Be it via gossip Girl, Sex and the cityor Rear window, We all have our fantasy versions of New York City. For many design connoisseurs, their dreams took the form of the penthouse apartment of the late fashion designer Isabel and artist Ruben Toledo, which was presented in a museum in 2006 new York magazine article and described by a chairwoman of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission as “little Parnassus in heaven” – fitting, since Parnassus was the residence of the Greek Muses.
Alfredo Paredes' midtown design studio (pictured here and above left) is located in Isabel and Ruben Toledo's former penthouse loft.
Located atop Alfred Zucker's late 19th-century Baudouine building, the penthouse now houses the small but exquisite studio of top interior designer Alfredo Paredes of ELLE DECOR. Paredes, who worked at Ralph Lauren before opening his eponymous company in 2019, remembered the space fondly when he saw it in print. When he heard it was available, he knew he had to have it and moved there last fall, even though his previous lease was several months away.
Paredes with a portrait of the couple.
Architecturally, Paredes hasn't changed anything. What was once the Toledos' sleeping area is now a “war room” for the studio's designers, while Rubens' main workspace is now a sitting area where some of Paredes' own designs are on display: a pink sofa and navy blue armchairs. The positive, creative spirit that the Toledos have in this space lives on. “The most beautiful rooms are the ones that have always been there,” says Paredes. We can only agree.
This story originally appeared in the Winter 2025 issue of ELLE DECOR. SUBSCRIBE