At Home on Fifth Avenue with Howard Slatkin

So nice to finally meet you. Welcome. Although, of course, I feel like I know you already. I feel the same. I'm so happy you're here. I'm so overwhelmed already just from walking through the entry hall of the spectacular beauty here. Thank you for inviting me into your Manhattan apartment. My pleasure is all mine. And, you know, it's funny. I was thinking on the way over, having just read your book, which I love books about one place. Your book, Fifth Avenue Style, is just about this apartment. Just this apartment. And it's sort of fun to read a book and see all the pictures and then get to see it in person. It's sort of like meeting a celebrity in person. One thing that struck me is your relationship and your passion for artisans at the highest level, which is every work here. Every little thing is. Well, that is my passion. I'm glad you picked up on that because that's what I love most about being an interior designer. Working with these amazingly brilliant and gifted craftsmen. That's the joy for me. Carmen, who is in Bordeaux, correct? Yes. Carmen Elman made this. She's an artist whose medium is tulle. She just uses sheets of tulle, cuticle scissors, a little soldering gun, and her oil paints. And she created this masterpiece. And this wallpaper, which is a gift from your mother. Yes. Some people's mothers give the milk money or the new bicycle. And then here, that's like the ultimate mother for a designer. She gets the importance of the right wall covering in an entry hall. I wish everyone could be here to see the level of detail from the very floor up to the very ceiling. I never want to forget to look up here or down or all around. And there's an exuberance here. So come and show me. I want to see every little bit. With pleasure. Howard, we're in your divine, divine bedroom, which feels like being inside a jewelry box or on some fabulous Orient Express bound to somewhere amazing. Now, speaking of the ultimate, we're going in that closet because I saw it in the book. It's very Gatsby-ish, you know, when I saw the shirts, of all your shirts. You know, the great moment in The Great Gatsby when Daisy pulls them out. Do these pull out? They do pull out. They do? So they can be easily adjusted depending on the depth that you want them to be. Howard, a button is unbuttoned here. I really want you to work on your organizational skills. Okay, I just, I'm loving your bowl. Everyone should understand that just a change bowl with only quarters. We don't need the pennies and the nickels. And just everything is just so beautifully and yet all there to be used and loved. Now that's, it's a dressing room. The whole point is pure function. Okay, sorry. Look at this jacket from Hermes. Howard, go to town on that one. Wait, what is this above? What is this quote? Well, they're all different Latin sayings that hopefully will inspire the day, you know, when you're getting dressed. And I see you're looking at the hardware. I'm not just looking at it. I'm lusting after it. I love designing hardware. And I've always been very lucky in that there's an incredible firm in Manhattan called Garin. You can realize anything you can dream up. And these were made from old ivory that they had for many, many years in their base. I put my monogram here. Come on. I saw it on the hangers. Rosewood hangers and on the rod pulls. If you've got a certain budget or you've got only enough time to focus on something, I'd rather say put it in the things you touch every day. But I think this is my favorite room, which I feel badly even saying because every room is more special than the next. But this, I just, this is the screening room, which doesn't screen movies. You can screen a movie here, but you said you prefer to talk to your guests. I do. After dinner, we come in here and rather than screen a movie, I'd much rather talk. And this is just the perfect setup for talking. I feel like this is meant to gossip in this room. Well, it's very intimate. It's very romantic and it's very cozy. Howard, you made us lunch. Thank you. In this divine setting. I'm so touched. I can't wait. Thank you so much. And of course, your monogrammed chair cushion. You are over the top. I do like slipcovers. You don't miss one opportunity to do the best that it can possibly be. Oh, thank you very much. That's high praise. Well, I do tend to fuss on the details. I do think it's all about the details. And here's to you. Here's to CZ and to you, Suzanne.