ROBERT PASSAL
DEFINITIVE EDGE
ADVENTUROUS PATTERNS, TAILORED LINES AND JUST THE RIGHT DOSE OF COLOR EQUAL A MODISH MASTERPIECE IN NEW YORK’S GRAMERCY PARK.
GENTLEMEN’S QUARTERS The living room of designer Robert Passal’s New York apartment, with its custom moldings and eclectic accessories, perfectly exhibits his aesthetic, self-described as “classic and tailored with a definitive edge.” Passal’s décor point of view effuses his personal style, although he believes “there is a vast difference between dressing yourself and dressing a room.” With interiors, “space, scale and functionality are all major factors,” he explains. Not one to shy away from color, Passal considers a wide range of shades to be the easiest way to incorporate fashion into the home, his favorite hue being aqua. “I’m often called a peacock,” Passal laughs, “which I’ll take as a chic term of endearment.” Q+A Do you ever use fashion fabrics in your design projects? I’m crazy for men’s suiting, especially gray flannel and cashmere chalk stripes used in upholstery. Do you side more with Chanel’s “remove one item before leaving the house” or Tony Duquette’s “more is more?” I fall somewhere in the middle, but the trick is knowing when to stop. Living with items you love, be it art, accessories or daily heirlooms, makes a house a home.
LIVING ROOM PHOTO: JOSHUA MCHUGH. PORTRAIT: JONATHAN BECKERMAN.
Favorite fashion designer? If I could cross-pollinate Tom Ford and Paul Stuart, I would turn one of my bedrooms into a walk-in closet.
“I’ve never been a fan of the ‘staged’ approach to decorating. Personal accessories can turn a mediocre space into a stunning home.”
Red coral resin with a maritime theme will cast a fiery glow in any setting. Diallo Chandelier, $3,000; arteriors.com
Made of solid wood and two-way hinges, this screen has a chic and functional appeal. Ventura Screen, $1,370; mgbwhome.com
Best style advice? “The only way to get what you really want is to let go of what you don’t want.”
Ikat fabric is enveloped with Lucite to create a stylish presentation. Madeline Weinrib Brindle Mor Tray, priced from $495; barneys.com
Get a handle on chinoiserie flair with a statement turquoise vase. Emissary Dragon Vase, $435; claytongrayhome.com
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