After years of giving the internet endless inspiration from her incredibly stylish Brooklyn mansion, Athena Calderone has entered a new chapter — and, of course, the design world has opinions.
The EyeSwoon founder’s recently revealed Tribeca apartment is moodier, darker, richer, and far more introspective than the bright, airy aesthetic many people associate with her previous home. And judging by the comments online, some people are…confused. Very dark. Very brown. Very heavy. Very serious.
Personally; I think it’s breathtaking.
Yes, I’m usually drawn to lighter colored interiors as well. I love soft natural light, creamy palettes and spaces that feel comfortable and airy. But good design isn’t about forcing every home into the same Pinterest-approved formula. A truly beautiful home should reflect emotion, personality, architecture and atmosphere — and Athena’s new apartment does just that.
This is not a house designed to chase trends or maximize Instagram brightness.
It is a house designed to touch something.
A completely different kind of beauty
The moment you see the apartment, you understand that this is not just a decoration project. It is a study in mood, proportion, skill and restraint.
Rich wood paneling wraps the rooms in warmth. Deep burgundy and smoky tones create intimacy. Creamy stone fireplaces and soft ivory drapery balance darkness with quiet elegance. Light doesn’t come through every corner — it shines.
And honestly? That’s what makes it memorable.
Amidst a sea of identical pale oak kitchens and overexposed white interiors, Athena’s apartment has a cinematic feel. It has tension. Depth. Mystery.
The apartment does not scream for attention.
He whispers.
The Danielle Siggurd collaboration makes perfect sense
A huge part of what makes this home so exciting is Athena’s collaboration with architect and designer Danielle Siggurd.
Athena recently shared:
“For all of these reasons, and many more, I knew that working with @daniellesiggurud on the architecture and renovation of my Tribeca home was the only way forward.”
And honestly, you can feel that level of alignment throughout the apartment.
She continued:
“Danielle and I met over 6 years ago when I featured her work in my design, Live Beautifully. When I interviewed her after we took over her home, I quickly understood not only her passion for the architectural details of a home, but also her poetic understanding of its essence – how it makes you feel and how beautiful design can affect the quality of your life.”
This word – substance — explains everything.
This apartment doesn’t try to be conventionally beautiful. It tries to create an emotional experience.
And perhaps most revealing of all:
“For me, it’s about home and honesty in design.”
This honesty is exactly what people respond to.
Why are people so divided about it?
I really think the strong reactions prove how successful the project is.
Most interiors on the internet today are designed to offend no one. They are neutral in every possible sense: visually pleasing, algorithm friendly, instantly consumable.
Athena’s apartment is not that.
It asks you to slow down.
The dark wood paneling, the dramatic contrast, the almost monastic restraint, the lack of obvious “Instagram moments” — it all seems purposefully against the trend.
And that can make people feel uncomfortable because we’ve collectively become so used to overly bright interiors.
But darkness in design is not automatically depressing.
In fact, darker interiors can feel:
- grounding
- intimate
- multi-experienced
- sensual
- calming down
- deeply architectural
This home feels closer to a historic European apartment or a quietly luxurious boutique hotel than a social-media-ready house of influence.
And I mean that as the highest compliment.
The kitchen is especially incredible
THE kitchen that alone deserves its own article.
Wrapped in deep tones of mahogany with monumental toast and a sculpted island, it looks less like a kitchen and more like a beautifully designed room from a movie.
Herringbone floors add movement and warmth, while layered textures keep the dark palette from feeling flat.
Even the oversized flower arrangement feels architectural rather than decorative.
Nothing seems random.
And maybe that’s what some people confuse with “cold”.
But temperance is not coolness.
The apartment simply avoids visual noise.
Lighting does so much work
One of the most ingenious aspects of the apartment is the handling of the lighting.
Instead of flooding every room with light, the house embraces the shadow.
Soft pools of warm light bounce off dark wood. Cream fabrics diffuse the atmosphere. Sculpted pendants become focal points rather than background objects.
The result is incredibly cinematic.
You can almost imagine rainy afternoons here. Softly playing jazz. Coffee at dawn. Illuminating light at night.
You feel like you’re living it emotionally, even when it’s perfectly styled.
The apartment feels mature
It may sound strange, but it’s true.
Athena’s Brooklyn mansion was stunning, but it represented a different era of design culture—an obsession with curated perfection and high aesthetic living.
This new apartment feels more interior.
More personal.
More confident.
It doesn’t need to be proven.
And frankly, this development is refreshing.
Not every beautiful home needs to be bright
I think one reason people react so strongly is because we are conditioned to associate brightness with beauty.
But some of the most beautiful interiors in the world are layered, shadowy and atmospheric.
Think:
- old parisian apartments
- historic London mansions
- Milanese interiors
- boutique hotels in Copenhagen
- Japanese minimalism
- Art Deco spaces
Athena’s apartment belongs more to that conversation.
It’s about atmosphere over instant gratification.
The Powder Room might be my favorite space
Can we talk about the oxblood red bathroom?
Because it is wormwood good.
The lacquered walls, the black pedestal sink, the vintage-inspired mirror, the dramatic contrast — it feels theatrical in the best possible way.
It’s bold without being gimmicky.
Again, this is a home designed with emotion first.
And frankly, in an age where so many interiors feel interchangeable, I appreciate a home with a view.
Final Thoughts
Athena Calderone’s Tribeca apartment isn’t designed for everyone.
That’s exactly why it works.
It’s layered, moody, elegant and deeply purposeful. It prioritizes vibe over trends and emotional resonance over algorithmic approval.
Will some prefer bright white kitchens and sunny Scandinavian minimalism? Naturally.
Design is subjective.
But dismissing this apartment as just “too dark” completely misses the complexity of what’s going on here.
This house has soul.
And in today’s world of endlessly repeating interiors, that’s far more interesting than perfection.
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