Carolyne Roehm, the author, designer and longtime figure of New York society often described as an Oscar de la Renta muse, has relisted her Sutton Place duplex for $5.49 million.
The three-bedroom co-op at 322 E. 57th St. returned to the market this week with Charles Holmes and Evita LaSasso of Coldwell Banker Warburg handling the listing. The apartment, spread over two levels, is notable for its old-world detailing and the lofty proportions that appealed to Roehm, who told The Post in an emailed comment, "I fell in love with its European proportions instantly. It was perfect for my art."
The duplex, which Roehm purchased in 2004 following her divorce from private equity executive Henry Kravis, features an 18-foot coffered living-room ceiling, 12-foot casement windows, decorative pilasters and stately columns. The two floors are connected by a limestone staircase and a private elevator. The listing emphasizes a fabric-paneled circular dining room, a wood-paneled library and a series of hidden pocket doors that lead to service spaces including a butler's pantry and a windowed kitchen.
The current asking price echoes an earlier reduction in the residence's sales history. The listing first appeared in May of last year with a $6.15 million price tag, was reduced to $5.49 million before being taken down in August, and has now been reintroduced at $5.49 million.
Roehm, 74, made her name as a tastemaker and entertainer, publishing more than a dozen books on art, design and homemaking, including "A Passion for Blue and White," "Flowers," "At Home in the Garden" and "A Passion for Parties." She built a reputation as a hostess and lifestyle authority often compared to Midtown iterations of national figures in domestic culture.
The second level of the residence holds all three bedrooms, a paneled den and a home office. The primary suite is carpeted and coordinated with florals, and the ensuite bath continues the apartment's emphasis on classical finishes. Per previous coverage, Curbed described the library as resembling "an enormous humidor," an indication of the rich woodwork and period detailing that define the interior.
322 E. 57th St. was constructed in 1929 as a studio building designed for artists who required expansive walls and tall windows. The neo-classical limestone building retains that legacy in its loftlike interior proportions. The block-level tenancy also reflects the building's mixed-use history: the ground floor long has been occupied by Mr Chow, the high-end Chinese restaurant that is a staple of the neighborhood.
The relisting continues a recent pattern in high-end Manhattan co-op turnover, where long-held residences with distinctive architectural character come to market with expectations shaped by provenance and provenance-driven buyers. Roehm's association with designers and the publishing world contributes to the apartment's cachet, as do the building's original artist-studio credentials and the Midtown location.
Prospective buyers can view the duplex through the Coldwell Banker Warburg agents handling the sale. The listing materials present the apartment as a turnkey, decorated residence consistent with Roehm's career as an author and curator of domestic style.