Red in the stools and chairs — all from Tribeca Decor — adds a kiss of fashionable color to the warm Brazilian walnut floors and white walls. Josephs says she must have sat on every bar stool in New York before finding the right style. "When I finally found this one, the color choices were red or black," she recalls, "so these stools really informed the rest of the space."

The spacious terrace and garden area are just a few steps from the living room. The breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline emerges like the Emerald City of Oz in the distance. "When I first saw the place, I wasn’t sure it was the right one, but when I took my son out here, he looked at me and said, ‘You’re crazy! Look at this view!'"

A few well-chosen furnishings and an open floor plan allow the packed lower-Manhattan landscape to fill in the gaps.

Every living area should have a conversation piece. For Josephs, it's her Pratt harp, which she started playing several years ago. The dining table set is by artist Jake Solomon, who also made a table and desk in the office. "I acquired the desk in 1979 and the table in 1980, and had them both recently refinished," says Josephs. "I think, as with many things, I’ve come to love them more and appreciate them more as I’ve gotten older."

Art: Joe Stablito, USA; table, benches: Jake Solomon

When Josephs bought the place, the kitchen was tight and cramped. She later pushed the island out, first making the mistake of adding cabinets above the bar area. "I had to yank those out, because I realized I had this beautiful view and I was covering it up," she says. "Opening the kitchen was definitely the best part of the renovation."

Cabinets: David Greenberg; stove: Viking; art: Joe Stablito, USA; chairs: Tribeca Decor

She added sleek wood cabinets from David Greenberg and put in a Viking range.

Art: Inna Caruk, Budapest

After her son moved out, Josephs converted the bedroom space into this cozy office.

Coffee table: handmade by Jake Solomon; side table: Ikea; art: photographs by Josephs

The handmade Jake Soloman office desk is Josephs' favorite piece in the house. "I love this table," she says. "It was made from a slab of redwood and uses Japanese-style pegs instead of bolts or screws."

Stool: family piece; lamps: Ikea

Not surprisingly in a 22nd-floor space, the amount of natural light is abundant. The master bedroom is dressed up in special inherited furniture and two eye-catching pieces of art that help enliven the style but keep things simple. "This blue chair has been around since I was a little kid," Josephs says. "I used to come home from high school and just curl up in it and take a nap."

Art: Stephanie De Gannon (right), B. Espinoza (left)

The trousseau was also handed down. "This was my mother’s trousseau," says Josephs. "She gave it to me before she died, because she knew how I always admired it. I thought at one point that I would make it into a vanity, but the space would have been too small for it."

The sink in the floor-to-ceiling Travertine master bathroom was another important "aha" moment. "During the remodel I went to this shop to look at bathroom fixtures, and I saw this sink. They told me it was for another client, but I loved it so I said, ‘Well, order another one.’ It’s my favorite piece in this room." The sink is from Grand Central Plumbing, and the mirror and vanity light are from Lighting New York.

When Josephs (shown here) moved into her home, in the 1980s, the living room and kitchen were completely separated. She opened the space up and expanded the kitchen to create a continuous living space that celebrates the big-city view.

Couch: Hennessy, Crate & Barrel; chairs: Tribeca Decor; mirror: Mexican street fair; acrylic table: from a friend; art: B. Espinoz


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