Paint It Black: Zang Toi’s Antiques Transformed

The antiques that line the Upper East Side home of the fashion designer Zang Toi appear a bit puzzling at first. The classic shapes suggest an 18th-century French décor, but there is no sign of the dark brown wood or gilded accents that one might expect. That doesn’t mean they’re not there.When Mr. Toi decided to redecorate, he wanted an entirely black-and-white color scheme. But to achieve a mix of the classic and the modern, he had to change the look of several pieces of furniture. In some cases, Mr. Toi had mahogany pieces covered in layers of black, glossy lacquer — and their gold accents turned to silver.“It’s still very classic,” Mr. Toi said of the unconventional style.Arguably the most controversial piece that Mr. Toi transformed is a master bed originally created by a Belle Epoque furniture maker, François Linke (1855-1946). A museum-quality piece made of mahogany with gold leafing, it now has a glamorous look of jet black with silver leafing.Mr. Toi commissioned Carlton House Restoration to make the change, but the proprietor, Kenny Dell, wasn’t so sure about the project at first. “I actually felt a little queasy about it,” he said. “I didn’t understand the whole vision of the residence. I had one piece, but an object without context is hard to understand.”Mr. Dell said that his biggest problem was that the commission strayed from the basic principles of his business. “We try to preserve the character of pieces, not change it,” he said.In fact, employees at the restoration studio, located in Long Island City, tried to dissuade the designer from going ahead with the changes, but he would not budge. “I bought it for myself, for my own enjoyment. Not for anyone else,” Mr. Toi said. “I worked so hard. It’s mine.”The project took one woodworker and one finisher six months to complete. They employed the 18th-century technique of French polishing to finish the wood. For Mr. Toi, it was worth the wait. “Everyone at the studio couldn’t believe it. They asked me, ‘How did you have this vision?'”But visions like this come easily to the Malaysian-born Mr. Toi, who is known for sumptuously decorated evening wear. Gowns from the House of Toi are often covered in hand-embroidered embellishments — some evoking trails of bougainvillea, underwater coral motifs, or piles of sparkling necklaces. His day wear is often simpler, but always intended for luxury: If you want to dress from head to toe in cashmere, this is the man to see.So when it came time to give his apartment a new style, he went about it just as he would a new collection for the runway. Instead of hiring a decorator, he found a theme, modernized it, and executed it with supreme quality. Ultimately, it was his adoration for all things Parisian that led him to a look that’s Marie Antoinette-meets-the new millennium.After all, as he recalled asking himself when he found his inspiration: “Why do I want a carbon copy of 18th-century French?”And in the end, even the skeptics who worked on his furniture came around. Mr. Dell admitted that by the end of the process he gained a better understanding of the look Mr. Toi was going for. “The bed was very elegant at the beginning and at the end it was more glamorous than elegant,” Mr. Dell said.Despite its stature and dominating presence, the bed — like any antique — is beginning to show its age. The silver leafing has gently faded and oxidized, taking on a distinctly more golden hue. And though Mr. Toi is certainly devoted to details (the apartment is meticulously free of clutter and items that don’t fit in) the signs of age don’t bother him. “Part of living with antiques is that they’re not always perfect,” he said.When asked which piece was his favorite, he went straight to a picture frame housed in a white floor-to-ceiling, double-door cabinet. The frame, one of many on display, was entirely bronze, but Mr. Toi had it transformed — by Hygrade Polishing and Plating in Long Island City — into the silver-leafed piece it is today. It features an old photograph of his grandparents in Malaysia.Another piece that Mr. Toi is particularly proud of is a salon chair in the center of the living room. Originally mahogany with gold leafing and striped damask upholstery, the chair is now painted in white lacquer with silver accents; the fabric surfaces were reupholstered in charcoal cashmere with black velvet piping. The work was completed by Osmandu Echevarria of Osmandu Echevarria Associates Inc. in Long Island City.Unlike Mr. Dell, Mr. Echevarria had no qualms about making the requested changes. “[Clients] want a certain look, and that’s what we do for them,” he said.He also recalled the designer’s visits to the studio throughout the process to express his specific ideas. “He knew what he wanted,” Mr. Echevarria said.That focus extended to the room’s accent pieces, such as a custom-made silver fox area rug, silver-leafed wicker chairs, and two life-size “glamorous and beautiful versions” of Marie Antoinette hand-painted on the walls.It all adds up to a home in which every detail has been painstakingly thought through and has, as the owner describes it, “a distinctive House of Toi look.”When Zang Toi wanted to customize his antiques, he turned to these local studios, which are willing to repaint and rebuff to help you get the look you want.Hygrade Polishing and Plating22-07 41st AvenueLong Island City, NY 11101718-392-4082Carlton House Restoration40-09 21st Street4th FloorLong Island City, NY 11101718-609-0762Osmandu Echevarria Associates Inc.2107 Borden AvenueLong Island City, NY 11101718-707-9611

Paint It Black: Zang Toi’s Antiques Transformed

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