NYC Apartment by Miles Redd

What Makes Something Iconic?

Nov 12, 2023

“The great difference between voyages rests not with the ships, but with the people you meet on them,” said Amelia E. Barr, a novelist who started a successful writing career as a widow in her mid-fifties and went on to publish more than 70 books. When I left my Queens apartment for Manhattan on a recent Tuesday, I was unprepared for a journey, simply content that I finished the monthly selection in time for my new bookclub that evening.

Before I even removed my coat in the foyer of my hostess’ apartment, I knew I had stumbled into a design adventure. I recognized the entrance’s geometric black and white marble floors, leather-clad, studded doors and DeGournay mural wallpaper as the work of acclaimed designer Miles Redd. First featured by Veranda magazine back in 2015, I had set sail for the evening aboard a design icon. What an unexpected treat but—as Amelia Barr knew—my voyage had just begun.

I have only attended two bookclub meetings with this group and I do not know them well. In contrast, they go way back. For more than 20 years, they have regularly shared books and their lives rotating among each other’s homes. In a city where work is often the tie that binds, their professions vary. Law, finance, academia, philanthropy, art and fashion design—they all do something different. How extraordinary in Manhattan where it is rare to pass the same person twice that they first met as neighbors. Although they no longer live near each other, some having left the city all together, they still meet monthly.

So despite my delight with the marvelous surroundings, I was more curious about what made this group cohesive for multiple decades. As tongues loosened with a glass of champagne, a common denominator emerged. These ten women all mastered the art of re-invention, nudged nimbly along life’s passages with the support of each other. Bookclub was a safety net. That evening we discussed the challenges one lawyer faced as she returned to school to obtain a masters in sustainability, helped another by taking a fashion survey as she launched a new business, and viewed recent paintings created by our hostess. We eventually talked about the book too. I marveled aloud at their accomplishments. With heads nodding in agreement, someone explained that apart from her immediate family, bookclub was the constant in her life that propelled her forward. The isolating loneliness that plagues much of society today was not evidenced in this technicolor apartment smack dab in the middle of a city known for its anonymity.

How I found myself sitting in a supremely comfortable chair upholstered by Miles Redd that night came by way of Dublin. An old dear Irish friend concerned about me as I faced seismic change in my life suggested to a professional colleague that I might enjoy her bookclub. My Irish friend knew nothing about the group. She figured that I liked to read and could use some new friends as I transition to a wholly unexpected reality. For those who aren't aware of my backstory, I began as a Wall Street lawyer who landed at Sotheby’s, then focused on motherhood after the surprising birth of twins resulting in 3 boys under age 3. I then combined child rearing with interior decorating after my former house burned down and, for a bit, I dabbled as an early blogger and influencer. Now, as a recent widow, I am dedicating myself to my joy of writing with a side hustle managing digital content for others in the design industry. Being welcomed into this bookclub is pure serendipity but it’s no coincidence that I admire the indefatigable way they all triumph over unrelenting change. I hope some of that magic rubs off.

I can post these images of an iconic Manhattan apartment today because the hostess, in true bookclub spirit, is supporting me with the launch of Emerald City. It is not every day that a top designer shares photographs with a small publication like mine, (many photos have never been published) and it would not have happened without her.

Enjoy the eye candy. Miles Redd needs no introduction. The alchemy between a lovely client and a talented designer like him can elevate a space to the stratosphere. My fellow design nerds out there will revel in the details. Yet, decoration even at the highest professional levels can only get you so far. It is the people not the vessel reminds Amelia Barr. When I learned how Amelia left her tutoring job as a single mother to become a novelist, I wondered if she had cheerleaders as good as bookclub. Sometimes the best journeys are in your own backyard.

Bon voyage,

Lynn

Photography

All photos by Melanie Acevedo. I included a few from the Veranda spread sourced from Pinterest (watermarked) to provide context but most images courtesy of Redd Kaihoi and my hostess.