a garden state firm displays its craft in this 4,500-square-foot Manhattan Penthouse redesign
by Lindsey Blair
It was a fabulous old apartment with great bones,” said Susan Greenbaum, president of Greenbaum Interiors, of this 4,500-square-foot penthouse on 5th Avenue and 76th Street overlooking Central Park.
Her company takes on high-end projects like this all the time, but it didn’t start out that way. Family owned and operated since 1952, and originally co-founded by “the Greenbaum Boys” (brothers Jimmy and Alvin Greenbaum, Susan’s father and uncle), who specialized in early American furniture, the business began as a
mom and pop store in New Jersey. Now, with three locations in Harding Township, Ridgewood, and its headquarters in a sizable 140,000-square-foot, seven-building complex in Historic Paterson, Greenbaum Interiors has emerged as a prominent one-stop shop.
“We are a hybrid design firm with retail centers that contain
some of the world’s finest antiques, reproductions, modern, and
custom furniture,” Greenbaum explained. “If we can’t find it,
we will make it, and we have a team of contractors, painters,
and installers to assist with any project.”
One of the company’s senior designers, David Zisa, a graduate of the Fashion Institute in NYC and a designer by nature (he was ever rearranging his parent’s furniture when he was a young boy), applied the firm’s inclusive philosophy when designing the four bedroom, four-bathroom penthouse, which also houses a separate one-bedroom apartment.
Location was “the draw” for Greenbaum when taking on this project—the classically chic Upper East Side and a stone’s throw from one of the most famed parks in the world—but the condition of the penthouse at purchase called for a complete overhaul.
“The apartment was a total gut job and required a re-imagination of its entire space,” said Greenbaum. “It was Old World elegance but needed a lot of changes to update to today’s living.”
When designing a space, Greenbaum makes it a point to collaborate with owners on the vision and functionality of design elements. In this case, they were moving from a large home in New Jersey to a considerably smaller apartment in Manhattan.
“It was going to be an adjustment,” said Greenbaum, but added that she was immediately inspired by some of the couple’s possessions.
“Their collection of art and Art Deco pieces set the tone for the space…comfortable luxury.”
Complementing that comfortably luxurious tone with a calming mixture of soft creams and greys, Zisa was able to use the muted palate to allow some of the more prominent design elements to pop: the iron antiques, the doors leading to the wrap around terrace overlooking the park, the vast collection of artwork, and the hand-crafted furniture pieces.
Zisa was also mindful of the current owners’ (a full-time working couple who are recent empty nesters) requirement to include a space for their children to return to from school as well as a home office. Zisa incorporated these needs through the paneled family room and home office, which feature custom walnut coffered ceilings and Art Deco bookcases, creating a cozy and inviting
atmosphere.
The dining room, Greenbaum explained, is the perfect representation of the skilled artisans she employs. Its custom table—made from Birdseye maple—opens to an expansive seven feet, and the custom dining chairs are hand-carved and covered in authentic horsetail hair. The panels on the side of the room also double as floor-to-ceiling wine refrigerators.
Greenbaum’s firm has been the recipient of various design awards over the years, including being named “Shining Star” (one of the top 50 most creative retailers in the nation) and winner of the 17th ARTS Award for the Furniture Store category in East Atlantic Region by Home Accents Today magazine.
Greenbaum Interiors | Live with Fine Design
1105 Mt. Kemble Ave. (Route 202), Morristown / 973.425.5500
584 Route 17 North @ Racetrack Road, Ridgewood / 201.857.3600
HQ: 101 Washington St., Paterson / 973.279.3000