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Trudy Dujardin has a formula for success – a perfected harmony where visual delight and practicality work seamlessly together. Utilizing this format, the designer thoughtfully synthesized her client’s desires to balance the needs of both parents and teenage children in this historic 3,500-square-foot Park Avenue residence. She retained the cultivated beauty and refinement, and brought in modern efficiency and aesthetics.
Originally built by architects George and Edward Blum in 1912, the apartment feels more like a house. The two living rooms – one for the parents and the other for their teens – boast subtle sophistication that any age can appreciate. The decor is a happy blend of new purchases accented with the client’s collection of accessories, including a comprehensive Japanese art collection that the family acquired while living in Japan.
Upon entry on the first floor, guests are welcomed by the remarkable light-filled view of the south living room, which opens onto the north living room and creates a phenomenal enfilade of 52 feet. The use of the same area rug in both rooms emphasizes the sweeping space. The south living room features restored wainscoting, inlaid floors and a classical fireplace mantel.
The color scheme doesn’t shout, and the color accents pop without overwhelming. “Hermes orange is the client’s favorite color,” Dujardin explains. “It is a strong color that has to be balanced very carefully with neutrals and other tones.” Energetically, the orange lifts, the grays calm and the earth tones ground.
The consistent use of grays and white paint throughout the duplex extends the feeling of spaciousness. For the first floor, Dujardin and Price Connors, Dujardin’s senior interior designer, brought in warm earth tones with fabrics of chocolate browns and oranges for the upholstery. Upstairs in the master bedroom, pops of color from the client’s area rug and art accent a palate of soothing blues, grays and creams.
Dujardin has created a refined, comfortable home in its mix of contemporary, antique and vintage design themes and in the unique pieces from the client’s personal collection. The result is a lightly eclectic and warm home.
“The rooms are lived in and filled with the joy of contemporary family life,” Connors concludes.
Photography Courtesy of Marco Ricca.
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