features had disappeared, so we tried to find pieces like this huge mantelpiece (left) that would honour the house’s origins and fit in with our vision,’ says Robert, pictured with wife Cortney, both designers known as The Novogratz.
LIVING ROOM
‘This is part of the ground floor space, with its huge windows, that runs from the front door to the back of the house,’ says Robert. ‘It’s the perfect place to sit and have drinks, visit with people and watch TV.’
Their prev ious home was a castle in L A’s Hol ly wood Hills, so it ’s no surprise to learn that when it came to their nex t house, prolif ic desig n duo Cortney and Robert Novog ratz and their family of seven children chose a pink palace – this time on the East Coast in the heart of Manhattan’s West Village. ‘We’ve returned to our New York roots, and even after more than 25 years of renovating spaces [their own homes and those for clients have been a frequent fixture in Livingetc over the years] the fact that this iconic landmark building is ours is still slightly surreal,’ says Robert of the 1826-built house. It had been bubble-gum pink for the last 50 years, attracted much gossip and was owned for decades by West Village eccentric Celeste Martin, a former Rockette (Radio City dancer) and actress who filled it with a merry-goround of visiting artists and musicians.
When The Novogratz, as they are known, bought the property three years ago it was in a total state of disrepair – amess both structurally and cosmetically. ‘For us it was perfect,‘ says Robert. ‘We love a challenge and we wanted the house to be brought back to life, ready for the future.’ Sadly, little of the original building – with its six floors of baroque splendour, including a once-magnificent ballroom and two outdoor terraces – was salvageable. Still, it was important to the couple that its spirit was honoured. ‘We saved chips of paint and scraps of old wallpaper as inspiration for its reinvention, and prioritised bringing back all the classic charm of the house with bespoke carp
