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A homeowner who moved from San Francisco to New York worked with interior designer Jeff Schlarb on a pied-à-terre designed to feel distinct from her West Coast home. The apartment pairs a black, white and cream palette with sculptural furniture, richly colored upholstery and artwork, while the kitchen and bedroom take quieter approaches.
Interior designer Jeff Schlarb has designed a New York pied-à-terre for a homeowner who relocated from San Francisco, giving the East Coast residence a bolder, more expressive character than her previous home. The project, reported by Livingetc, uses sculptural furnishings, contrasting patterns and artwork to reflect the owner’s interests while keeping the apartment’s rooms connected through shared materials and colors.
Schlarb, founder of Jeff Schlarb Design Studio, had previously designed the client’s San Francisco residence, described in the report as having a classic blue-and-white palette. For the New York apartment, the brief called for a different experience: a modern home with a confident, playful and personal feel, shaped by the creative and artistic atmosphere of the city.
The living room is the most visually assertive space. Its palette draws on the black, white and cream veining of marble in the adjoining kitchen, while custom swivel chairs in Harlequin’s Moremi Zebra fabric add a graphic pattern. A deep-wine sofa, reupholstered in Dedar fabric, brings a stronger color accent. Rounded furniture, including a Tom Faulkner Lily Ottoman Coffee Table, balances the sharper contrasts.
The room was designed for both conversation and display, according to the report. A sculptural Halti light by Cameron Design House hangs overhead, and artworks by Tony Fey and Natalia Nicole Rodriguez add visual interest. Custom cabinetry by Rift Studio conceals the media system when it is not in use and combines closed storage with open shelving for the owner’s collected objects.
A Second Home With Its Own Identity
The project illustrates how a second home can be designed around a different setting and mood without abandoning the client’s established preferences. Schlarb already knew how the owner liked to live from their work in San Francisco, but the New York apartment was not treated as a copy of that residence. Its more graphic living room and art-led details give the new base a distinct identity.
The design also shows how visual contrast can coexist with practical use. The living room’s expressive furnishings and generous seating support entertaining, while concealed media equipment and storage address everyday needs. For readers interested in interiors, the project offers a specific example of a designer adapting an existing client relationship to a new home rather than repeating a previous scheme.
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From West Coast Palette to East Coast Base
The homeowner’s move from San Francisco to New York created the occasion for a second project with Schlarb. Livingetc describes the New York residence as a pied-à-terre, or a secondary city home, and says the client wanted it to explore another side of her personality. Her interests include fashion, photography and the work of female artists.
Instead of carrying the earlier home’s blue-and-white scheme across the country, the designer used the kitchen’s marble as a starting point for the New York apartment’s palette. The stone’s black, white and cream tones recur in the living room, linking rooms with different levels of visual intensity. The kitchen itself remains more restrained, with marble set against white cabinetry and darker flooring.
The bedroom introduces another shift in mood. Dusky sage walls provide a backdrop for artwork by Dina Broadhurst and Heather Knight. A custom bed designed by the studio includes built-in drawers, and a tailored sofa adds a softer blush tone. These details extend the owner’s interest in collected art and custom pieces into a quieter room.
“The beauty of a second collaboration is knowing what matters to someone while finding a new way to express it.”
— Jeff Schlarb, as quoted by Livingetc
Project Details Not Included in the Report
The source describes the design and names selected furnishings, artists and materials, but does not give the apartment’s address, size, budget or completion date. It also does not specify whether the home is used mainly for short stays, entertaining or longer visits. The report presents the design choices and the client’s aims through the designer’s account; it does not include a direct interview with the homeowner or an independent assessment of the finished space.
No Further Project Plans Reported
Livingetc’s feature documents the completed design but does not report a planned renovation phase, public event or other upcoming milestone. The next step for readers seeking more detail is to consult the original feature and its credited project photography. Any further information about the owner’s experience or the apartment’s use has not been provided in the source material.
Key Questions
Who designed the New York pied-à-terre?
Jeff Schlarb, founder of Jeff Schlarb Design Studio, designed the apartment. He had also designed the client’s earlier San Francisco home.
How does the New York apartment differ from the San Francisco home?
Livingetc describes the San Francisco residence as having a classic blue-and-white palette. The New York home instead emphasizes black, white and cream, with graphic patterns, sculptural furniture and richer color accents.
What is the main design feature of the living room?
The living room combines contrasting patterns and curved furniture with a deep-wine sofa, a sculptural light and artworks by Tony Fey and Natalia Nicole Rodriguez. The seating arrangement was planned for conversation and entertaining.
How are the rooms connected despite their different styles?
The designer carried the kitchen marble’s black, white and cream tones into the living room. The kitchen remains more restrained, while the bedroom adds sage walls, collected art and custom furnishings.
What project information has not been reported?
The source does not give the apartment’s location, size, budget or completion date, or explain how often the owner uses it. It also does not include a direct interview with the homeowner.
Source: livingetc.com
