{"id":861846,"date":"2026-06-12T08:56:33","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T08:56:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/861846\/"},"modified":"2026-06-12T08:56:33","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T08:56:33","slug":"see-inside-an-anthony-baratta-designed-manhattan-apartment-where-blue-is-a-neutral","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/861846\/","title":{"rendered":"See Inside an Anthony Baratta-Designed Manhattan Apartment Where Blue Is a Neutral"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated4 min read<\/p>\n

Designer Anthony Baratta<\/a> embraces colors, patterns, and periods in a ticker-tape parade of unfettered glee. \u201cThere\u2019s an unwritten way we approach design\u2014mixing an American Empire piece with, say, an 18th-century French desk,\u201d Baratta says of the free expression that has characterized his four-decade reign as an arbiter of American style. In decorating this Manhattan apartment for longtime clients, he felt even more bold. The wife, fluent in Baratta\u2019s shorthand, not only appreciates his whimsy but \u201cpushed us to go further,\u201d he says. Little did she know that \u201cgoing further\u201d would translate to hours and hours of stitching quilts.<\/p>\n

Baratta took inspiration from Gloria Vanderbilt\u2014once a resident in a similarly grand Manhattan apartment and a lover of quilts as decor\u2014and suggested commissioning custom pieces to hang as art in the family room. The homeowner loved the idea, and commandeered it. \u201cExcuse me, quilting is my hobby\u2014I\u2019ll make them,\u201d she asserted, and then refined the patterns, colorways, and fabrics with Baratta\u2019s partners Erick Espinoza and Jaime Magoon. \u201cShe became a codesigner with us,\u201d Baratta says. \u201cIt was exciting to watch this group creating something, like your best art class in high school.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the quilts and throughout the home, blues abound, a favorite hue of both designer and homeowner. \u201cI treat it as a neutral,\u201d Baratta says, noting the apartment\u2019s formal architecture and natural light could handle the shade in spades. He tamped down any hint of stuffiness by pairing blues with cheery reds and crisp whites. \u201cIt\u2019s so versatile and allows us to play with values. The blues can recede a bit, and the reds can become the punctuation mark,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"AnthonyMark Roskams. Artwork \u00a9 Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved \/ DACS, London \/ ARS, NY 2026.<\/p>\n

The foyer\u2019s whimsical valance mimics a circus tent. The grandfather clock is antique.<\/p>\n

What does not recede, however, is the jubilant narrative, which begins at the front door. \u201cThe story here is pure joy. There\u2019s no holding back,\u201d Baratta says. In the foyer, a striped wallpaper on the ceiling, edged with a matching tassel-trimmed valance, creates a circus-tent effect. In concert with the gingham marble floors, the entryway suggests that \u201cthis apartment is a celebration,\u201d Baratta says.<\/p>\n

To carry forth the building\u2019s 1930s Art Deco glamour, Baratta worked with architect Russell Riccardi<\/a> and Linden-Marshall Contracting<\/a> to add back architectural flourishes that had been removed by previous owners. Fluted-column accents in the living room, parquet floors, and a pressed-tin ceiling in the kitchen imbue \u201ccandy store details,\u201d Baratta says. \u201cI mean, why not take it to that level?\u201d<\/p>\n

The east-facing living room is bathed in sunlight, \u201callowing the blue silk walls to sing,\u201d Espinoza says. Magoon covered pillows and accent chairs in watermelon red, a hue that \u201cleans slightly more feminine, softer, and easier to live with,\u201d she says. A cerulean petite damask print cloaks the walls of the adjacent family room. \u201cIt\u2019s the perfect backdrop for the highly patterned quilts. Its scale had enough interest without taking away from the art,\u201d Baratta says.<\/p>\n

While the quilts may have been patchwork, the apartment\u2019s tight color scheme and frolicking pattern play\u2014English chintz paired with folksy florals; pops of red-and-white checks, tartans, stripes, and harlequin here and there\u2014is anything but.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything matches throughout the entire apartment. It is so considered, down to the last thread of a rug, with nothing left to chance. That control keeps our work relevant over time,\u201d Baratta says. \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful American framework, this melting pot of styles, without being stodgy.\u201d French antiques and Victorian loveseats converse with Dorothy Draper\u2013style white plaster wall brackets. \u201cPutting it all together in unexpected ways is what makes it uniquely American,\u201d Espinoza says.<\/p>\n

And then there\u2019s the quintessential feel-good esprit. \u201cI like surrounding myself with things that make me happy,\u201d the homeowner says. \u201cIt\u2019s very personal when I walk in and see the quilts. So many play it safe and decorate in monotones. This is a breath of fresh air.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kitchen<\/strong>\"Anthony<\/p>\n

Mark Roskams<\/p>\n

\"Anthony<\/p>\n

Mark Roskams<\/p>\n

Painted botanical studies on the doors of a kitchen cabinet make for scene-stealing extra storage. At right, a hand-stenciled checkerboard floor (Chris Pearson<\/a>) and pressed-tin ceiling bring confectionery details to the kitchen. Art Deco\u2013era chairs and an azure banquette (fabric, Perennials<\/a>) surround a copper-and-wrought-iron table.<\/p>\n

Living Room<\/strong>\"Anthony<\/p>\n

Mark Roskams. Artwork \u00a9 Damien Hirst and Science Ltd. All rights reserved \/ DACS, London \/ ARS, NY 2026.<\/p>\n

\"Anthony<\/p>\n

Mark Roskams<\/p>\n

A cherry blossom landscape by Damien Hirst overlooks a midcentury Italian table. At right, a vintage velvet chair and kaleidoscopic patchwork ottoman sit beside the living room\u2019s French-style marble mantel (Chesneys<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Family Room<\/strong>\"Anthony<\/p>\n

Mark Roskams<\/p>\n

A trio of quilts (handcrafted by the homeowner) hangs as graphic art in the family room. Wallcovering, Bennison Fabrics<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Guest Bedroom<\/strong>\"Anthony<\/p>\n

Mark Roskams<\/p>\n

In a pattern-rich guest room, the bed\u2019s cardinal checks (Kathryn M. Ireland<\/a>) meet walls of berry-hued florals (Lisa Fine Textiles<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Primary Bedroom<\/strong>\"Bedroom<\/p>\n

Mark Roskams<\/p>\n

Romantic red-and-blue posies of roses bloom across the primary bedroom. The headboard of the custom tiger maple bed is dressed in an embroidered linen by GP & J Baker<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wife\u2019s Dressing Room<\/strong>\"Anthony<\/p>\n

Mark Roskams<\/p>\n

Baratta paired a custom fluted vanity with an antique geometric mirror in the wife\u2019s dressing room. Sconces, Visual Comfort & Co.<\/a><\/p>\n

Become a VERANDA Design Society Member\"Become<\/a>Become a VERANDA Design Society MemberCredit: VERANDA<\/p>\n

Featured in our July\/August 2026 issue. Interior Design by Anthony Baratta; Architecture by Russell Riccardi; Photography by Mark Roskams; Written by Stephanie Hunt.<\/strong>
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