When modern aficionado Ariel Ashe of Ashe + Leandro decided to pack up the 17th floor high-rise apartment and move to the top floor of a historic Greenwich Village town house, she knew she would have to pay respect to the apartment’s classical lines. Inspired by a collection of black white and beige rooms, she set out to find the right balance between her modernist sensibilities and the Greek-Italianate character of the house.

She started with creating a stark black & white contrast with a gallery wall that her business partner Reinaldo helped arrange just a couple of days after she moved in. She mixed modern furniture with antique pieces, and softened the rooms by adding sheepskins, long neutral draperies, unusual objets d’art and fresh greenery. The Moroccan Tuareg rug in the living room helped to bring the room together while adding graphic impact.