Rob Johansen LLC led the restoration of an 1899 Upper East Side townhouse in Manhattan, located a block from Central Park. Over three years, the seven storey home was reimagined to unite original architectural detail with a refined contemporary aesthetic. Classical paneling, proportion, and structural rhythm were carefully preserved to form a consistent backdrop for modern furnishings, sculptural objects, and custom components.
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Upper East Side Townhouse
by Rob Johansen LLC
Upper East Side Townhouse
by Rob Johansen LLC
Shortlisted: Living Space - Global Award
The International Design & Architecture Awards 2026
The studio’s approach balances historic elegance with restraint, drawing on Japanese principles of material honesty, imperfection, and quiet composition, alongside minimalist and cinematic influences. This results in an interior defined by cohesion and subtle tension, resisting clear stylistic categorisation while remaining visually unified.
Significant structural interventions were required. The primary bathroom was relocated and rebuilt as a monolithic, contemplative space clad entirely in onyx and marble. The weight of these materials demanded extensive reinforcement and technical reengineering, reflecting the project’s combination of conceptual ambition and precision.
Materiality is central throughout. Hand carved wood flooring, slow growth pine cabinetry, and bespoke furniture emphasise texture and craftsmanship, while acid sandblasted marble introduces nuanced irregularity and depth. In the kitchen, the design reflects the clients’ Japanese heritage through careful research and collaboration with artisans. Tight grain pine from the American Northwest, hand scraped oak flooring using the kisage technique, limewashed walls, and a parchment sculpture by John Wigmore create a restrained yet expressive environment.
The completed home achieves continuity across all seven storeys, fostering a strong emotional connection for its occupants.
Location: Upper East Side, Manhattan
Architect: Nicholas Deramo
Interior Designer: Rob Johansen
Construction: Artistic License Interiors
Photography: William Laird
Rob Johansen LLC has been shortlisted for Living Space – Global Award in The International Design & Architecture Awards 2026.
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