Photography by Carmen Troesser
High Ceilings: The building was formerly occupied by the Dorris Motor Car Company, multiple vehicle showrooms and all—hence the high ceilings. After Jimmy Jamieson bought the building, in 2000, he and his team re-created the architecture. “There were no partitions,” he says. “This was all open space.” The original tile floor remains.
Artwork: This is one of Julian Schnabel’s tarp paintings from the mid-1980s, acquired by Jamieson close to 20 years ago for his home. After concluding that it was too large for the house, he had it moved to his office. “I buy art because I love it, and wherever it fits, it fits,” he says. “As it turns out, the background stain is monotone enough for the room. It allows the paint to float forward, and everything else recedes.”
Furniture Mix: The chairs and an antique table on the opposite side of the room are a mix of Empire and Biedermeier, and many pieces date from around 1800–1820. “I like a combination of new and old things,” Jamieson says. “I always say, ‘It’s nice not to be the oldest thing in the room.’”
Atmosphere: Much of Jamieson’s work is residential, so he steered clear of a look evocative of corporate culture. “I wanted to create the feeling of a residential setting, so that clients feel comfortable here.”
Tea Table Trivia: Jamieson purchased an English Victorian chinoiserie tea table from the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis estate auction, in 1996. The table resided in her Fifth Avenue apartment and, before that, in the White House during Kennedy’s years as First Lady. “I love the fact that it was sold to the Kennedys by Sister Parish and that it was in the White House,” he says.
Work Supplies: Jamieson meets clients in this room and at their homes. “I think it’s good to have a thorough understanding of the environment they’re living in and what feels natural to them,” he says. “From that, I know the parameters and how far they want me to push them. The design evolves from there.”
