Claude-Noëlle Toly discovered a modest 275-square-foot studio in Greenwich Village nearly 40 years ago, initially drawn by its garden view reminiscent of her French countryside home. The apartment, despite its lack of glamor, featured a distinctive ceiling beam that she felt a connection to. Over the years, Toly transformed the space into a personalized oasis, incorporating French-style renovations like new doors and terra-cotta floors. A former waitress and now antique dealer, her journey reflects a deep attachment to her cultural roots and the beauty she brought to her New York home.
"As a country girl, I was attracted by the garden," she says. Then she discovered something else.... I saw it as a true hint that this apartment was meant for me."
Toly - who sells antique Provençal furniture and pottery at Le Fanion... replaced the windows, created French doors, and installed a new balcony and terra-cotta floors."
"It was the most amazing thing I have ever done in my life," she tells me, reminiscing on her balcony one afternoon."
"French terra-cotta is pricey," she says. "So I found Mexican terra-cotta... They leave them out to dry, and there is a little paw."
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