Inside an Artfully Curated NYC Apartment by Augusta Hoffman

Rip & Tan: Do you remember what first drew you to interiors? 

Augusta Hoffman: I think it was something that I was always meant to do. I was the type of child who would be invited over to a friend’s and audaciously start rearranging furniture in their parent’s homes. 

Rip & Tan: You’ve used the word “ethereal” to characterize your design style. How does that tend to manifest itself in physical spaces? 

Augusta Hoffman: I gravitate towards spaces that feel calm, light and evoke a sense of stillness. In our designs, we focus on delicate forms with simple textures.

Rip & Tan: In terms of evoking a feeling, how would you describe this completed space?

Augusta Hoffman: This particular apartment has such a dreamy sense of light. It truly glows. I love that we were able to evoke a feeling of a cloud-like space. The calming ivory and earthy tones reflect the light so beautifully. 

Rip & Tan: Can you tell us more about this East 78th Street residence? What was the client’s vision, and what was the process of bringing it to life like? 

Augusta Hoffman: My client is very business/work-focused and wanted a serene living space with personality and room to entertain. In order to design a home that felt layered yet uncluttered, I minimized furniture pieces with a streamlined floor plan and focused on tonal colors and texture. With a base of warmer beiges and whites, we incorporated elements of earthy color. Our goal was a home that feels calming, yet young and vibrant. 

I wanted to incorporate unexpected accents while adding moments that felt refined and specific to our client. When art advisor, Illa Gaunt, sent me an image of this Heath Newman piece, I knew it was a must for our client’s living room. The neutral tones felt really grounding while the colorful brushstrokes were almost the perfect match to the pierre frey wallpaper leading to the bedroom. I love how this piece links the two spaces, while not feeling expected. 

Cognizant of her preferences and style, I was aiming to create a space that felt youthful and cool, but elegant and appropriate for the pre-war Lenox Hill building. Every detail within the space has a story inspired by pieces from her upbringing and travels. 

Rip & Tan: Every detail feels so obsession-worthy. Are there any pieces you’re particularly proud to have sourced? Any stories associated? 

Augusta Hoffman: The Spanish mission-style case-piece in the corner really makes the space. It has the perfect amount of patina and texture to offset the other streamlined pieces. I am also such a big fan of the gossip chair in the entry—we needed one, minimal piece that could serve many functions, and finding this table chair combination felt like winning the lottery!

Lastly, the Venetian wall mirror above the fireplace hung in the client’s mother’s bedroom in her childhood home. I think this is such a wonderful juxtaposition with the more tailored surroundings and brings a true sense of elegance and history to the living room. 

Rip & Tan: What are a few of the ways you brought a sense of depth into the space? 

Augusta Hoffman: The deep wood paneled vestibule presented a unique design challenge, as it is visible from almost every room. We wanted the space to feel young and fresh, and though mahogany typically has a very traditional connotation, we decided to embrace its materiality and use it as a contrast to the surrounding spaces. The previous owners were architects and while they completed a really classic and timeless renovation several years ago, it needed warm layers to feel like a home.