It’s been nearly 30 years since celebrated decorator Vicente Wolf first settled into his light-filled 3,000-square-foot loft—previously an industrial sewing factory—in NYC’s Garment District. Along with the plaster walls, the concrete floors, and the exposed sprinkler systems, the gallerylike white backdrop has remained unchanged over the years. “I wanted it to be a canvas for the things that are inside of the apartment,” says Vicente. It was this simple yet purposeful gesture that set the stage for a home that is light, airy, and constantly evolving, thanks to new shipments of antiques from destinations ranging from Indonesia to Belgium. We stopped by recently to talk collecting, decorating, and loft-style living with this man about town.
An Indonesian teak screen functions as a visual delineation between the entry and living areas. Once inside, visitors are greeted by ornamental flowers from Belgium and a Thai Buddha, both of which reside on top of an antique Dutch Colonial desk found in Sri Lanka.
An ivory alligator has the pride of place as one of Vicente’s most prized objects. “I bought it about 15 years ago,” he says. “It’s more than 100 years old.”
A Mix-and-Match Mélange
An intrepid traveler as well as a renowned photographer, Vicente is a master at channeling his wanderlust and artful eye at home. Antiques, ornamental models, religious relics, and beautiful miniatures often find themselves in unlikely company with one another. Design styles, periods, and pedigrees are combined with a refreshing degree of abandon. “It’s all instinctually done,” he says. “It’s about visually seeing something that is pleasing.” Case in point: Just off his entryway, a 1940s French chair, a stupa, and a fragment of a 19th-century portrait that he picked up in Prague live together in decorative harmony.
A large-scale photograph by Israeli artist Michal Rovner has remained a focal point and fixture in the apartment, as has the 1960s Italian floor lamp.
The Consummate Collector
“I’ve always wanted my space to have a sense of transition—that things are there, they look good together, and then something else comes in,” Vicente says of his constantly evolving vignettes. Nevertheless, select pieces have managed to find their way into his permanent collection—most notably, Vicente’s mismatched vintage European chairs off his entryway, situated in a tidy, almost museumlike row. As for the enviable collection of 21st-century art and photographs on display throughout his home on simple ledges, the placements may change on the regular, but his areas of interest prove more consistent. “Most of my photographs are Surrealist, Italian Futurist, and Russian avant-garde,” he says.
In the living area, a daybed from Indonesia and armchairs—including two of his own slipcovered designs—make for easy seating for intimate entertaining and parties. “We’ll have drinks here and then head into the dining area.”
The warm tones of 19th-century candlesticks on a 1960s table provide a contrast to the verdant backdrop: a tree that Vicente “grew from a seed” some time ago.
With north-facing windows, the space gets ample daylight that allows plants to thrive year-round. “Greenery brings a good vibe to a space, giving it a sense of life.”
Life Without Boundaries
While known for favoring a somewhat restrained color palette, Vicente’s designs are far from restrictive. His own open-floor living style is the best testament to his unencumbered approach to decorating. “I’m someone who doesn’t put borders when it comes to design,” he explains. “Everything is floating in here because this space is a very large square room. So the space inspired that. And I like that it gives a sense of an unconventional quirky environment.”
Like his own private conservatory, Vicente’s lush dining area also doubles as his library. The sofa is a 19th-century French find; casters make the table easy to move.
A wide range of orchids (“I love orchids, so I have a lot of different kinds”) and shapely finials occupy the petite dining table when it’s not in use.
Vicente wanted to grow water lilies, so he bought some in Amsterdam and used one of his oversize planters from Thailand as a vessel. Guppies from the pet store also live inside.
I like things floating within a space. I think it points out the air, the negative space. I like walking around these objects.
In the media room and guest room—where Vicente starts and ends most of his days—a Burmese monk bench serves as a nightstand alongside black-and-white images of a hands. The tree photo above daybed is the only piece of Vicente’s work displayed in the apartment.
Vicente retires at 11 every night and wakes up at 5:30 every morning. Polished wool curtains, perfect for shielding early-morning light, hang from the 10-foot-high ceilings. The floating bed, designed by Vicente, resides at a purposeful angle against a freestanding wall.
Taking a Test-and-Learn Approach
Whereas pure instinct is what guides Vicente when it comes to design and collecting, fearless curiosity is what fuels his finesse. “I experiment,” Vicente explains. “I see my apartment as my studio and creative lab, and I try to use it as a place where I can try out ideas, and I look at different combination of things.” That watchful understanding of balance, combined with an eye for experimentation, is apparent throughout the space. “It’s a mixture of designs—the industrial table with the 18th-century console,” he says. “There’s not an importance in hierarchy. It is just spontaneous evolution.”
Designed by Vicente, the bedside table provides ample space to hold his latest reads in addition to a few choice pieces from his sculpture and photography collection.
Vicente’s Sunday ritual? Reading The New York Times with his cat (“The cat has many names, too many to really go into”) on his bedroom sofa, which had once been in the living room. The open-back Ethiopian chair was a travel find.
Buddhas in all sizes and shapes were brought back from Southeast Asian countries, from Borneo to Burma to Thailand.
The large Surrealist painting, cheekily placed in the bedroom, was found in Australia.
I'm a wide traveler, so things are always getting sent back from trips that get incorporated. Everything I bring in are things that I love.
A collection of religious crosses is displayed alongside a sculptural lamp atop a lightly weathered 1940s French wood cabinet in the bedroom.
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