Pastel and playful, the kitchen is grounded by the warmth of the European Oak, engineered timber floorboards by Tongue & Groove. Natale designed this unique, rhythmic pattern as part of the newly launched Co.Lab range.
This home is an intersection of art, history and design – a deeply personal expression of its inhabitants’ Italian heritage, their Parisian inspirations, and the magnetic eclecticism of New York itself. Quite literally grounding the project is a special collaboration between Greg Natale and Tongue & Groove.
Produced in partnership with Tongue & Groove.
New York’s Upper East Side is renowned for its stately brownstones and famed avenues. It’s in this iconic urban context that Australian interior designer Greg Natale’s latest project can be seen as a masterclass in layered design. Drawing on the cosmopolitan surroundings and the owner’s globe-trotting sensibility, this home reimagines tradition with an artful design eye.
Previously a mixed-use commercial and residential structure, the four-storey townhouse now unfolds as a richly textured home that fuses tradition with reinvention. Natale reinstates the original two-door entrance, reasserting its classic architectural presence. Inside, rooms are curated with panache. Vintage European furniture sits alongside contemporary custom elements, and traditional motifs are reinterpreted with a contemporary edge. “New York is so eclectic, so multicultural, so fashionable and that really shaped our approach,” Natale explains. “We wanted to design a space as richly layered as the city itself, a townhouse that felt deeply personal yet cosmopolitan.”
Materiality is at the heart of this project, with marble playing a defining role throughout. Personally sourced from Italy by the clients – who spend half their year there – the stone takes centre stage in unexpected ways, from striking geometric inlays to sculptural furnishings. This precision is offset by lush fabrics, lacquered surfaces and bold hues, all evoking a ‘jewel-box’ effect throughout the home. “The deeper hues ground the spaces, while the pastel accents introduce lightness and a sense of refinement,” Natale says. The tension between rich, moody shades and delicate pastels ensures each room feels immersive yet harmonious.
The owners collection of vintage European furnishings works beautifully with the layers of tonal pinks and greens, complemented by a custom, hand-made floral light fitting by Crizu.
The interplay of materiality extends to the flooring, where Natale’s newly launched Bosco collection with Tongue & Groove makes a defining statement. Developed in parallel with this project, the Ada pattern, which features an innovative take on the classic herringbone, grounds the home with a fluid, undulating form. “The ethos of the collection is to do the unexpected with timber flooring – redefining how it’s used and perceived – which aligned with our vision for the townhouse’s interiors,” Natale notes. Natale’s flooring design is part of Tongue & Groove’s newly unveiled Co.Lab collection, an initiative that merges precision engineering with groundbreaking design. Co.Lab redefines flooring by blending exquisite craftsmanship with avant-garde design, creating bespoke collections that challenge conventions.
In this home, the flooring brings a much-needed warmth, softening the drama of the marble. The European Oak floors offer a tactile counterpoint that ties the spaces together. Carried across all three levels of the home, the timber creates cohesion while allowing for individual expression within each room.
“New York is so eclectic, so multicultural, so fashionable and that really shaped our approach,” Greg Natale, interior designer says on this richly layered townhouse. During the design process, Natale designed the new European Oak range of timber floorboards as part of its Co.Lab collection, in collaboration with Tongue & Groove.
Italian natural stone features prominently, with the owners travelling to Italy to select pieces throughout. To bring cohesion across the ground plane, the Ada pattern Herringbone laid floorboards are used across each level for balance.
The home is a study in contrast – between old and new, structure and softness, restraint and theatricality. Art Deco influences weave through the interiors. Intricate joinery and contemporary furnishings are met with avant-garde pieces, such as the stunning hand-made paper flower bouquet light shades, commissioned to Crizu.
The clients’ affinity for Parisian maximalism is evident throughout, as expressed in the twist on a classic Herringbone floor design. And Natale balances this with a contemporary eclecticism that ensures the space remains fresh and dynamic. “It’s a real balancing act that falls into place once you start layering rooms with furniture,” he explains. Defying categorisation, each space tells a story while contributing to a broader, interconnected whole.
At its core, this townhouse is a confluence of cultures, a tribute to the clients’ love of European artistry and New York’s ever-evolving identity, all underpinned by the warmth of unique Herringbone timber floorboards.
“The ethos of the collection is to do the unexpected with timber flooring–redefining how it’s used and perceived–which aligned with our vision for the townhouse’s interiors.”
– Greg Natale
The brownstone on the Upper East Side of New York has had the original two doors restored. As a cosmopolitan city, Natale drew global influences in its redesign.
