The penthouse living room of The Twenty Two New York, designed by Child Studio, photographed to reveal its full spatial layering. Crimson velvet sofas, a vintage-style floor lamp and an antique Persian rug occupy the foreground, while the hand-painted mural — inspired by the gardens of nearby Gramercy Park — sweeps across the vaulted upper walls, dissolving the boundary between interior and landscape.

The Twenty Two New York: Child Studio Reimagines a Gilded Age Landmark with Domestic Warmth

Words by Yatzer

16 E 16th St, New York, USA

When architect R.H. Robertson drew up plans for a New York residence for single, self-supporting professional women in the late 19th century, he envisioned a gabled structure crowning the roofline. Contemporaneous zoning laws blocked its construction, and the idea sat dormant for well over a century until Child Studio's Alexy Kos and Che Huang discovered it buried in old blueprints as part of their research to transform the 1891 Romanesque Revival landmark into The Twenty Two New York, the Manhattan sibling to the London hotel and private members' club of the same name. Opened in February 2026, the newly built gabled roof now crowning the nine-storey building off Union Square attests to how the London-based designers approached the project: not as a period-perfect reconstruction but as an act of imaginative restoration, an atmospheric reinterpretation of the building's spirit that treats history as a source of emotional texture.

The street-level entrance of The Twenty Two New York, the 1891 Romanesque Revival landmark off Union Square redesigned by Child Studio. A carved sandstone portico with griffin sculptures and a pointed pediment is flanked by brass lanterns and terracotta pots of evergreen planting, its warm evening glow setting a tone of quiet, unhurried welcome.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

The upper façade of The Twenty Two New York, the former Margaret Louisa Home designed by architect R.H. Robertson in 1891. Romanesque Revival arched windows, richly textured red sandstone and deeply corbelled cornices rise toward the newly built gabled roof — its decorative terracotta tile cladding the fulfilment of Robertson's original, long-unrealised vision.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

This marks the first international project for Kos and Huang, although working with historic properties is hardly unfamiliar territory for the designer duo, whose past restorations and interiors in the British capital have consistently balanced archival sensitivity with cinematic atmosphere. Here, however, the challenge was unusually open-ended. By the time the team began work, almost none of the original interiors of the Margaret Louisa Home (which takes its name from its benefactor, heiress and philanthropist Margaret Louisa Vanderbilt Shepard) had survived decades of institutional use as a health clinic and gradual decline.

Left with little more than the landmark shell, they turned to museum archives, spending months studying old photographs and architectural drawings. Their research revealed modestly furnished rooms in the Shaker and Mission tradition: wooden furniture, panelled parlours warmed by rugs and reading lamps. Rather than recreating these images directly, the designers filtered them through a creative lens, drawing inspiration from an eclectic range of period styles. What emerged is a richly layered environment, more akin to a private residence than a hospitality venue.

A seating alcove in the members' living room at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. Mustard velvet fringe-trimmed chairs and a dark red leather banquette surround black lacquered round tables, each lit by a small brass table lamp. A leaded diamond-pane window admits cool daylight, offset by a dark convex mirror and a double-armed brass sconce. A sweeping navy velvet curtain frames the right edge, enclosing the scene in characteristic Castaing-inflected warmth.

The Members' Living Room. Photography by Alixe Lay.

A guest at work in the lobby of The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. Framed by a floor-length olive velvet curtain, a man sits at a barley-twist writing desk beneath a Tiffany-style leaded glass lamp. Dark Gothic-arched woodwork panels the background, while a framed landscape print and tasselled wall sconces deepen the room's scholarly, old-world atmosphere.

The hotel's lobby. Photography by Alixe Lay.

The reception of The Twenty Two New York, designed by Child Studio. A dark mahogany desk with a marble top and traditional key cabinet faces a sweeping archway draped in deep brown velvet with ornamental trim. A barley-twist armchair, encaustic tile flooring and a softly lit antique print on the wall reinforce the domestic, townhouse-like atmosphere.

The hotel's reception. Photography by Alixe Lay.

A suite bedroom at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. A full canopy bed dressed in deep crimson velvet — its panels trimmed with an embroidered neoclassical border — dominates a room where every surface is saturated in the same dark red. A gilt-framed figurative drawing, ceramic bedside lamps and a vintage Persian rug complete the enveloping, eclectic-traditional interior.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

A suite at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, photographed through a black-lacquered arched doorway that frames the sitting room beyond. The inner alcove — entirely wrapped in deep red, with an alabaster pendant light, a round pedestal table and an anonymous framed drawing — reads as a room within a room, intimate and self-contained against the darker bedroom foreground.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

  • The interior of a canopy bed in a suite at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, photographed from within the draped enclosure. Crimson velvet panels with embroidered neoclassical trim frame a gathered taupe canopy ceiling, enclosing the bed in a self-contained world of layered textile and warm lamplight. The composition distils Child Studio's approach — grandeur made intimate through fabric and detail.

    Photography by Alixe Lay.

  • A suite corridor at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. A black-lacquered arched doorway frames a narrow passage leading to a walk-in wardrobe in warm mahogany, a single white shirt hanging within. An alabaster bowl pendant, a pleated wall sconce and herringbone parquet flooring compose a sequence of carefully considered details that extend the suite's domestic register into its most utilitarian space.

    Photography by Alixe Lay.

  • A writing desk corner in a suite at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. A kidney-shaped mahogany desk bearing stacked books, a notepad and a ribbed wooden box sits against deep red walls and velvet curtains with an embroidered border. A brass floor lamp with a pleated shade casts warm directional light, the composition evoking a private study rather than a hotel room.

    Photography by Alixe Lay.

  • A suite bathroom at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, viewed through a black-lacquered door frame that transitions sharply from the deep red of the bedroom beyond. Inside, a marble console basin on brass legs, a black-framed arched mirror, a ribbed glass wall sconce and exposed brass shower fittings against white marble tiling combine period fixtures with restrained, classical elegance.

    Photography by Alixe Lay.

The scheme's domestic sensibility is evident the moment you step into the reception. Velvet drapery, dark mahogany panelling, antique lighting and a Jacobean-style carved wooden desk create the mood of a discreet townhouse entrance. The same warmth carries through the hotel's 78 rooms and suites, each layered with tactile materials and idiosyncratic details. Recurring motifs such as arched doorways, gloss lacquer panelled doors with hand-painted bronze details, and herringbone parquet flooring establish a quiet rhythm throughout. Bespoke furniture by Child Studio, produced with master craftsmen in the Veneto, sits alongside European antiques and an eclectic selection of drawings, paintings and lithographs sourced from local antique dealers, lending each room the quietly collected quality of a private home.

In the suites, richly differentiated palettes—burgundy red, inky black, caramel and ivory—paired with canopy beds, custom mini-bars and walk-in wardrobes offer a more resplendent experience, culminating in the two-bedroom penthouse. Nestled under the newly built gable roof, the penthouse's soaring living room has the air of an old New York salon, with mahogany panelling, antique rugs and mural-painted ceilings inspired by the private gardens of nearby Gramercy Park; the bedrooms, swathed in floral wallpapers and velvet drapery, offer a quieter, more introspective mood.

The sitting room of a suite at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, seen through a black-lacquered arched doorway. Warm caramel walls enclose a rust velvet banquette, a round pedestal table with a white ceramic vase of dark dahlias, and a skirted armchair in ochre. An alabaster pendant light and an anonymous figurative drawing in a gilded frame complete the quietly intimate scene.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

A detail of a suite sitting room at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. A rust velvet banquette with a bolster cushion, a burl wood round table bearing a white ceramic vase of deep red dahlias, and an ochre skirted armchair are bathed in warm lamplight. An anonymous figurative drawing in a gilt frame hangs above, embodying the project's ethos of anonymous, collected domesticity.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

jpg A suite at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio in a caramel and black palette. A black-moulded arch frames a canopy bed dressed in ivory and taupe panels with embroidered trim, beyond which a gilt-framed figurative painting hangs on an ochre wall. A pleated brass wall sconce, X-frame stool and herringbone parquet flooring complete an interior of considered, understated warmth.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

A suite bedroom at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, viewed through a black-lacquered arch. A canopy bed with deep charcoal velvet panels trimmed in an embroidered neoclassical border occupies an ink-blue room, flanked by pleated brass sconces and an anonymous figurative drawing. Herringbone parquet and a floral rug ground the composition in quiet, eclectic-traditional warmth.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

A suite sitting room at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, in the ink-black palette. Seen past a heavy charcoal curtain and black-lacquered arch, a rust velvet banquette and round burl table bearing a white ceramic vase of dark dahlias face a skirted armchair in navy. An alabaster pendant and an anonymous oil portrait in a gilded frame hang against the deep blue-black walls.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

The sitting room of a black suite at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, photographed from within the darkly panelled space. A black-moulded arch frames the canopy bed beyond, its embroidered fabric panels catching filtered daylight. In the foreground, a burl wood table bearing stacked books and a miniature brass lamp, alongside an X-frame stool and a damask-upholstered chair, compose a scene of layered, domestic intimacy.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

A writing corner in a suite at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. A serpentine-legged mahogany desk with a single drawer bears a conical table lamp, a small bronze bust and a hardback book, set against inky grasscloth-covered walls. An oval portrait in a gilt frame hangs above, and a brass-framed stool on herringbone parquet completes an interior detail of understated, collected character.

Photography by Alixe Lay.

The penthouse living room of The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. Crimson velvet sofas and a burl wood coffee table — bearing a classical plaster bust — face an open drinks cabinet stocked with crystal glassware, set against dark mahogany panelling. Above, a hand-painted landscape mural of lush trees fills the upper register of the double-height space.

The Penthouse Suite. Photography by Alixe Lay.

A detail of the penthouse salon at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. A polished mahogany arch, its moulding catching warm amber light from a wrought-iron lantern below, rises against a hand-painted mural of dense woodland. The close framing emphasises the craftsmanship of the joinery and the trompe-l'œil depth of the painted landscape above.

The Penthouse Suite. Photography by Alixe Lay.

The penthouse salon at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, showing the full interplay between mahogany wainscoting, a polished arched doorway with a wrought-iron lantern, and the hand-painted landscape mural sweeping across the pitched upper walls. Crimson velvet sofas with tassel-trimmed bolsters and rope-tied finials, a burl wood coffee table and small table lamps reflected in a recessed mirror compose a room of eclectic-traditional warmth and considered depth.

The Penthouse Suite. Photography by Alixe Lay.

The penthouse suite bedroom at The Twenty Two New York, designed by Child Studio. A deep plum-toned chinoiserie wallpaper, extending across both wall and ceiling, envelops the space in botanical intimacy. A velvet-upholstered headboard in warm tobacco, crisp white bedding and a brass bedside lamp compose a palette of considered, old-world domesticity.

The Penthouse Suite. Photography by Alixe Lay.

The penthouse suite bedroom at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. A light-ground chinoiserie wallpaper dense with flowering branches, fruit and birds wraps the corner, contrasting with a tobacco-velvet headboard and ebonised bedside table bearing a vintage rotary telephone. Brass wall and table lighting lends the composition a warm, collected intimacy.

The Penthouse Suite. Photography by Alixe Lay.

The members' restaurant at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, photographed to reveal the full dining room. A coffered plaster ceiling with large oxidised brass dish pendants spans the space above white-panelled walls with a terracotta dado. Bentwood armchairs in tan leather surround linen-covered tables with individual lamp settings, while oversized vases of eucalyptus on a marble-topped divider add an effortless, unforced freshness.

The Members' Restaurant. Photography by Alixe Lay.

The Gilded Age sensibility carries through to The Twenty Two's members-only club, which occupies the building's upper floors. Anchored by a 19th-century stone fireplace, the Living Room salon takes its cue from the legendary Parisian decorator Madeleine Castaing, celebrated for her theatrical juxtapositions of midnight-blue velvets and leopard-print carpets. Dark-wood library cabinets and hand-painted ceilings and surfaces detailed with subtle faux architectural motifs complete the room's sense of cultivated theatricality.

The members' restaurant, elegant and unhurried, is anchored by a four-metre spray artwork from the personal collection of the hotel's owner: an original Keith Haring, whose kinetic figures hold their own against the room's formal setting. Above, the rooftop club takes its inspiration from Napoleonic-era tented rooms and the fantastical salon interiors of Renzo Mongiardino, its draped fabric walls, velvet curtains and plush banquettes, all in mellow ochre tones, wrapping members in a warm cocoon above the Manhattan skyline.

The members' restaurant at The Twenty Two New York, designed by Child Studio, seen through a parted burgundy curtain. Round tables in white linen with individual table lamps and bentwood armchairs in tobacco leather face a curved marble bar with glazed spirit cabinets behind. A large ceramic vase of dried foliage and an oxidised brass ceiling dish add organic scale to the warm, unhurried room.

The Members' Restaurant. Photography by Alixe Lay.

The members' restaurant at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, dominated by a four-metre original Keith Haring spray artwork from the hotel owner's personal collection. The work's kinetic black-outlined figures and pink accents on a raw ground contrast sharply with the formal dining setting below: linen-covered table, bentwood armchairs in tan leather and a single table lamp in the deep burgundy room.

An original Keith Haring at the Members' Restaurant. Photography by Alixe Lay.

The members' bar and Living Room at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, photographed to reveal the full spatial sequence. A leopard-print carpet — a direct reference to Madeleine Castaing — unifies the room, from deep navy velvet sofas and black lacquered tables in the foreground to fringe-trimmed mustard velvet chairs and a panelled bar with arched niches beyond. A coffered ceiling with a crystal flush mount and an oversized eucalyptus arrangement complete the layered, maximalist-eclectic atmosphere.

The Members' Living Room. Photography by Alixe Lay.

Despite the abundance of period references, the project never slips into pastiche. What keeps it grounded is Kos and Huang's discerning eye for materiality, craftsmanship and restraint—an instinct for treating history as texture rather than template that ultimately gives the spaces their lived-in quality. That the club has already hosted a Met Gala afterparty just a couple of months after opening says something about how quickly it has found its footing. For those not yet members, Cafe Zaffri (also known as Zaf’s), the street-level restaurant designed by Brooklyn-based firm Post Company, offers a public introduction and a first taste of what awaits on the floors above.

The bar at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio, inspired by Napoleonic-era tented rooms and the fantastical salon interiors of Renzo Mongiardino. Caramel leather banquettes and nailhead-trimmed armchairs cluster around octagonal lacquered side tables beneath ivory curtain walls. A tassel-hung pendant lantern divides the room at its centre, while two anonymous framed artworks — a figurative drawing and an expressionist oil — anchor each side in warm, amber light.

The Members' Bar. Photography by Alixe Lay.

A banquette alcove in the bar at The Twenty Two New York by Child Studio. A curved leather banquette in warm caramel, its back wall entirely draped in floor-to-ceiling ivory fabric, is flanked by two tassel-hung pendant lanterns in the same tonal palette. An anonymous figurative drawing in a gilt frame hangs at the centre, the overall composition evoking the unhurried intimacy of a private Parisian salon.

The Members' Bar. Photography by Alixe Lay.