Le Bureau Privé

As I watch the rain pour down in Manhattan this morning, I am grateful that I can work from home.  I'd be more grateful if I worked at home in the amazing home office designed by Raji Radhakrishnan at this year's Kips Bay Decorator Show House.  I appreciate when the designers create a client and a story to inspire their space and in this case Raji conceived the room as a private home office for the chief curator of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  She worked with instead of against the clean contemporary lines of the room and had the walls Venetian plastered which help reflect the wonderful light.  

If you had that view, you'd want to work in front of the windows too. 

I love all the little details around the room that relate back to the "occupant."

I looked at the Ralph Lauren Home Collection Desk for a client but it was a bit out of his budget.  Money is no object when it comes to Kips Bay! 

This tilt bookcase from Sebastian Ezzaruiz is the perfect place to house auction catalogs and art books.

Doing a little art research. 

Raji designed the gilded ceiling art that was inspired by Line Vautrin. 

Love the green leather desk chair by Leleu from Maison Gerard. 

A hint of the photo wall mural Raji designed. The sofa is from George Smith. The lamp is from Raji's own collection and I definitely wanted to steal it.  

Raji took a photo herself of a painting by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon at The Met and had it blown up to create a wall mural. It creates an interesting juxtaposition to all the contemporary pieces in the room. 

To add some architectural interest to the room, she applied a mantel from Chesney's to one wall above which she added another photo mural. This one she took in the King's Chapel in Versailles and saved it for years because she knew it would be perfect for a Kips Bay Decorator Show House. 

She surmised that the Chief Curator of The Met would mix art, sculpture and objects from all periods and styles just like the museum itself. 

The Leavitt Weaver red zig zag table is a nod to Albert Hadley and is the same one he had in his own apartment. 

Raji told me the story of how she came to the United States from India about 20 years ago and has only been working in design for about the last seven years.  She was very creative growing up and had a grandfather who was an architect but got her MBA and went into business before following her passion.  Another great inspiring story to go along with this very inspiring room.  

Photos by Heather Clawson for Habitually Chic