{"id":339005,"date":"2026-09-05T20:56:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T20:56:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/339005\/"},"modified":"2026-09-05T20:56:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T20:56:26","slug":"nina-barnieh-blairs-renovation-of-a-gramercy-park-townhouse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/339005\/","title":{"rendered":"Nina Barnieh-Blair\u2019s Renovation of a Gramercy Park Townhouse"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"NIna <\/p>\n

Great Rooms<\/a><\/p>\n

\n A visual diary by Design Editor Wendy Goodman.\n <\/p>\n

\n The Living Room \u201cThe seating area celebrates the large windows,\u201d says designer Nina Barnieh-Blair. Witch\u2019s Ladder, the hanging handwoven cotton-and-horsehair textile, is by Rachel Ehlin-Smith. The painting, Safe Zone, is by Rebecca Stern. The Lune sofa is from Fritz Hansen. The Bon daybed is by Adea. The coffee table is by Maria Preciosa. The brass chandelier is by Atelier001, and the bronze table lamps are by James Devlin Studio.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

Three years ago, Deby and Vivek Mathew moved into a three-story 1910 townhouse in Gramercy Park with their three children. It was more space than the family had ever had. Until then, they\u2019d been living in a classic open-format loft on 24th Street.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust the idea of having a floor for our bedroom and then a floor for the kids\u2019 bedrooms was really desirable,\u201d says Deby Mathew.<\/p>\n

The brownstone\u2019s original features, including crown molding, working fireplaces with marble mantels, and a stained-glass skylight, were a big draw. But it needed a refresh. \u201cWe wanted someone to give us an idea of how to make the space modern,\u201d she adds. \u201cI wanted someone to push me with color. My aesthetic tends to be a little bit more Swedish.\u201d<\/p>\n

A friend introduced them to Nina Barnieh-Blair<\/a>, a Ghanaian designer by way of London who has been building her practice in New York for over a decade. A mother of two, Barnieh-Blair understood the brief called for a family home where the grown-ups could still entertain. Working with architect Tom Pulk of Pulk Design, she gave the children \u2014 ages 7, 9, and 11 \u2014 a playroom in addition to their own sleeping quarters on the top floor and reserved the street level for communal areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cOnce we established the architectural flow, the design sorted itself quite easily,\u201d says Barnieh-Blair. For the children\u2019s floor, the designer chose bright rugs, fabrics, and wall paints. Though she took inspiration from the original stained-glass skylight, the palette throughout the rest of the house is quieter. She didn\u2019t get too fussy with the furniture.<\/p>\n

\u201cI looked for pieces that strike a balance between design and practicality,\u201d Barnieh-Blair says. \u201cThe living room was designed with kids running around in mind. The parents didn\u2019t want too much in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

The couple, who have been married for 15 years and moved twice previously with their growing family, was ready for a change. \u201cI loved our old couch, but that thing had years of baby spit and God knows what on it,\u201d Mathew says. \u201cWe needed some new things.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"NIna <\/p>\n

\n The Fireplace Area The custom pebble coffee table is by Gal Gaon for Hostler Burrows. The MOS cabinet is by GamFratesi. The Theodore armchair is from Soho Home. The rug is from Nordic Knots.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

\"NIna <\/p>\n

\n The Entryway The wallpaper is Eskayel\u2019s Polar Pedigree. The demi-lune console is from the 1940s. Above is a Gio Ponti mirror for Gubi.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

\"NIna <\/p>\n

\n The Kitchen Barnieh-Blair worked with architect Tom Pulk on the renovation. The baby-blue range is by La Cornue. The custom cabinetry is in Farrow & Ball\u2019s Hague Blue. The backsplash is made from Handmade Bejmat tiles from Mosaic House. The Bank pendant light is by Audo Copenhagen.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

\"NIna <\/p>\n

\n The Breakfast Area The custom white-oak banquet is upholstered in Kvadrat\u2019s Sunniva by Raf Simons.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

\"NIna <\/p>\n

\n The Dining Room The table has a custom whitewashed oak top and repurposed brass legs. The dining chairs are by Gent. The pendant lamp is by Meshmatics.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

\"NIna <\/p>\n

\n The Main Bedroom The raw-silk wall covering is from Mulberry. The VL38 wall lamps are from Louis Poulsen. The rug is from Nordic Knots. The walnut bed frame is from Article.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

\"NIna <\/p>\n

\n The Landing The balustrade is original. The swivel chair is by Aurora. The ceramic side table is by Melides.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

\"NIna <\/p>\n

\n The Son\u2019s Bedroom The walls are painted in Farrow & Ball\u2019s Green Smoke. The Akari pendant lamp is by Isamu Noguchi. The mushroom ottoman was found on 1stDibs. The shelving and the white-oak desk is custom.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

\"NIna <\/p>\n

\n The Playroom The Range sectional is from Burrow. The table and chairs are from West Elm. The rug is from Ruggable. The Levitate pendant is by Audo Copenhagen. The millwork is custom.
\n Photo: Alexandra Rowley\n <\/p>\n

Thank you for subscribing and supporting our journalism.
\n If you prefer to read in print, you can also find this article in the September 7, 2026, issue of
\n New York\u00a0Magazine.<\/p>\n

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\n to support our journalism and get unlimited access to our coverage.
\n If you prefer to read in print, you can also find this article in the September 7, 2026, issue of
\n New York Magazine.<\/p>\n

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