By Della Hasselle
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
FINANCIAL DISTRICT — Lifestyle network HGTV opened the doors Tuesday to an apartment in the W New York Downtown they are giving away this fall, showing off the one-bedroom’s sweeping view and luxurious living room.
The lucky winner of the HGTV Urban Oasis Giveaway will get a $1.5 million package that includes the fully furnished 900 square foot apartment in the W and a brand-new Acura Sports Coupe.
Inside the apartment, the design is meant to simulate the diversity of the New York urban landscape that surrounds it, interior designer Vern Yip said.
“For me, New York is the amazing confluence of so many different things,” Yip said, while showing off his antique and modern steals. “It’s where you can find 18th century buildings next to the chic design of slick new buildings. I wanted to mimic that.”
Highlights of the apartment include lion keystones salvaged from a 1910 demolished brownstone, a print of “Boy on a Roof” acquired from a Christie's auction and an ultramodern dining area that also functions as an office space.
In the living room, Yip tried to make the most of the square footage by opening the room to it’s central design piece — the view that overlooks the Statue of Liberty and a sweeping New York skyline.
“In a busy city, it’s where you can find unexpected moments of solitude and quiet,” he said of the design.
This is the first time that the cable network has done the giveaway program in an urban environment before, and Manhattan was the obvious choice, house planner Jack Thomasson said.
“I think when people think exciting American City, the first city that comes to mind is New York,” Thomassan said in the bedroom overlooking the construction of the new World Trade Center. “It offers cultural diversity, and a great opportunity for the show.”
Virtual tours and detailed slideshows of the residence will be shown to the public starting August 12, although online users can visit the Urban Oasis website starting Tuesday for a blog of the neighborhood and tidbits from Yip.
