An Upper East Side Abode With Scandinavian-Meets-Boho Whimsy

“The solid bones were there,” she continues of the three-bedroom dwelling with handsome moldings and excellent flow for a tight Manhattan space. Given that in a New York apartment one typically sees all rooms at once, Lederman designs holistically, “otherwise it feels disjointed,” she says. Here, that cohesion comes from using a bright, happy green as a through line. “It’s fresh, vibrant and cheerful—and that’s what a young family is.”

In the dining room, green pops up on moss-hued linen upholstered chairs and, in a delightful surprise, swathes a glossy wet bar hidden behind a wallpaper-wrapped door. Said wallpaper—an airy graphic of abstract botanical shapes outlined in black—works almost as an oversize stripe, echoing the box-pleats on the custom pendant shade. The same green that peeps out from the bar is repeated on living room book casings that Lederman designed in the spirit of Josef Frank. The cases, finished with cabinet knobs that are “like jewelry for the room,” are freestanding, so if the clients ever move, they can travel with them.

Green is picked up again on drapery trim and on an upholstered side chair and midcentury settee. “I’m always looking for textiles that are new to me and that I haven’t seen elsewhere,” Lederman says, pointing to the olive-toned print augmented by browns and pops of eggplant, which in turn inspired pillow fabric selections.

The living room centerpiece, a deep camel sofa, is a Lederman go-to, especially for first-time owners. “If they grow out of this apartment, this sofa will go anywhere. It’s a forever piece,” she says. Similarly, the rug, robust in texture and lush pile, “looks good in any context, and is soft and cozy”—perfect for when there’s a young crawler in the house. And to further layer in interest, Lederman commissioned a decorative painter to hand comb the coffee table for “a retro spin on tortoise.”