When played properly, a little drama can be a good thing, specifically when it comes to interior design, and those seeking anything but one of the generic beige-on-beige condos stacking the market today might find this posh co-op in New York City’s Lenox Hill to be a rare treat. 

Brought to market by Josh Doyle of Compass, the $12.5 million retreat spreads out with Art Deco-inspired interiors brought to life by designer Danielle Richter. Based in New York City and Chicago, Richter seamlessly honors the building’s long-standing history with debonair interiors that feel like a nod to old (and new) New York and are also inspired by the elegance of Paris. One word to define it: splendid.

Early 20th-century architect Herbert Lucas, well known for his elegant pre-war residential buildings in Gramercy Park and the Upper East Side, designed the red brick and white glazed terra-cotta building at 535 Park Avenue that houses the three-bedroom residence. Completed in 1910, the 15-story apartment house includes a doorman, live-in superintendent, and rooftop terrace. 

A private gallery with a multi-colored chandelier and kaleidoscopic stone flooring beckons you into the eighth-floor unit. To the immediate right is a small guest room with an en suite bath and Murphy bed, and further in is an office, also with a private bath. The kitchen, anchored by a monolithic Cosmopolitan quartzite island atop chevron oak floors, leans into the glamour of it all with a La Cornue induction range, shimmering hammered metal cabinetry, and a Murano glass chandelier. The 30-foot-long dining room and the living room with an antique marble fireplace are straight shots ahead from here.

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In addition to dramatic, cloud-like Anna Karlin lighting Richter chose for the formal dining room, elegant features throughout the home like custom plaster moldings and custom bronze hardware are illuminated by natural light that pools in via triple-pane windows. Ceilings soar up to 10 feet and give the pad and airy feel. Vintage Emil Stejnar lighting and a marble fireplace accent the primary bedroom that leads into two full bathrooms and walk-in closets. A custom Art Deco-inspired bas-relief in the north-facing en suite is the one detail that makes this condo unlike any other.

Elsewhere, a den/media room with ebonized oak millwork, powder room with chinoiserie wallpaper and a lilac marble sink, plus two Juliet balconies round out the sophisticated residence that that last changed hands, according to a StreetEasy report, for $4.5 million in June 2019.

Click here for more photos of the Big Apple residence.