As makeup artist to the stars, Mario Dedivanovic spends most of his time crisscrossing the globe. One week he’s in Dubai leading a master class (his often sold-out international series of maquillage tutorials); the next week, he’s contouring Kim Kardashian for a photo shoot in Manhattan; and the next he’s in Los Angeles, primping Naomi Harris for an appearance at the Golden Globes. It’s enough to turn anyone into a homebody during off hours. Luckily, when Dedivanovic’s plane touches down again in New York, he has a plush landing spot, a 1,700-square-foot penthouse on the Upper East Side that he calls “a refuge from the chaos of the city and my life." He adds, "It's like my personal little chic cocoon."
But it wasn’t always so. When Bronx-born Dedivanovic purchased the two-bedroom, two-bath apartment, which is housed in a former convent, the space was typical of most New York City condos. “It was super-clean, bright, and modern, so I needed to make it feel personal and customize a few things to my liking,” he says. Enter interior designer Ryan Korban, who was introduced by celebrity florist Jeff Leatham and found a kindred spirit in his new client. “There were so many similarities between us,” says Korban. “He’s an artist and very creative, and his aesthetic is in line with what I do. That’s the best situation. In a way, I felt like I was doing my own home.”
Korban began the renovation process by reinventing the traditional interpretation of a modern condo apartment, a concept he’s also rolling out at 40 Bleecker, a 61-unit condo building he’s currently designing downtown. “I wanted to channel the new generation’s interest in design and relationship to luxury as something that’s meant to be used and not put away on a shelf,” says Korban. “Mario is so young and successful, and he has such a lifestyle. I wanted it to feel aspirational and a little frivolous—things don’t always have to be so practical.”
For Korban, that meant warming up the space with rich textiles like leather and velvet, adopting his signature gray color palette, and cladding all of the walls in opulent fabrics, from silk grass cloth to suede. (It also meant knocking down a wall between the two bedrooms to create a spacious master suite with a walk-in closet, a dressing area, and an office space.) Yet the interiors also pay respect to the glamour of the past. “A lot of my inspiration was from the '70s—think Angelo Donghia and Halston,” says Dedivanovic. “I love the elements of masculinity, richness, warmth, and glam, and I wanted the place to feel low and sexy.” Adds Korban, “We both came from a '70s point of view, but I tend to gravitate toward the '20s and found a nice balance, with more bronze than brass and custom pieces that feel more Jean-Michel Frank.”
In fact, many of the rugs, lighting, and furnishings are custom creations commissioned by Korban, an approach that admittedly drove Dedivanovic a little crazy. “I’m so impatient—the lead times were a challenge,” he says. The low profiles of the sofas and chairs underscore the unbuttoned 1970s aesthetic, but they also betray a hidden note of sensibility. “Nothing feels too precious,” says Korban. “You can have people over and go from the sofa to the floor and be comfortable.” To lend a sense of age, vintage pieces, including a statement-making marble bust on the dining table, sourced from 1stdibs, were incorporated throughout.
The result is a modern bachelor pad that feels fresh and not overly decorated, where Dedivanovic can host low-key dinner parties for friends and family on one of two gut-renovated outdoor spaces or simply enjoy a quiet sunrise, coffee in hand. “I love coming home and relaxing, and I love waking up here,” he says. “I feel so comfortable, cozy, and inspired when I'm home.” And no doubt recharged for the many travels ahead of him.
