An Elegant Upper East Side Apartment Filled With Antiques and Collected Art

Inside an Upper East Side apartment layered with antiques, contemporary art and collected finds, interior designer Elizabeth Pash followed one rule that might surprise her clients: she didn't renovate right away.

After months of searching for a larger home for her family of six, Pash said she and her husband were simply relieved to have a place to sleep after temporarily relocating to Long Island. The decorating could wait. Looking back, she said the delay was one of the smartest decisions she made.

"I actually advise clients to do that if they can," Pash said. "A lot of people just want to gut it immediately before they move in. But you change your ideas about how you're going to live in a space."

More than a decade later, the apartment reflects those years of living with it. Rather than a complete overhaul, Pash approached the renovation room by room, updating finishes, rethinking layouts and layering antiques with contemporary art. The result is an Upper East Side home that feels collected over time rather than completed all at once.

Pash, an interior designer and antiques dealer, said her personal style balances elegance with comfort.

"I have a love for antiques," she said. "But you can't have just all antiques. They need supporting actors."

That philosophy shapes every room, where English furniture, French lighting and inherited pieces sit alongside modern paintings, graphic photography and contemporary upholstery.

Living in the Apartment Before Renovating

When the family first moved in, Pash said the apartment felt dated. The kitchen was dark with brown cabinetry and granite countertops. Much of the millwork was covered in wood finishes that made the interiors feel heavy.

Rather than gutting the apartment, she identified what was worth saving.

The kitchen renovation came two years after moving in. Existing cabinetry was repainted white, Calacatta marble replaced the original counters, and open shelving was added beside the windows to display favorite collections. A former secondary kitchen became a butler's pantry with mirrored cabinets, walnut interiors and antique-inspired finishes.

Elsewhere, Pash said she often chose to preserve quality millwork rather than replace it. In one daughter's bedroom, built-in cabinetry remained, simply repainted to suit the new design. Upstairs, flat hallway closet doors were redesigned with paneled detailing inspired by doors she photographed while visiting Paris.

"There are a lot of times there's no need to recreate," Pash said. "Sometimes you take something that you have and you make it better."

Antiques That Ground Every Room

Nearly every space begins with an antique.

Pash said she believes older pieces give a room permanence and balance, whether the surrounding furnishings are traditional or contemporary.

"I feel like a piece of antique furniture grounds a room," she said. "It gives it soul."

Many of those pieces came from flea markets, auctions and antique fairs in France, England and across the United States. Others have become family heirlooms through years of use.

An English dining table purchased in Virginia has followed the family through multiple homes. A Russian crystal chandelier moved from their previous apartment into the dining room. A silver-leaf headboard began as an unfinished frame discovered at a Georgia flea market before being restored and upholstered in New York.

Even smaller objects carry memories.

A bar cart was a surprise Christmas gift from her husband after she assumed it had been sold. Baccarat butterfly figurines appear on holiday tables, while porcelain collections fill a painted breakfront illuminated with discreet LED lighting.

Rooms Designed Around Everyday Life

Although the apartment includes formal entertaining spaces, Pash said the smallest room has become the family's favorite.

The den, located just off the kitchen, was redesigned with chocolate-brown lacquer walls and a large sectional. It's where the family watches football, gathers for New York Knicks games and hosts overnight guests thanks to a sleeper sofa.

"It's cozy and it's warm," Pash said. "It's just a nice place to gather."

The entrance hall has also evolved over the years.

When the family's four children were younger, it filled each morning with backpacks, sports equipment and school bags. Today, Pash said it often becomes an impromptu dance floor during the family's annual Christmas party.

The apartment continues to adapt as their lives change, something she said reinforces her advice to avoid making every design decision immediately after moving in.

A Home Shaped by Travel

Travel has influenced nearly every room.

Pash studied in France while in college and later worked at the Smithsonian before opening her antiques business. She said those experiences helped shape both her appreciation for historic furnishings and the way she mixes old and new.

Paintings collected in Paris, botanicals found along Portobello Road in London, antique mirrors, vintage lighting and French furniture appear throughout the apartment. Rather than creating themed rooms, Pash said she prefers to surround herself with pieces connected to places she loves.

For her, those objects become reminders of experiences rather than simply decoration.

Home as a Haven

After more than 10 years, Pash said the apartment has evolved alongside her family.

Children's bedrooms have changed, gathering spaces have shifted and rooms have taken on new purposes. Through each update, she said her goal has remained the same: to create a home that feels comfortable at the end of a busy day in New York City.

"Home is an oasis," Pash said. "It should be a haven, a sanctuary ... it's actually more than just a place. For me, it's a feeling."