This turn-of-the-century Upper West Side apartment building, designed in 1912 by renowned Italian architect Gaetan Ajello, has long been home to many well-heeled New Yorkers. The current owners purchased their apartment soon after marrying over 25 years ago. Kelly Solon and Shea Murdock first collaborated with them in 1999 to update the kitchen; two decades later, Murdock Solon Architects was invited back for a complete gut renovation of the entire unit.

The goal was to elevate the home to reflect the couple’s carefully curated art collection, upgrade the mechanical systems—a challenging task in a Landmarked building—and give the space a refined, distinctive identity that mirrored the owners’ style and sensibilities. Throughout, custom design details incorporate materials and artworks collected over years of travel. In the sitting room, custom wallpaper was created from a sketchbook page by Egyptian artist Chant Avedissian, discovered on one of the couple’s journeys. In the primary bedroom, the headboard was fashioned from the silk of a vintage kimono found in Amsterdam.

While the design embraces high-end materials and craftsmanship, the apartment was also tailored to meet the needs of a laid-back family of four—balancing elegance with comfort, and beauty with practical upgrades like expanded storage and dedicated workspaces.

Photographer: David Mitchell