Campbell Brown’s Soaring Manhattan Penthouse Is a Beautiful Interpretation of the Open Floor Plan

But how to create the sense of “rooms” within one large, irregularly shaped area? Hillman used bespoke Solstys floor coverings in round, almost biomorphic shapes to designate separate living spaces on either side of that central dining table. In the slightly more formal “living room,” a Rick Owens daybed and Pierre Paulin chairs mingle with a Raphael Navot sofa and a bronze Misha Kahn cocktail table. The slightly asymmetric shape of the custom bronze fireplace by Officina Coppola embraces the off-kilter lines of the space.

Meanwhile in the more casual family room, a custom sectional wraps around a hulking tree-trunk table by Hugo Franca, across from a Harp chair by Jørgen Høvelskov. On each side, Hillman designed bespoke wall-mounted metal bookcases to house the clients’ expansive collection. Sticking with a diaphanous, largely neutral palette—with pops of color coming from the family’s trove of mostly contemporary art—allowed Hillman to create a sense of unity across the vast volume of open space.

The kids’ hang-out area is the most colorful zone in the house, featuring a Pierre Charpin elongated chair, an Isamu Noguchi floor lamp, and Gaetano Pesce vases on the Charlotte Perriand cocktail table. The rug is by Soufiane Zarib.

In the kitchen—which is also visible from the main living area—Hillman installed a Boffi system with a slightly metallic finish that plays with the light. “It has a sexy feel to it,” she explains. While it didn’t originally contain an eat-in area, Hillman carved out a breakfast nook appointed with a custom resin Studio Nucleo table and Pierre Guariche chairs. The translucent quality of the material lends a luminescent quality to the room. “It’s almost as if you were to shine a light on a piece of alabaster,” she explains. “But since it’s a resin, the kids can do anything on it. You don’t need coasters and place mats and all of that.”

This was a general mandate throughout the house. “I love design and I wanted every piece to be special,” Brown explains. “But I also have teenage boys and dogs, so every room needed to feel welcoming and comfortable. The space couldn’t be too formal.” And while pieces may be highly collectible, this family is living with them every day. They do homework on that Studio Nucleo table, hang out with coffee on the Raphael Navot sofa, and the boys play video games from a colorful Pierre Charpin chair in their hang-out room—illuminated by an Isamu Noguchi floor lamp. Brown, who currently works as an advisor for the AI startup TollBit, reports blissful use of every room, saying simply: “What Julie pulled off is perfection for us as a family.”