{"id":372447,"date":"2025-12-26T06:28:23","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T06:28:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/372447\/"},"modified":"2025-12-26T06:28:23","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T06:28:23","slug":"tour-a-23m-nyc-parlor-room-where-pedigree-meets-playfulness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/372447\/","title":{"rendered":"Tour a $23M NYC Parlor Room Where Pedigree Meets Playfulness"},"content":{"rendered":"

For $32 million, you can now claim a townhouse on Greenwich Village\u2019s so-called \u2018New Billionaire\u2019s Row\u2019 \u2013 a designation that feels almost ironic given the neighborhood\u2019s long history of bohemian mischief, artists, and rule-breakers. That creative lineage isn\u2019t erased here. Instead, the home\u2019s recent renovation by husband-and-wife hoteliers and designers Sven and Sara Simon<\/a> treats it as something to be preserved, not polished away.<\/p>\n

Originally built in 1841 and later expanded by I.M. Pei \u2013 yes, that I.M. Pei, of Louvre Pyramid fame \u2013 the former home of Emmy-winning actress Ellen Barkin now carries a relaxed West Coast sensibility following the couple\u2019s move from Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Spanning three floors, the townhouse balances history with ease, but it\u2019s the parlor room \u2013 parts salon, gallery, and conversation pit \u2013 where old-world provenance and modern irreverence meet most convincingly. Ahead, Sara unpacks the thinking behind the room\u2019s rule-bending Design DNA<\/a>, and how to apply it at home.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Unconventional Pattern Pairings<\/p>\n

\n

\"Pattern-filled\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Joseph Velasquez\u00a0of\u00a0Five7 Media. Design: dasCasa)<\/p>\n

This parlor room isn\u2019t shy about decorating with pattern<\/a> \u2013 something Sara credits to her West Coast roots.<\/p>\n

\u2018You can take the girl out of Cali, but can\u2019t take Cali out of the girl,\u2019 she says. \u2018The LA style is definitely the bold color and pattern choices. I find that East Coast design tends to be a bit more muted. LA is a bit more walk on the wild side. I definitely stayed true to my Cali swag while adding an East Coast twist.\u2019<\/p>\n

That bicoastal mindset may be the real key to successful pattern drenching<\/a>. Beyond varying color and scale, this room leans into contrast of sensibility. Beneath the glass-topped coffee table sits a leopard-print rug (pure LA rock \u2019n\u2019 roll), while the Round Top\u2013sourced floral sofa above reads distinctly East Coast, like it could have lived here for generations.<\/p>\n

Whether you’re tackling a layered living room<\/a> or a parlor room of your own, don’t just mix patterns. Mix eras, places, and attitudes.<\/p>\n

‘Original’ Warm Woods<\/p>\n

\n

\"NYC\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Joseph Velasquez\u00a0of\u00a0Five7 Media. Design: dasCasa)<\/p>\n

The warm woods wrapping the walls and spiraling through the bookcases feel convincingly original \u2013 which is exactly the illusion Sara was after. In reality, none of it is.<\/p>\n

\u2018All the millwork is brand new. No part of the previous millwork was kept,\u2019 she reveals. \u2018This is where the East Coast brownstone design met the Cali design. We knew that we wanted to stay classic and true to a brownstone and not make it a modern box. We wanted to give it that old-world feel and bring warmth and character into the space. The goal was to make it feel lived in.\u2019<\/p>\n

Instead of leaning into lighter, beach-coded woods or textured plaster finishes typical of a West Coast renovation, Sara chose sapele \u2013 a mahogany alternative known for its ribboned grain and depth of color.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a useful reminder for historic spaces (or those aspiring to feel like one): get the bones right first. When the foundational materials carry weight and warmth, the more experimental layers have somewhere to land.<\/p>\n

\u2018You can take the girl out of Cali, but can\u2019t take Cali out of the girl. The LA style is definitely the bold color and pattern choices. I find that East Coast design tends to be a bit more muted. LA is a bit more walk on the wild side.\u2019<\/p>\n

Sara Simon, co-founder of real estate development and design firm dasCasaVintage Collectibles<\/p>\n

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\"Parlor\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Joseph Velasquez\u00a0of\u00a0Five7 Media. Design: dasCasa)<\/p>\n

From bronze monkeys to swan-shaped bookends, the shelving in this parlor room is deliberately populated \u2013 not crowded \u2013 with objects that lend credibility to the home\u2019s East Coast bones, even as the sensibility leans West.<\/p>\n

\u2018I wanted the space to feel lived in, so I collected pieces such as trophies, vintage<\/a> bowls, vases, and bookends to fill up the space. And I always like using old books to warm it up,\u2019 says Sara.<\/p>\n

The lesson here isn\u2019t just what you collect, but how you place it. Sara leaves generous pockets of negative space<\/a> between objects and groupings, a move borrowed more from galleries than curio cabinets. This way, even a $5 thrifted vase can feel authoritative \u2013 without a $23 million home-worthy curation budget.<\/p>\n

\u2018It\u2019s so hard to explain my design process because there is no real method to my madness. I like leopard, so I buy the leopard chairs. I love monkeys holding glass as a coffee table, so I buy the monkeys.\u2019<\/p>\n

Sara Simon, co-founder of real estate development and design firm dasCasaA Gallery Wall<\/p>\n

\n

\"Parlor\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Joseph Velasquez\u00a0of\u00a0Five7 Media. Design: dasCasa)<\/p>\n

Gallery walls<\/a> have cycled in and out of favor, but this parlor room makes a convincing case for permanence. Spanning the better part of an already expansive wall, the arrangement works precisely because it resists perfection.<\/p>\n

\u2018I am a sucker for a gallery wall, and I drove my carpenter insane hanging these as he wanted them lined up, and I did not,\u2019 Sara says of abandoning the grid. Like the millwork, she explains, \u2018gallery walls give the room character.\u2019 To keep the display from competing with the room\u2019s color story, she kept the images monochrome. \u2018I didn\u2019t want them to compete with the color on the couch, so I did the wall in black-and-white photos\u2019 \u2013 a choice that underscores a familiar paradox in decorating: contrast, not coordination, is often what reads most intentional.<\/p>\n

Her advice is simple: plan, but don\u2019t over-plan. \u2018If you want to do a gallery wall, lay it out or draw it up first, but be ok to be flexible.\u2019 The magic, she suggests, tends to happen somewhere in the in-between.<\/p>\n

Non-Matching Pops of Color <\/p>\n

\n

\"Pattern-filled\n<\/p>\n

(Image credit: Joseph Velasquez\u00a0of\u00a0Five7 Media. Design: dasCasa)<\/p>\n

The color moments in this parlor room feel seamless because Sara and Sven kept them in the family. Jewel tones<\/a> surface slowly, unified less by exact match than by shared depth.<\/p>\n

\u2018I don\u2019t do matchy-matchy and love patterns and colors,\u2019 Sara says, pointing to the pair of Danish high-back chairs<\/a> sourced from Denmark. One olive, one ochre, they’re different shades that hit the same register.<\/p>\n

The emerald marble fireplace operates similarly, as do the walls: Farrow & Ball\u2019s London Clay<\/a> \u2013 subtly tinged with magenta \u2013 absorbs and reflects the saturation elsewhere, keeping the palette cohesive.<\/p>\n

The takeaway here is that colors don\u2019t need to match. They just need to speak the same language.<\/p>\n

The Edit
\n<\/p>\n

\n

\"Vintage,\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Vintage (1970s)<\/p>\n

Brass Swan Bookends<\/p>\n

Add a note of intrigue to your shelves with these Deco-inspired swan bookends, which are a close match to the graceful duo sourced by Sara and Sven. Style them with a light hand: a few favorite reads and plenty of breathing room on either side so the shelf reads more like a gallery.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Midcentury\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Norell M\u00f6bel AB (Sweden, 1970s)<\/p>\n

‘Ilona” by Arne Norell<\/p>\n

\u2018The couch<\/a> is definitely a statement piece in the room,\u2019 says Sara. \u2018I bought it at Round Top<\/a> not specifically for this project, but because I had to have it. It just sat in storage for well over a year, and it fit perfect in the space, so this is her big debut.\u2019 We\u2019re just as smitten \u2013 and, fortunately, have tracked down the exact piece.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Oseela,\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Oseela<\/p>\n

Kilim Cushion Cover<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a lot to love about the sofa\u2019s florals, but we can\u2019t forget about the pattern-on-pattern moment happening on top. This throw pillow<\/a> cover closely mirrors the zoomed-in florals of the multicolored Turkish tapestry cushions perched against the back \u2013 a calculated clash that amplifies the smaller-scale florals in the upholstery.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Frank\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

ArtPhotoLimited<\/p>\n

‘Frank Sinatra Shaving His Face in a Mirror’ Framed Print, 12″ x 8″<\/p>\n

Pop-cultural references of a bygone era abound on this parlor room gallery wall.\u00a0While icons like David Bowie or Janis Joplin were tempting, we went classic with Frank Sinatra. Buy the print framed or on its own, then commit to a single frame style as you build out the rest of your black-and-white lineup.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Coco\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Lulu and Georgia<\/p>\n

Coco Round Side Table by Carly Cushnie<\/p>\n

Sitting alongside that glorious Swedish sofa circa 1970 is a newer design by Carly Cushnie for Lulu and Georgia. The designer\u2019s fashion background is obvious in the table\u2019s sculptural silhouette and jewelry-like wood bead detailing, serving as an ideal stage for elevating everyday objects.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Safavieh\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

SAFAVIEH<\/p>\n

Naples Collection Area Rug, 5′ X 8′<\/p>\n

\u2018I have a not-so-secret obsession with leopard, so it lives throughout the home,\u2019 Sara laughs \u2013 including underfoot. This handmade wool rug from Safavieh delivers the same graphic swagger as the original. Available in nearly every size imaginable,\u00a0it\u2019s a relatively low-lift way to take a walk on the wild side, commitment level entirely up to you.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Vintage\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Vintage (Denmark, 1960s)<\/p>\n

Highback Armchair in Green Velvet, 1960s<\/p>\n

Fringe may be enjoying renewed relevance, but this Danish highback chair proves it\u2019s never really left.\u00a0This vintage design leans fully into the drama, pairing the theatrical trim<\/a> with a silhouette bold enough to keep up. Resist finding its twin (Sara\u2019s firm on avoiding anything too matchy). Instead, let it stand alone, or offset it with another vintage seat in navy or ochre for contrast.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"Unemployable:\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Thames & Hudson<\/p>\n

Unemployable: 30 Years of Hardcore, Skate and Street<\/p>\n

Unemployable might be the story of the three Australian brothers behind Globe International \u2013 one of the world\u2019s most influential skate, surf, and street brands \u2013 but that same unruly spirit feels right at home on Billionaire\u2019s Row. The gritty table read is an unexpected homage to California culture, slipping a subversive West Coast note (and a welcome flash of red) into an otherwise impeccably composed parlor room.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

\"1960's\n<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Vintage (1960s)<\/p>\n

Plaster Bell Hop Monkey Side Table <\/p>\n

Suspended beneath a glass top and dressed like a bellhop, this plaster monkey was made to spark conversation.\u00a0The figure does the heavy lifting in terms of personality, while the table\u2019s glass surface keeps the silhouette light, preventing the piece from overwhelming any already pattern-rich rug below.<\/p>\n

What Are the Key Elements of a Well-Designed Parlor Room?<\/p>\n

A parlor room may be the jewel box of a home, but it shouldn\u2019t feel untouchable; it should invite lingering.<\/p>\n

\u2018You want it to be a place that you want to be. Design in a way that makes you feel something,\u2019 Sara explains. That emotional pull, she notes, often comes from the details people are tempted to edit out \u2013 the personal, slightly eccentric pieces that feel too bold for more ‘practical’ rooms.<\/p>\n

Rather than anchoring the space to a single palette or style, Sara treats the parlor as a reflection of lived experience. \u2018I design based on my latest inspiration from my travels,\u2019 she explains. \u2018The colors, patterns, textures, it all stems from things that have caught my eye and have inspired me and have stuck.\u2019<\/p>\n

When instinct leads, design tends to follow.<\/p>\n

How Do You Create a Balanced Parlor Room?<\/p>\n

Balance<\/a>, for Sara and Sven, meant refusing to let any single plane do all the work. In a room where the millwork and art already command attention from the walls, the ceiling<\/a> couldn\u2019t be an afterthought.<\/p>\n

\u2018The ceiling, I thought, was way too boring to be white or a solid color,\u2019 Sara says. \u2018I wanted the room to stay warm and moody and have some flavor, so I settled on this floral wallpaper<\/a>.\u2019 She paired it with a 1920s French Art Deco ceiling light sourced from Belgium. \u2018I loved the palms on it and the shape. It gave a hip old-world vibe.\u2019<\/p>\n

By treating the ceiling with the same reverence as the walls and furnishings, this parlor room avoids hierarchy altogether. Had the ceiling been left plain \u2013 or the fixture felt too new \u2013 the parlor might have lost its balance. Instead, the space pulls together as a fully realized, cross-generational world.<\/p>\n

What Design Choices Make This Room Timeless?<\/p>\n

The timelessness of this parlor room \u2013 or any room, for that matter \u2013 comes from elements that naturally span eras rather than belong to just one.<\/p>\n

Always-on materials like warm woods and veined marble anchor the space, while black-and-white photography avoids timestamping it to a specific moment. Even the more expressive gestures \u2013 the leopard rug, for instance \u2013 read less as accents and more as part of a broader \u2018wild side\u2019 narrative that lets old and new coexist.<\/p>\n

\u2018There is a lot going on, but it all feels very cohesive,\u2019 says Sara.<\/p>\n

What Should Every Parlor Room Include?<\/p>\n

Every parlor room needs a conversation starter. For Sara, that role belongs to the glass-topped coffee table held aloft by two monkeys.<\/p>\n

\u2018I\u2019ll be honest, I saw it and had to have it. It\u2019s just too good. And it\u2019s definitely a conversation piece that has everyone talking about it,\u2019 she quips.<\/p>\n

That instinct-first mindset runs through Sara\u2019s work more broadly. \u2018It\u2019s so hard to explain my design process because there is no real method to my madness,\u2019 the designer tells H&G. \u2018I like leopard, so I buy the leopard chairs. I love monkeys holding glass as a coffee table, so I buy the monkeys. I love unique one-of-a-kind pieces, and I love the hunt.’<\/p>\n

When torn between the sensible option and the parlor room piece that makes your pulse jump, Sara suggests choosing the latter. \u2018My advice is to always trust your gut and go for it.\u2019<\/p>\n

This parlor room\u2019s DNA isn\u2019t rooted in rules or movements, but instinct. Blend references freely. Buy with conviction. Let pieces coexist even when they don\u2019t neatly agree. The rooms that read the most confident are the ones that resist resolving into a single idea.<\/p>\n

Design DNA<\/a> is the Homes & Gardens series that breaks down beautiful rooms into their essential elements. Each installment dissects one interior and shows readers exactly what makes it work, from the anchor furniture and layout choices to color, lighting, and styling details. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For $32 million, you can now claim a townhouse on Greenwich Village\u2019s so-called \u2018New Billionaire\u2019s Row\u2019 \u2013 a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":372448,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[449,458,459,64,63,460,134],"class_list":{"0":"post-372447","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-arts","9":"tag-arts-and-design","10":"tag-artsanddesign","11":"tag-au","12":"tag-australia","13":"tag-design","14":"tag-entertainment"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372447","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=372447"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372447\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/372448"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=372447"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=372447"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=372447"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}