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When one close-knit, travel-loving family with tweens went looking for their dream home, they found it closer at hand than expected. They had already owned a house in Forest Hill for decades, renting it out while living in the Annex when their kids were small. But 15 years later, the site held new appeal.
“They decided to move to Forest Hill to walk to school and to be closer to their friends,” says Rory Gozlan, adding that the house they owned there had been chopped up into apartments and was too tired to save. They decided to rebuild it.
Gozlan, together with Paul Vouriot, are co-founders of GV&Co, a luxury boutique design-build firm. For this new build on a leafy street in midtown, the duo collaborated with the architect Richard Wengle and the interior designer firm The Visionary Co.
The 10,000-square-foot Tudor with red brick and limestone detailing has four bedrooms on the second floor, each with an ensuite. The heads of the household have a dreamy principal retreat of a suite that spans the third floor.
Starting from scratch gave them an opportunity to implement a number of new architectural features. Arches are a motif here. “The entry hall alone has four of them,” says Vouriot.
He adds that the main floor and the principal suite have “massive barrel ceilings. The ceilings have a limestone finish, so when the lights come on, the walls are washed in a soft glow.
The foyer floors sport a custom mosaic featuring Carrara marble and Nero Marquina. For a luxe look, a grill for the air conditioning is cut right into the stone.
“We were given an inspo picture by the designer and clients and then we came up with the pattern and found the stone,” says Vouriot. Above, cool canvas Mori Nut PED pendants that emulate a finely spun cocoon are by the New York City-based lighting design studio Rich Brilliant Willing. They provide maximum impact in the small space, as does the black arched door.
It’s a reminder that going dark can be powerful in an interior. That applies in the dining room too, a moody black space that is a contrast to the kitchen next door, which is airy in a California kind of way. Rattan lights and stools add beachy texture, while the warm tapioca-toned Taj Mahal marble countertops and backsplash are a lovely pairing against the light-toned cabinetry and Casson hardware.
“The millwork is incredible — cabinetlab did the whole house, which is all white oak for consistency. They didn’t skimp on the details anywhere,” says Vouriot.
That’s apparent in the seamless inset wooden arches in the living room that flank the fireplace and contain shelves and closed storage. And in the coffee station/pantry, with its tucked-back doors, open shelving and pull-out drawers. For the triathlete in the house, the area provides storage for a juicer, a blender and protein snacks. There are also two wine fridges in the vicinity.
Bespoke wood appears again in the studio-quality music room equipped with separate A/C and heating, where several guitars are hung on the wall, awaiting use. You can make a lot of noise down there and no one will hear it in the sound-proof room. “It’s the dad’s space. He’s a music enthusiast,” says Gozlan. Because the kids shouldn’t have all the fun.