Designer Wesley Moon Shapes a New York Aerie, Drawing Influence from Its Painterly Sunset Views
The interiors expert was tasked with transforming a plain, white box of a pied-à-terre into a jewel box of wonders
A breakout room at a notable show house can have a resounding effect for a designer. It can be a career making for an emerging talent, or for a more established creative such as New York’s Wesley Moon, it can bring an unexpected client with a dream project. Such was the case when Moon crafted the kitchen at the prestigious Kips Bay Decorator Show House in New York in 2023, transforming a dated warren of wood, tile, and questionable colors into a soigné space with Edwardian nods.
That kitchen made one native New Yorker with properties in Texas, California, and Long Island, New York, take note, and when she purchased a three-bedroom, 2,200-square-foot apartment on a high floor in a new building in Manhattan, she immediately reached out. The client offered Moon direct yet ambitious marching orders: Take a plain, white box of a pied-à-terre and turn it into a jewel box of wonders. “We had a great connection from the start,” recalls Moon of the homeowner. “She loves design and art and appreciates makers and unique pieces.”
Thankfully, the new construction meant not a lot of renovation was required. During the eight-month process, however, Moon introduced architectural details such as a fireplace and crown molding. To make the most of every space, rooms are orchestrated to serve a multitude of functions. One guest room serves as the husband’s office, while a second doubles as her office and dressing room. A dining table by Barn in the City paired with chairs by Laura Gonzalez also hosts guests for lively games of bridge.
“There are no bold patterns,” says Moon. “The space is layered and warm, with lots of subtle details, so it’s inviting and interesting.”
Punctuating details quietly reveal themselves throughout the interior. In the powder room, Moon selected a custom wall covering by MJ Atelier that’s made with hand-sculpted plaster with applied burlap. “It adds texture and interest without being overwhelming,” he says. In the entry, a metal and vinyl ombré runner by Hechizoo Textiles from Cristina Grajales Gallery is embroidered with turtles and other wildlife. “Everything is customized by the most skilled artisans,” says Moon. “She wanted the apartment to be Zen and calm but also have some dramatic moments.”
One of the residence’s most striking features is the nearly floor-to-ceiling windows
that allow for sweeping views of luminous sunsets that streak across the skyline to the south and Central Park to the west. Moon looked to bring that enchantment inside, so he installed a sky mural by Calico Wallpaper on the living room ceiling. The dusty pinks, soft blues, and hints of gold reverberate across the home’s color palette. “There’s this ethereal feeling of floating through the air at golden hour,” he says. “The primary bedroom at night is true magic that lets the twinkling skyline get all the attention.”
Equally attention grabbing are the swirling, lyrical abstracts by Min Chen hung throughout the home. Their strong hues offer a bright splash against the sand-colored wall covering by Élitis in the dining area and echo the watery blues of the Edward Fields silk shag rug in the primary suite. “The apartment hums,” says Moon. “There are no solo performances screaming at you. Everything is tone on tone, a symphony of textures, layered and warm.”
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2026 Fall Issue under the headline “Lofty Ideals.” Subscribe to the magazine.