{"id":266217,"date":"2025-11-13T16:31:33","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T21:31:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/?post_type=id_project&p=266217"},"modified":"2025-11-14T11:15:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T16:15:50","slug":"new-york-condo-by-elmo-studios","status":"publish","type":"id_project","link":"https:\/\/interiordesign.net\/projects\/new-york-condo-by-elmo-studios\/","title":{"rendered":"This New York Sanctuary Embraces Iranian Heritage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\"living
Floor-to-ceiling windows illuminate the living room\u2019s cozy furnishings and eccentric curios, and Tanguy Tolila\u2019s luminous painting is centered above a custom steel and leather console by Croft House.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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November 13, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n

Words: <\/span>Lisa Di Venuta<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography: <\/span>William Jess Laird<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

This New York Sanctuary Embraces Iranian Heritage<\/h1>\n\n\n

In 2022, Danielle Schwartz and Guillermo Castello founded Elmo Studios<\/a>, a design firm riffing the last two letters of their surnames. Castello, originally from Barcelona, later relocated to Canada, while Schwartz is a lifelong New Yorker. The two met while pursuing their master\u2019s degrees in architecture at Yale University and discovered a shared affinity for timeless, sophisticated design. Initially focused on hospitality and retail projects, the duo gradually expanded into residential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDesigning a home is much more intimate,\u201d notes Castello. That intimacy defined a recent commission: a full renovation of a Hudson Square condo for a first-time homeowner and mutual friend. \u201cOur client wanted her Iranian heritage and love of eclectic art objects to shine,\u201d explains Schwartz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elmo Studios Makes A New York Condo Shine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"living
Floor-to-ceiling windows illuminate the living room\u2019s cozy furnishings and eccentric curios, and Tanguy Tolila\u2019s luminous painting is centered above a custom steel and leather console by Croft House.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The 2,000-square-foot, two-bedroom dwelling had strong bones, with a gracious layout, five-foot-wide hallways, and expansive windows framing the Hudson River and Freedom Tower. Yet its developer-grade finishes were dated and impersonal. \u201cIt simply lacked soul,\u201d recalls Schwartz, who, along with Castello, sought to create a refuge for their client. They envisioned a home rooted in mid-century principles, blending contemporary minimalism with traditional details. \u201cThere isn\u2019t one defining style,\u201d Schwartz says. \u201cThat\u2019s what makes it special.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As both interior architects and designers, Schwartz and Castello relished the opportunity to reimagine the space in three dimensions. \u201cWe like making holistic changes, from cradle to grave,\u201d Castello explains. In the kitchen, they refined the layout for better flow, added concealed storage, installed custom oak cabinetry, and wrapped the counters and waterfall island in honed Calacatta Vagli marble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mid-century Style Blends With Contemporary Minimalism In This Abode<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\"kitchen
Custom oak cabinetry sets a calming tone in the kitchen, and brecciated marble slabs cloak the countertops.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"kitchen
The kitchen is a welcoming space where the homeowner cooks and hosts guests.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The interiors reflect a curated mix of eras and influences, resulting in a layered, lived-in aesthetic. In the entryway, Elisabeth von Wrede\u2019s artwork hangs above a 19th-century Swedish Allmoge farmer\u2019s bench, paired with a sleek travertine console from RH. The palette is restrained and elemental, perfectly backdropping the client\u2019s cherished objets and art collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introducing a historic Persian rug into the scheme was paramount, recall the architects, who scoured antique vendors online and throughout New York before scoring an antique hand-knotted wool Kerman rug. \u201cOur intent was to magnify and celebrate the history embodied in the piece,\u201d says Schwartz.\u201d Hence, the pictorial weave hangs in the primary bedroom like a tapestry, while a deep green silk rug grounds Elmo Studios\u2019 custom bed. Here, the walls and ceilings are drenched in a custom lime plaster, its soft hue balancing rich furnishings, like Arje\u2019s elemental walnut and shearling chair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"primary
Arj\u00e9\u2019s Enzo Shearling chair and a custom bed by Elmo Studios add texture and warmth in the primary bedroom, where walls are lime plaster and a hand-knotted wool Kerman rug from Rug and Kilim takes center stage, honoring the client\u2019s Iranian heritage.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The reconfigured study also nods to their client\u2019s heritage, where six prints from her personal collection of The Shahnameh of Shah Tahmasp<\/em>, a Persian epic, grace the wall in custom floating frames across from her desk. The living room, appointed with low-profile, feminine furnishings, eclectic bric-a-brac, and a mix of wood, ceramic, and copper notes, has Tanguy Tolila\u2019s serene artwork above a custom steel and leather media console. A nylon silk broadloom rug centers Louise Liljencrantz and KFK Cabinet-Makers\u2019s walnut Cloud table; Trapeze sconces by Apparatus add dimension.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, their client entertains frequently, cooking meals for friends and hosting guests in her study-turned-guestroom. At sunset, golden light washes over the harmonious abode, offering respite from the bustling city below. \u201cIt\u2019s her sanctuary,\u201d concludes Schwartz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elmo Studios Crafts A Peaceful Sanctuary In The Heart Of The City<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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\"entryway
Beginning in the foyer, old and new coalesce in a young professional\u2019s newly renovated Hudson Square condo by Elmo Studios. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"artwork
The restrained and elemental palette pairs perfectly with the client’s art collection.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"study
The study\u2019s custom oak desk and shelving showcase ceramic sculptures by Gustav and Ulla Kraitz.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"dining
A geometric Lariat pendant illuminates the dining room, where an antique oil painting juxtaposes Louise Rose\u2019s contemporary glass vase.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"white
A pair of Cassette armchairs by Collector punctuate Louise Liljencrantz and KFK Cabinet-Makers\u2019s Cloud table.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n