Neighborhood Intel

A Technicolor townhouse fit for a family on the Upper East Side

By Virginia K. Smith  | November 11, 2015 - 2:59PM
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While the idea of an Upper East Side townhouse seemingly demands hushed tones and genteel ways, not to mention antiques and miles of marble, whoever decorated this Carnegie Hill gem seems to have taken the concept of "pop of color" to a whole new level, rendering the place more welcoming to the kids in the family. Admittedly, it isn't for everyone, but credit where it's due for originality and inspiration to get creative and personal with decor, even in a stately older home.

Let's start with our favorite area—the kitchen. Instead of the ubiquitous sea-of-stainless-steel-and-granite look, here, the white shelving, wooden floors and furniture and, yes, stainless steel appliances are all offset by bright blue walls reminiscent of a Tuscan summer. 

We're not totally sold on the purple dining room, but the bones—high ceilings, fireplace—are great and the colorful elements (namely the carpet and window treatments) are easy enough to swap out. Ditto for the bedrooms.

There's a sunny master bedroom, a second sleek, spacious sitting room, and most importantly, a planted rooftop terrace with views of Central Park:

The finished basement also includes its own play area (as well as the less fun, but still key, laundry and storage areas). And that rooftop deck!

Even though it's a private townhouse, the $12.95 million spread (which recently saw a price reduction of $1.25 million, according to StreetEasy) is also somehow listed as having a concierge and a doorman—unclear exactly how that works, but it sounds posh. The building's got architectural bonafides as well, having been designed by John Sullivan in the late 19th century, per the listing. (For that old school air, there are also three gas fireplaces.) 

One caveat to keep in mind: buy this place, and you'll probably end up on constant hosting duty for both your kids' play dates and your own.

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