Room of the Week: Rhapsody in Off-White

Here's the rare room that wouldn't benefit from the addition of colour

Photos by Nicole Franzen.

If there’s anything I like less than white, it’s off-white. Yet I love this Manhattan dining room by Monica Fried Design. It’s that rare thing: a space that would not benefit from the addition of colour.

The layers of texture—sleek glass, woven upholstery, gleaming chrome, smooth wood—provide plenty of visual interest. So does the interplay of shapes. Cylindric table legs support a flat rectangular top. Boxy chair legs complement oh-so-subtly curved seats and angled seat backs. Round sconces hang in contrast to the millwork’s rigid lines and the floor’s latticelike motif.

And then there’s that masterpiece of a chandelier, which emphasizes the height of the ceiling while ensuring that the room doesn’t feel chilly, lofty, unliveable. It also makes the room look different from every approach. There’s nothing static or sterile here.

I do wonder if the owners set the table with emerald-green glassware or cobalt-blue napkins. I know I would, but then again, as much as I wax rhapsodic about this room, I don’t know if I could live in it. (For one thing, I’d certainly spill red wine or chocolate sauce on those chairs.) But if you’re looking for quiet luxury and serene sophistication, this room should be your template.