West Elm Helps Furnish NYC's Gracie Mansion

July 31, 2014  by in Furniture Retailing, Industry   

Upon returning from their family vacation in Italy, the First Family moved into Gracie Mansion earlier this week.

West Elm Home Stylist, Johanna Mele was the lead designer on the project, which includes three bedrooms, a formal sitting room, a shared office for the Mayor and First Lady, as well as a den and sewing area in the attic.

"West Elm is thrilled to work with the First Family of New York City and the Gracie Mansion Conservancy to redesign the private spaces of Gracie Mansion,” said Vanessa Holden, West Elm creative director. “We partnered with the First Lady to create spaces that are beautiful and functional, using a base of calming neutrals with accents of rich colors and global influences. Together, we worked to maintain and highlight the integrity of Gracie Mansion, while reflecting the personal style of the First Family."

The furniture and accessories were donated to the Gracie Mansion Conservancy and will remain in the residence for future First Families. 

“Gracie Mansion will always be the People's House, but Bill, Chiara, Dante, and I are excited to call it home," said McCray. "With assistance from West Elm, we are honoring and preserving one of the nation’s great historic residences, while turning Gracie into a modern living space that fits our family. We’ve moved to a new borough, but we brought some Brooklyn flavor with us.”

The design process was a partnership completed over the past two months. The formal sitting room features a large sectional sofa with accent pillows that highlight the colors in the room’s classic wallpaper. Box Frame coffee tables ground the space, accent chairs are updated with new pillows and the room is tied together with a natural jute rug. In the office, matching Mid-Century desks provide room for the Mayor and First Lady. Mid-Century task lamps and desk accessories are added and the central seating is defined by a Cadiz Rug and flanked by a built-in bookshelf. In the attic, West Elm’s Retro Tillary sofa creates a seating area along the entire wall that can be transformed into beds for guests. A gallery wall featuring family photos anchors one end of the room, and a seating nook can be used for meals or reading. Lastly, an unused space in the attic was transformed into a sewing area adding storage and workspace.