This Gorgeous Tribeca Home Has an Inspiring Mix of Modern and Traditional Accents
It's little wonder why a successful couple, both producers in the entertainment business, would hire designer Ariel Okin to refresh an entire floor in their Tribeca abode. They share a similar outlook on design—an affinity for warm, homey interiors—and coincidentally, both parties happened to be planning their weddings at the same time. While this undoubtedly kicked the project off on a positive note, this didn't mean Okin wouldn't have her work cut out for her.
The wife, Vienn Kim, producer of the new "SeaWall/A Life" Broadway show featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, and her husband, Salman Al-Rashid, a fellow producer, desired a sophisticated abode that exuded the tenets of both modern and traditional design. After working on the project for two years, which included navigating their wedding planning commitments, Okin delivered. “They are a fun, young couple with a great sense of personal style, so their ideal dream home was one that blended heritage with intrigue to create an enveloping environment to retreat to after a long day in the city,” Okin says.
The result is room after room layered with soothing tone-on-tone color schemes, textures ranging from grasscloth to leather for added visual interest, and, as Okin puts it, thoughtful "wow moments" intended to inject personality. The couple also requested a design scheme that was conducive to entertaining, hosting family members for extended stays, and living with a dog, which, of course, meant performance fabrics were non-negotiable. "Practicality was definitely taken into account every step along the way," Okin says jokingly.
The home is a lesson in designing around an open floor plan. Every room flows seamlessly into the next. Okin transformed the living room, which was once a sterile box, into a layered beauty—complete with custom built-ins and an eye-catching mantel. The layout allows the couple to entertain comfortably. The bar, featuring blue lacquered paint that was custom blended by Fine Paints of Europe, serves as a conversation starter. And the space is outfitted with ample seating, like club chairs upholstered in Casamance plaid men's suiting fabric topped with Holland and Sherry velvet navy pillows.
As for the master bedroom suite, it's a "serene oasis" in Okin's view. "Even though the wife’s desk is in the bedroom, the colors are soft and muted; soothing blues and neutrals combine with a small shot of Scalamandré tiger print and some gorgeous chinoiserie prints by Dawn Wolfe create an inviting, warm space to catch up on emails or read a book," she says.
The versatile dining space with statement blue silk drapery was designed for entertaining. It's able to rise to just about any occasion, whether it's a large dinner party or an informal, intimate gathering. One highlight of the space? "That 67th-floor view is amazing," Okin says. "It's definitely a wonderful place to have people over for dinner!"
Other highlights include the relaxed breakfast nook, one of the most used rooms in the property. Drawing inspiration from the elevated dining space, Okin opted for neutrals peppered with a pop of blue, courtesy of custom linen roman shades from The Shade Store. The guest bedrooms embody a "home-away-from-home feel," Okin says, as they showcase a simple yet elegant gray and white palette and subdued furnishings.
And out of all the rooms, there was one space that proved to be the most challenging—the office. "The office is the most masculine room in the house, and the lacquer paint was a behemoth to complete," Okin admits. But the hard work paid off and the look was enhanced with a myriad of thoughtful pieces. "The camel-colored Chesterfield sofa, a vintage Persian rug, and antique leather-bound books from the client’s extensive historical collection add an air of a gentleman’s quarters that is really fun, and balances nicely with some of the more feminine, chinoiserie-inspired elements in the rest of the space," Okin says.
The hallway even received the Okin treatment, with a custom neutral-colored runner by STARK Carpet and Circa Lighting fixtures with brass accents, which "add a traditional, almost New England-y feel to an otherwise long city hallway," Okin says. Brass console tables, an upholstered velvet bench in green, and a lacquered ceiling for a dose of glam complete the look.
Okin and her clients couldn't have asked for a better experience collaborating on the transformation of this Tribeca home. "We were both engaged when we started working together and went through the process of wedding planning and honeymooning together," Okin says. "It caused a few pauses throughout the process, but it was really such fun becoming friends with my clients during such a special time in both of our lives."
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