NoMad’s renaissance has been an extraordinary journey, from a slightly seedy commercial swath to a dining destination, hotel hot spot, and celebrity landing pad for residents like Tom Brady and Giselle Bundchen, Jennifer Lopez and Chelsea Clinton.
Now NoMad — the area around Madison Square Park — is also becoming the city’s latest high-end hub for home design.
“High net worth individuals have moved into the neighborhood’s new luxury buildings, and they want to design their own homes,” says Winick Realty Group’s Ross Burack, a rising young gun and go-to star broker for the elegant neighborhood.
The area — which is also now filled with tourists and tech companies — has drawn more than a dozen home design flagships to the neighborhood in the past few years.
“Most Manhattan architects were already located here. Due to rising rents in Soho, most of the design and furniture companies were forced to relocate. NoMad is the next cool area they discovered,” Burack explains.
Spain-based Porcelanosa, whose celebrity clients include George Clooney, Cindy Crawford, Richard Gere and Sarah Jessica Parker, launched its 15,000-square-foot American flagship space in September 2015 after buying the landmarked building at 202 Fifth Ave. for $40 million. (SJP and Gere even graced its opening party.) The company, which specializes in tile as well as bath products, hardwood building materials, and kitchens, tapped Prizker Prize-winning Norman Foster to design its showroom and offices.
“We chose the area because of its history and central location,” says Carolina Vasquez, Porcelanosa’s marketing manager. “Lots of manufacturers and designers are opening offices in the area, and our competitors are opening showrooms.”
In December, Florim, an Italian ceramic surfaces manufacturer, launched its American flagship at 152 Madison Ave. — the 5,400-square-foot space houses two floors plus a mezzanine, with plenty of room for their staged vignettes.
“It’s our first US showroom. Now a lot of other Italian brands are opening showrooms here,” said marketing director Caterina Francisca.
Then there’s the major French lifestyle home decor brand, Madura, which opened a stunning 3,000-square foot-flagship store at 909 Broadway in February 2015. Famed for its curtains, sheers and blackouts, it is filled with gorgeously lush decorative pieces, from more than 400 pillow choices to throws, bed linens and more.
This June, B&B Italia is slated to open at 135 Madison Ave. That 9,000-square-foot space is still under construction, a spokeswoman said, adding that it will feature products from B&B Italia, Maxalto and B&B Italia Outdoor collections. Next up is Kohler, at 156 Fifth Ave. The lease at this 3,000-square-foot ground-floor space with a 4,000-square-foot basement was signed in October of 2015.
Arclinea NY, which creates turn-key luxury kitchens, opened in 2013 in a 5,000-square-foot space that takes up a city block, from 26th to 27th streets.
“The neighborhood is very centrally located, close to architects and the interior design community, and we have a fabulous space overlooking the park,” says Daniel Yarom, Arclinea’s president. “We got in right before the boom.” His company’s famous clients have included Jennifer Lopez and Chelsea Clinton — and no, he quips, neither asked for a bulletproof kitchen.
Other brands staking a claim in NoMad include Natuzzi, which left Soho in 2013 to open a 4,900-square-foot space at 105 Madison Ave. in 2014. There’s also Duxiana, a luxury mattress company, which recently signed a lease to open a 1,900-square-foot space at 9 W. 20th St. In addition, Manhattan Center for Kitchen and Bath (MCK+B) signed a lease in October 2015 to open at 41 W. 25th St. with 3,526 square feet on the ground floor and 2,198 square feet down a level.
Here’s what to expect down the pike. Bernhardt Design Showroom signed a lease in December 2015 to take over 20,000 square feet at 136 Madison Ave. Finally, Ethan Allen inked a September 2015 deal to open a 12,000-square foot-space at 915 Broadway, on the corner of 21st Street, while Italian furniture designer Poliform is preparing to debut a 10,000-square-foot space at 112 Madison Ave.