Silver Winner of the International Excellence Awards 2026

Monogram

Interior

Residential Living and Dining Spaces

Completed / Built / Company

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Architect / Designer:

Guillaume Coutheillas

Studio:

frenchCALIFORNIA

Design Team:

Guillaume Coutheillas

Limewash by Color Atelier

Art & Objects from Onishi Gallery

Copyright:

Colin Miller

Country:

United States

Our design studio was commissioned to design Penthouse B at Monogram New York, a 35-story residential tower in Midtown Manhattan, creating a refined, design-forward residence that balances architectural clarity with emotional resonance. The project builds upon interiors by Neri&Hu, aligning with the building’s Art Deco influences while introducing a layered, contemporary sensibility.

Positioned on the 35th floor, the 1,674-square-foot, two-bedroom penthouse is defined by expansive views of the Chrysler Building, East River, and Manhattan skyline. We approached the space as a “modern sanctuary,” emphasizing calm, proportion, and continuity between light, material, and form.

The design language is rooted in restraint. Sculptural furnishings, tactile materials, and a muted palette of indigo, ochre, cream, and smoke create a cohesive visual rhythm throughout. Natural materials — including limestone, oak, linen, and bronze — reinforce a sense of quiet luxury, while carefully scaled pieces respond to the apartment’s 15-foot ceilings and triple exposures.

Art plays a central role in shaping the atmosphere of the residence. In collaboration with Creative Art Partners and Onishi Gallery, the collection brings together international artists whose works echo the penthouse’s tonal subtlety and global perspective. Key pieces act as focal points while maintaining an overall sense of harmony and balance.

Sound and technology are treated as integral design elements. A curated system by Bang & Olufsen is seamlessly integrated into the interiors, paired with a custom soundscape of ambient and minimalist compositions to enhance the sensory experience of the space.

Rather than imposing a decorative scheme, our approach centers on composing around the architecture — allowing light, views, and spatial flow to guide the design. The result is a residence that feels both elevated and livable: a quiet, immersive environment that reflects a contemporary vision of urban luxury.

frenchCALIFORNIA

frenchCALIFORNIA is a New York– and California–based design studio creating timeless, globally inspired interiors.

Our Philosophy

ELEVATED DESIGN & AESTHETICS

Founded by Paris-born designer Guillaume Coutheillas, the studio specializes in luxury residential design, including turnkey renovations, interior furnishings, art curation, and model residence staging, while also taking on select commercial and exhibition projects.

A GLOBAL APPROACH

Over the past decade, frenchCALIFORNIA has contributed design expertise to projects developed in collaboration with internationally acclaimed architecture firms such as Sir David Adjaye, Robert A.M. Stern Architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, Richard Meier & Partners, and Foster + Partners.