Inside Interior Designer Garrow Kedigian’s NYC Apartment at The Carlyle Hotel

The Carlyle Hotel is situated on the corner of East 76th Street and Madison Avenue on New York City’s quiet and glamorous Upper East Side. This five-star hotel has hosted everyone from Lucille Ball and John F. Kennedy to Princess Diana and Naomi Campbell since its doors opened in 1930. That’s why when respected interior designer and Montreal-born Garrow Kedigian was offered to purchase an apartment at this famous upper east side building; He could not pass up the opportunity to live in this very iconic building. He says, “Ever since I moved to New York twenty years ago, I have been enamored by the Carlyle tower, which is the beacon over the upper east side.”

Garrow initially fell in love with the apartment, but he faced significant design challenges. He raised all the ceilings that were previously dropped from a previous renovation. Exposed crown moldings and 16 inches of additional height resulted from this decision. His now-famous cerulean foyer with a high gloss finish and accented gold-painted panel lines on the wall welcomes lucky guests that can step foot in his beautiful apartment. A beautiful gilded antique mirror gives a glimpse of his classic but streamlined living room.

Two things inspired the high gloss citron living room. It is a nod to Carlyle lobby decorator Dorothy Draper’s signature yellow velvet sofas that are still downstairs and the fact that this room is sun-drenched. The room’s joyous color carries over from its walls to its blue-backed bookshelves that showcase his collection of vintage books and home accents.

Garrow turned the sun-filled primary bedroom of the gorgeous apartment into his library and home office as he wanted to take advantage of the daylight. In contrast to his foyer’s high gloss walls, the library walls are more muted. He was still able to incorporate a little bit of gloss into the ceiling.

For his Christian Lacroix wallpaper-clad kitchen, he wanted a moody atmosphere. A 19th-century butler’s mirror is a perfect accent and offers a peek into the kitchen and its brass sheet backsplash. Lighting is essential in a small dark space such as this, and it works perfectly with the clever addition of the brass sheet backsplash. The lighting bounces off the surface, creating an instant shine in the room. Garrow notes, “I painted everything black because again, in a small dark space, the concept is to go dark.” 

The apartment’s secondary bedroom facing the internal courtyard of the building was turned into Garrow’s bedroom. A usual sight in all his past apartments are canopy beds, so it’s not surprising to see an antique four-poster bed in his latest apartment. Garrow considers this 19th-century bed his first big purchase, which was snapped up at an auction in his hometown Montreal when he was just 15.

Every project has its particular personality, be it an exciting location, client, or a combination of the two. For Garrow, the most exciting thing about the design process for me is that it is different each time. This statement is evident in all his homes and past apartments; every apartment looks different but maintains his play on bright, joyful colors and exuberant classicism.

Notes about the contributor

Daniel Lampa

Art enthusiast and into Fashion, French Culture, Mid-century modern design and spends a lot of his time curating his home in Manila and LA. He lives with his 3 dogs, Coco, Yohji and Junya.

Photos by Thomas Loof