“We treated the entire apartment as one holistic assignment and thoughtfully considered everything from the architectural finishes to the furniture, lighting, art, and accessories,” designer Emma Montgomery says of this Manhattan home. “A few through-lines in the design include global influences like limewash plaster and Zellige tile, soft architectural curvature carried into the rounded edges of the furniture, and rich moments of jewel-toned wallpaper, furniture, and art.”

The neighborhood is known for its vibrant mix of restaurants, galleries, and waterfront views, while the building itself stands as a modernist masterpiece distinguished by its graceful curved windows. “You feel calm and peaceful above the quick pace of the city below,” the designer notes.

Her clients sought to transform their newly purchased showpiece apartment into a family home that felt warm, inviting, and uniquely their own. “That required a full overhaul of the finishes from top to bottom, and the clients were up for the creative challenge,” she shares. “We integrated custom architectural moments throughout the space, such as a dramatic tiled fireplace and arched openings inspired by a sourcing trip to Morocco we took together. We also fabricated custom built-ins throughout to make the apartment feel completely tailored to my clients’ lifestyle and taste.”

The result is a material-driven interior layered with textured neutrals and punctuated by moments of drama through rich jewel tones and sculptural curves. While the home had already been thoughtfully conceived as a showcase apartment, Emma embraced the challenge of bringing a fresh perspective that felt like a natural evolution of the space rather than an intervention that overrode its existing character.

“When the clients first walked into the space we had worked on together over the past year, their ease and comfort were palpable,” she says. “Their home finally had a sense of ease and warmth that wasn’t there before.”

Take a tour of the home in the slideshow.