A penthouse offers what no house can: the city at your feet. Designing one well means framing that view, working within a building's rules, and creating a sense of home high above the street.
Many of my clients keep apartments in New York, London, Paris, Monaco or Dubai alongside their principal residences. These homes have their own challenges, and a designer who has worked only on houses can be surprised by them.
Frame the view, then control it
The view is the reason the penthouse exists, so the plan should give it to the rooms that deserve it. But floor-to-ceiling glass also brings glare, heat and a sense of exposure at night. Motorised sheers and blackout layers, carefully placed lighting that avoids reflections on the glass, and furniture arranged to look both out and inward make the space liveable at every hour.
Work within the building's rules
Apartment buildings have their own regulations: approvals from the board or management, working hours, noise limits, insurance requirements, and rules about structure, plumbing and waterproofing. In New York, co-operative and condominium boards review alterations; in London, leases and freeholders impose their own conditions. Understanding these at the outset avoids months of delay.
Logistics decide the design
Every slab of stone, every sofa and every piece of joinery must travel through a lift, a corridor and a door. Large items may need to be craned in or made in sections. I measure lifts and access routes early and design with them in mind, so that nothing beautiful is left on the pavement.
Quiet in a vertical neighbourhood
Sound travels through floors, walls and services in apartment buildings. Acoustic underlays, isolated ceilings, careful detailing around plumbing and good doors protect both the client and the neighbours, and many buildings require them.
Creating the feeling of a house
The best penthouses feel like homes rather than hotel suites. A proper entrance hall, a library or study, generous storage, a kitchen that works, and private quarters set apart from the entertaining rooms give the apartment the depth of a house.
Privacy and security
- Controlled access from the lift lobby, with a discreet entrance sequence.
- Window treatments that protect privacy at night.
- Secure storage for art, jewellery and documents.
- Staff and service routes separated where space allows.
- Coordination with the building's security and concierge.
To discuss a commission in confidence, contact kenneth@bhli.us or call +1 (310) 467-5635.
Frequently Asked
How is penthouse interior design different from house design?
Penthouses must manage views, glare and heat through large glazing, comply with building and board rules, plan for lift and access logistics, control sound between apartments, and create the depth and privacy of a house within a single floor or two.
Do penthouse renovations need building approval?
Usually. In New York, co-op and condominium boards review alterations, and in London leases and freeholders set conditions. Most buildings also have working hours, noise rules and insurance requirements.
Which cities does BHLI design apartments in?
Beverly Hills Luxury Interiors designs penthouses and luxury apartments in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Paris, Monaco, Dubai and across Asia.
How do you get large furniture into a penthouse?
By measuring lifts and access routes early, designing pieces to fit or to be assembled in sections, and arranging crane lifts where the building permits for items that cannot travel through the lift.