Kelly Behun Launches Shoppable Living Gallery Concept in NYC

Interior designer Kelly Behun just launched a new Living Gallery concept featuring a four-bedroom apartment fully furnished by Behun herself. The project lives within 1228 Madison Avenue, an Upper East Side luxury building designed by Robert A.M. Stern Architects (RAMSA), set just one block from the Guggenheim Museum and Central Park. The exclusive residential building consists of 14 full-floor apartments and one duplex penthouse housed behind classical details typical of a RAMSA-designed exterior. Behun’s award-winning design aesthetic is a perfect complement to the building’s traditional facade, as seen in each room where she curated a selection of modern + whimsical furniture, decor and artwork, much of which is shoppable through 1228madison.com.

I designed the interiors to be warm and elegant, using timeless design elements and rich, tactile materials which are rooted in the language of classical architecture and that beautifully reflect the exterior designed by legendary Robert A.M. Stern Architects. Every detail within the Living Gallery space has been carefully chosen to create an environment that feels chic yet cozy.

– Kelly Behun

The Living Gallery is decked out with furnishings reflecting Behun’s eclectic yet impeccable taste, including custom, collectible and readily available items that include Herman Miller, Gucci Décor, Wendell Castle, Casey McCafferty and DLV Designs, along with ceramics made by Dobrinka Salzman, Sunshine Thacker, Paul S. Briggs and Hostler Burrows. Throughout the rooms, you can spot Behun’s recent lighting collection with Hudson Valley Lighting, new, custom rugs via her collaboration with The Rug Company, and accessories from L’Objet – all available for purchase. “As an extension of my collection for The Rug Company, the Living Gallery features a capsule collection of 4 new rugs designed exclusively for 1228 Madison Ave, and which are available for sale to the general public. The size and colors of each rug can be completely customized to fit any space,” she says.

Behum, who’s an avid art collector, partnered with Mellyn, Dvorkin & Monrow Art Consultants (MDM) to curate a range of art pieces that complement the interiors. Artists included in the design include Ricci Albenda, Ellsworth Kelly, Dashiell Manley, Ken Price, Anish Kapoor, Mary Obering and Rob Wynne, all of which can be inquired about on the website.

I am an avid collector of ceramics of all kinds and I have an admiration for the artists who create them. Sunshine Thacker is one of my latest obsessions. Her modern, playful take on lighting and furniture belies her warrior-like focus and determination to push the boundaries of what clay can do. I used her “Timpani” lamp in the Great Room.

– Kelly Behun