Home Style
Molly Torres Portnof of date interiors creates a home that tells a well-traveled story.
Despite its neutral palette, the living room’s tactile materials and wooden floating shelves create a warm, welcoming respite from the New York City hustle.
In a city that houses millions, an apartment can often feel like just another concrete box. But for Molly Torres Portnof, founder and principal designer of DATE Interiors, a little bit of personality can make even a uninspired white box feel warm and welcoming.
When Torres Portnof was first tasked to help design an Upper West Side apartment, she wanted to restore the unit to its original glory. “The space luckily had 10-foot-high ceilings, so it felt really big and open,” the designer explains. “However, the previous owners ripped out architectural details like the original molding and fireplace mantel during a prior renovation years ago. They made it more ‘modern’ for the time with a lot of builder-grade options that just really didn’t hold up.”
Left: The dining alcove’s banquette and chair cushions are covered in a sumptuous green velvet, contrasting with the imperfect brick wall.
Right: The office, in blush tones, doubles as a cozy guest room.
However, once Torres Portnof learned about her client’s vibrant, culture-packed lifestyle, she sought to create a space that would weave a tapestry of her travels and experiences. “We were able to be really thoughtful and creative—and make it a space that she absolutely loves,” Torres Portnof shares. “I wouldn’t say that you necessarily feel like you are in New York. I think it feels very culturally diverse: We pulled inspiration from Parisian pieds-à-terre, Ottoman architecture, and Spanish design.”
“I think it feels very culturally diverse: we pulled inspiration from Parisian pieds-à-terre, Ottoman architecture, and Spanish design”
Step inside the apartment and you are confronted with a great room that includes the living room, kitchen, and a dining nook. Though the common area boasts a neutral palette, Torres Portnof’s use of texture keeps the space from appearing sterile. “The plethora of materials—whether it’s the antique rug or those vintage sheepskin chairs—makes this space feel so much more comfortable and lived in,” she says.
Left: In the guest bath, green zellige tiles from Artistic Tile create a serene, spa-like feel.
Right: The mix of aquamarine walls and a tropical mural make this primary bedroom one of Torres Portnof’s favorite rooms. Sconces from Visual Comfort, through Ferguson, flank the bed, and Lutron’s automated window treatments—which she sourced from Innovative Audio Video—offer form and function.
But while this apartment’s public-facing spaces have a neutral palette, the private corners are packed with a spectrum of color. The bright-blue primary bedroom is cleverly paired with an idyllic island mural—bringing a tropical vibe to the urban dwelling. Meanwhile, the guest bath is enveloped in Artistic Tile’s seafoam-tinged zellige tiles.
Despite living in a city filled with world-class restaurants, Torres Portnof’s client loves to entertain at home—and wanted a kitchen that was equipped for a dinner party. “We wanted to create an open kitchen where it doesn’t feel like anyone’s relegated to the corner when they’re cooking,” the designer shares. “Everyone can congregate and be together at all times.” The open space receives an elegant edge with a Bosch panel-ready dishwasher and Newport Brass sink faucet, which was sourced from Ferguson.
The kitchen, which is open to the living and dining areas, is designed for entertaining. A Bosch panel-ready dishwasher blends with the cabinetry. Faucet by Newport Brass, through Ferguson.
Torres Portnof says that she and her client have become fast friends—she’s even attended a few dinner parties at the Upper West Side residence. “The biggest compliment is that her close friends and family members who walk through the door say that it feels like her and feels like a place they don’t want to leave,” she adds. “As a designer, I don’t know what more you can really ask for.”