Upper West Side Residence by Gachot

Housed in a late 19th-century building on the Upper West Side, this inviting family residence marries a serene take on modernist principles with the clients’ penchant for airy Californian cool.

When the clients decided to call Upper Manhattan home, they enlisted the expertise of Gachot to reinvent their four-bedroom apartment into an approachable haven for their growing family. “The clients moved to enjoy more space and all that the Upper West Side has to offer,” says Christine Gachot, founder of Gachot. Marking the clients’ second collaboration with the design studio – the first being a stunning pad in SoHo – Upper West Side Residence takes its cues from this previous project while honouring the unique qualities of this property and its surroundings. Reflecting on the project aspirations, Gachot reveals “the clients loved the warm modern style of their SoHo space and wanted to pair that with subtle moments of vibrant colour.”

Much like the clients’ SoHo property, the design of Upper West Side Residence is centred around entertaining family and friends.

Much like the clients’ SoHo property, the design of Upper West Side Residence is centred around entertaining family and friends. “Our clients very much see the kitchen as the heart of the home,” attests Gachot, highlighting a crucial starting point for the home’s spatial layout. In a key planning move, the team moved the original kitchen to allow for a large, open and light-filled kitchen and family space to gather. Broad openings frame an adjoining playroom, dining room, living room and library, offering an active and interconnected hub for the young family to enjoy together. “These linked spaces contribute to the warm, spacious and comfortable character of the apartment,” reflects Gachot.

This sensibility is heightened by the thoughtful curation of materials. Rift- cut white oak features prominently, from classic herringbone and plank floors to wire-brushed doors, cased openings, window casings and millwork, lending mellow warmth and sophistication. In the main living volume, it neatly lines the windows’ deep reveals, framing the neighbouring American Museum of Natural History and its established perimeter of greenery with a gallery-like reverence, reaffirming the apartment’s covetable locale. “Multiple window seats encourage an appreciation of the light and surrounding views,” says Gachot, while sheer roman blinds bathe the apartment’s warm white walls and ceilings in softened and ever-changing light.

In the main living volume, it neatly lines the windows’ deep reveals, framing the neighbouring American Museum of Natural History and its established perimeter of greenery with a gallery-like reverence.

Gachot’s astute attention to detail is celebrated in the kitchen, where etched glass cabinet doors showcase the family’s collection of glassware and flatware against solid white oak interiors. Warm white lacquered cabinets complemented by honed marble benchtops and splashbacks craft a captivating tonal composition, gently embellished with a bespoke, burnished brass-clad rangehood, brass hardware, tapware and custom integrated pull handles. Classic Beehive A331 pendants, designed by Alvar Aalto in 1953, harmoniously bind this palette, offset by “an injection of colour in the inset rainforest green mosaic tile of the kitchen island, paired with highly saturated blue-green leather counter stools,” says Gachot.

An array of cooling tones in smart style touches – the kitchen’s Amazonia L Vase by Gaetano Pesce, the dining room’s glazed green and silver ceramics by Wilhelm Kåge, the library’s lively artwork by Sam Friedman and dynamic works by Simone Shubuck that adorn the family room and living room walls – coalesce with the verdant greens of the views outside. While pale dolomite and white oak prevail in the bathrooms, glazed pale blue tiles and Moroccan mosaics “add bold hues to the otherwise neutral spaces”. These thoughtful accents lend depth and nuance across the home’s spaces, cultivating personality and intrigue at every turn.

Gachot has skilfully applied a layered approach to furniture, lighting, art and decor.

Gachot has skilfully applied a layered approach to furniture, lighting, art and decor. Confidently blending contemporary, custom in-house pieces with mid-century, vintage and collectible objects, the interior evokes a refined eclecticism. The family room combines a bespoke sectional sofa and walnut entertainment unit with iconic Jeanneret lounge chairs and a 1960s Bovenkamp teak and rattan coffee table resting on a custom jute rug – a fitting representation of the varied yet seamless arrangements that abound in each setting. Gachot crafts a dynamic space that enriches the overall ambience.

Functional art pieces – including a bronze drinks table by Aline Hazarian and a stacked light sculpture by Niamh Barry, both sourced from Maison Gerard – capture the clients’ interest in collectible design. Other striking pieces include the library’s Jules Wabbes desk from the clients’ SoHo house and the dining room’s mid-century multi-arm saucer chandelier, which sits in playful dialogue with a custom Italian scagliola-surrounded fireplace. Reflecting on the project’s special features, Gachot quips, “no library is complete without a dry bar – this one fitting seamlessly in the timber panelled room, built of white oak with a contrasting Noir St. Laurent countertop.”

While Upper West Side Residence is characterised by an air of detail and refinement, the property thoughtfully supports the multifaceted, practical demands of family life.

While Upper West Side Residence is characterised by an air of detail and refinement, the property thoughtfully supports the multifaceted, practical demands of family life. In addition to the generous kitchen and gathering areas, the apartment includes two bedrooms and a multi-use playroom. “Organisation was an important consideration,” says Gachot, noting the seamless inclusion of a coat cupboard at the entry, a butler’s pantry off the kitchen and a walk-in wardrobe adjoining the primary bedroom.

Effortlessly elegant and inviting, Upper West Side Residence brings a sense of occasion to the family’s lifestyle. Gachot’s planning has crafted ample, flexible space for the growing tribe, while “the architectural moves, materials, furnishings and palette align to create a space that is enduring,” reflects Gachot. Animated with playful design twists and saturated colour accents, the home gently reflects the adventurous spirit of its owners, offering “a home for the family in the truest sense”.

Interior design by Gachot. Build by Habiterra NYC.