Versace residences at The Plaza combine classic design with modern sensibilities
by Daphne Lioubin
VERSACE AT THE PLAZA
Walking into the new model residences on the 12th floor of The Plaza, it is clear that this New York City landmark has reinvented itself. Your grandfather's Plaza would never have dreamed of sexy-cool décor by Versace. But today's Plaza-a sleeker, hipper, more contemporary version of itself-is letting its proverbial hair down, and appealing to a new, design-conscious market.
As part of its new aesthetic, Elad Properties, owner of The Plaza, asked Versace to design its first private residences, which serve as model homes for prospective buyers. The two condominiums-one one-bedroom and one two-bedroom-are contemporary environments that walk the line between the classic and the modern. That has long been the philosophy of the Versace fashion house.
"The Versace concept is a fusion between the classic and the contemporary," says Roberto Selva, director of the Home Collection Division of Versace, speaking from his office in Milan. "We've always been about classic Italian style with a modern interpretation."
The Plaza, in its renovation of the 1907 landmark hotel into a condominium tower, has employed the same philosophy. The architecture is pure turn-of-the-20th-century New York, but the interiors are sexy, minimalist and cutting-edge. In the Versace residences, palettes are kept monochromatic and lines simple and geometric.
The 2,656-square-foot, two-bedroom residence has been decorated in a black-and-white motif. Signature Versace Couture pieces like a Salomé bergere chair, unique chaise lounge and shadow black-lacquered dining chairs are upholstered in top-grain leather that feels luxuriously supple to the touch. In the living room, the sharp contrast of the black-and-white palette is offset by decadent touches, such as gilded crystal chandeliers, gold-embossed china and Chinese porcelain vases.
The study is the negative image of the formal rooms. The walls are black with white raised-panel moldings, and the furnishings are predominantly white leather with accents of chrome and black lacquer.
Though the décor appears severely modern at first glance, a closer look reveals details that suggest old-world craftsmanship. Some of the leather surfaces are embroidered with the Greek key-a symbol of antiquity-and some of the shapes (such as in the case of the Salomé chair) are classic. And the space itself, with its herringbone-patterned wood floors and raised-panel moldings on the walls, is faithful to the hotel's venerable roots.
"The space is very design-oriented," Selva says. "It has a strong fashion effect. All the fabrics are the finest available, and the craftsmanship is by top artisans. The beauty is in the details."
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VERSACE AT THE PLAZA Cont...
In the master bedroom, the look is calmer, more subdued. Versace's designers used a palette of white and ecru with accents of platinum and silver-leaf. "The idea was to make the bedroom soft, peaceful and luxurious," Selva says.
The one-bedroom unit, which measures 1,212 square feet, is similarly contemporary, but is executed in a monochromatic, white-on-white palette for a softer, more romantic effect. Furnishings from Versace's Meandre, Vanitas and Unique collections have been covered with fine jacquards, silks and glove leathers. Silver leafing-a classic Versace detail-appears throughout this residence, adding a luxe touch to the simplicity and minimalism of the furnishings.
Both units have been fitted with advanced technological features, such as touch-panel screens by Concierge Direct, which allow residents to have five-star service at their fingertips. Like all units at The Plaza, the Versace residences showcase the architectural integrity for which the building has long been known. Interior architect Gal Nauer has incorporated details from the landmark's original design, including new mosaic-tile bathroom floors whose patterns are borrowed from the original mosaics in the hotel lobby.
Nauer was so involved in the design of each space that she even helped choose the art that hangs on the walls. Working in conjunction with ArtLink, she chose original works, with nary a reproduction, from the collections of emerging artists from the United States, Germany, Israel, South Korea, Japan, Romania and elsewhere. The artwork in the apartments projects an international aesthetic, which complements the design philosophy of fashion-forward sophistication with a worldly edge.
For Versace, whose home collections grace the interiors of resorts, megayachts, jets and private residences, this collaboration has been particularly important. Says Selva: "The Plaza is an iconic landmark hotel, but it is also a lifestyle. Their philosophy and history fits with the Versace concept of fusing the classic and the contemporary. This project showcases that concept."
The Plaza, (212) 588-8000, theplazaresidences.com
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