Master of Modern
Thomas O’Brien
No one has stretched the concept of “modern” in interior design as much as Thomas O’Brien. In the city and country homes of his design, he has proven that modern style is a matter of subtlety, refinement and range. Modern can be casual, formal, urban, elegant, traditional. In fact, in O’Brien’s understanding, modern and traditional are inextricably linked. He shows us that a modern space can be created using entirely traditional elements, and the effect can be wholly contemporary.
This is not a conjurer’s trick, but a real alchemy that grows from his training in historical styles, a superb eye for scale and form, and a belief in the power of reduction. As O’Brien writes, “All things become more modern when they are abbreviated.”
On these pages, we glimpse inside two very different O’Brien creations—a Fifth Avenue apartment for a longtime client and his own New York apartment. The first one may be termed formal modern, the second, vintage modern.
The stretch of Fifth Avenue across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art is an impossibly good location, and this particular apartment - a floor-through residence in a prewar building, untouched by renovation since mid-century - was, in O’Brien’s word, "magical".
In the living room of a renovated Fifth Avenue apartment, Thomas O’Brien uses pairs of furniture and mirrors other elements—from lamps to framed artwork—to achieve a formal setting in cool, soft grey. The rug is one of his designs for Safavieh. Acanthus-leaf plasterwork is original to the prewar construction.
On these pages, we glimpse inside two very different O’Brien creations—a Fifth Avenue apartment for a longtime client and his own New York apartment. The first one may be termed formal modern, the second, vintage modern.
The stretch of Fifth Avenue across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art is an impossibly good location, and this particular apartment - a floor-through residence in a prewar building, untouched by renovation since mid-century - was, in O’Brien’s word, "magical".
The dining room can seat two to 28 people in clubby New York style. A corner banquette, fitted with its own table, is preferred seating for small parties. In place of a sideboard, a Georgian serving table helps pull the space toward the modern. This room is perhaps at its best in the evening, when the full-gloss paint casts a seductive glow.
His renovation uncovered and preserved as much of the original architecture as possible. He then had the luxury of customizing the upholstery and custom build- ing major pieces of furniture, so that everything fit together in perfect balance.
In typical O’Brien fashion, there is a yin-yang con- trast to some of the rooms. The living room, facing Central Park and bathed in natural light, is delicate in tone and arranged as a strongly symmetrical, highly fitted setting. The adjacent dining room, with an eastern exposure, is cloaked in a full-gloss, chemise grey paint, which takes on a smoky qual- ity as the daylight dies. It’s a perfect party room, with various dining areas instead of one large table. A corner banquette is reminiscent of old New York restaurants. The center table, designed by O’Brien in the Regency style, inspired a similar table in his new
In the demure and romantic bedroom, O’Brien upholstered the bed and the walls in the same pale Fortuny fabric.
The center table, designed by O’Brien in the Regency style, inspired a similar table in his new collection for Century Furniture. All told, this club room, as he calls it, can host as many as 28 diners.
O’Brien’s own apartment is a very different environment, a studio evocative of Bauhaus artists and 1920s Paris. As he explains it, the space is about inspiration, collecting, living with art—“and saying no to finality.”
Some years ago, he moved his bed into the living space—the better to let his collections flood in around him— and turned the bedroom into a den and dressing room. “It began in a very spare way,” he relates. “But now the art climbs the walls. We spent days planning how to hang the art—figuring out the spacing and the juxtapositions.”
To tie the library to the rest of the home, he used a light ivory finish. The contrasting eggplant interior of the bookcases, a stroke of inspiration, adds richness to the colored book bindings.
In O’Brien’s studio space on 57th Street, which is also his city home, the display of vintage items is constantly evolving. On the large bulletin board at left, tear sheets from magazines jostle with personal mementos and framed art. The significant table in the foreground is by George Nakashima.
Despite, or perhaps because of, this careful consideration, the effect is organic and casual—that is to say, modern. The works of art themselves are a fascinating combination of “the fine and the normal,” which is yet another modern notion, here perfectly realized.
Opposite, the space between O’Brien’s portrait wall and his secretary is bridged by narrow, stepped screens, which are hung with smaller pictures. The vintage photograph of a Navajo boy, circa 1907, is by Karl Moon. The Irish hall chair is mid-18th century.
Kips Bay Charmer - Designed for relaxed living, this apartment has touches of glamour that also make it perfect for entertaining. 
Windows on the Sound - Safavieh designers bring a visual drama to a Gatsby- era showhouse on Long Island's North Shore. 
The Last Word with Thom Filicia - The makeover maven touts the importance of simplicity and surprise.
Master of Modern - In the virtuoso interiors of Thomas O’Brien, traditional elements are always used to modern effect.
Room to Roam - Soaring, light- filled spaces and a cozy den lend variety to a designer show house. 
From The Painter’s Studio - Do look down: that gorgeous Safavieh rug beneath your feet was literally designed by hand.
