Last winter, my mom got some amazing deals on botanical prints and chinoiserie-style furniture when one of New York's luxury hotels, The Mark, was selling its furnishings to go hybrid—in other words, to convert a third of their building into co-ops and become somewhat of a boutique hotel. Fast forward nine months and Jacques Grange, France's most famous interior designer, has given birth to a new Mark, transforming what was once an elegant, traditional, and antique-filled space into a buoyantly modern mix of 20th century furnishings and contemporary furniture designed by Grange himself. I was a bit anxious about how the Mark would metamorphose, but I think the results are everything that the Upper East Side needs today: a dose of humor, a dash of trend, and a dollop of Paris.

To see images of the transformation, read more
According to the New York Times, Grange said

"That’s the influence of New York — the modernity, the creation. I’m more protective in Paris, more traditional, but I’m more open to being modern in America.”

That surprises me. As old world and conservative as France may seem at times, I see Paris as one of the more cutting-edge cities in terms of design. Modern design furnishings are everywhere there, in major department stores citywide and living rooms on both banks. In the US, contemporary flair is just starting to move beyond specialty stores and haute hotels. In any case, Grange's eye for interiors is always welcome here, and I hope to see more from him stateside.