This house on the Upper East Side, New York astonishes everyone walking by. The house is unique because the outside presents a conservative brick structure, while the inside:

• a hurricane of colors
• abundance of diverse textures
• an unimaginable number of contemporary art, from the blood-red steel sculpture by Anish Kapur under the stairs and a bronze gorilla by Lalan in the lobby to the paintings by Serra in the dining room and Demien Hersta in the living room.

Image source: petermarinoarchitect.com

A large living room has a lot of objects and fabrics created by the Peter Marino’s design as, for example, there are ebony lacquered shelves, decorated with bronze inserts, table lamps with shades of fabrics for saris and fringed sofas, a 1970s plastic table with a 1900s Japanese bronze bowl on it and Witness painting by Richard Serra is above the fireplace.

It would be a different matter if the space was modern – but no, the artistic mix unfolds against the backdrop of classical walls, fluted columns and stucco ceilings.

Image source: petermarinoarchitect.com

Architect Peter Marino is responsible for all this splendor design. A painter by training, he is very fond of art – in fact, he helped the owners of the house to collect their art collection. And it was he who advised them not to make significant alterations in the old building.

After 4-year repairs many things are still in place – nursery and bedroom have been left at the same places. Stairs and marble floors in the lobby, too, have not changed, only restored.

Image source: petermarinoarchitect.com

The living room includes:

• Potassium Chloride painting by Demien Herst between the Cambodian antique statues
• Love sculpture by Robert Indiana in the foreground
• On the side wall there is Growing Up painting by Gilbert and George

Some areas of the house, however, have going through changes. For example, it took six month to combine four small rooms into one giant with the aim to place a painting by Sol Levitt in the living room. Marino was very attentive to the decorations: he meticulously selected the streaked marble for a bath and hand-painted leather, covering part of the walls in the living room.

Image source: petermarinoarchitect.com

The house, designed by Peter Marino, is a historical townhouse. The architect treated it with reverence: having filled the interiors with contemporary art, he left untouched the old stucco ceilings, original doors and sandstone stairs.

Image source: petermarinoarchitect.com

Marino has paid particular attention to the children’s rooms as he is also a father and takes children’s interests to heart.

Image source: petermarinoarchitect.com

Marino loves to use culinary metaphors in the job description such as “The interior needs surprises – firstly, it seems it’s a usual room, but all of a sudden you find amusing details. They, like spices in a dish, spice it.” And, as it befits an inspired cooker, he finishes his ‘dishes’ with his own ‘sauces’ – furniture and fabrics by his own design.
Is it any wonder that the interior by Peter Marino has turned out to be so ‘delicious’?

Image source: petermarinoarchitect.com