For designer Veronica Mishaan, the trajectory of a career in spatial aesthetics is rarely a straight line. Growing up immersed in the world of design under the watchful eye of her mother, Susana Mishaan de Millán—a celebrated designer in Bogotá and Cartagena, Colombia—Mishaan developed an early, enduring fascination with fine art, color, and form. Though she initially pursued an analytical path, graduating from Tufts University with a degree in quantitative economics and international relations, her artistic inclinations ultimately drew her back to the creative fold. Encouraged by her father to channel her artistic vision into her mother’s interior design practice, Mishaan discovered that crafting interiors was simply another expression of the fine arts. What was originally intended as a temporary six-month collaboration blossomed into a lifelong professional journey spanning more than 16 years.
Today, Mishaan stands at the helm of Veronica Mishaan Design House, an international practice with offices spanning New York City, Bogotá, and Bermuda. Having assumed sole leadership of the firm after six years of working side-by-side with her mother in building M De M Designs, she oversees diverse residential, hospitality, commercial, and product design projects across the globe. Her signature approach merges an analytical mind with a rich artistic foundation, treating every architectural canvas as an opportunity to thoughtfully layer color, texture, geometry, and materiality.
In her latest milestone project, Mishaan brings this philosophy to life within a sprawling 6,250-square-foot penthouse in Bogotá. The residence, which has served as a cornerstone for the same family for more than three decades, required a delicate balance: honoring decades of personal history while reimagining the space for a new chapter of living.
Reimagining a Bogotá Penthouse for a New Era
"This project in Bogota reflects our core philosophy: spaces that evolve with time, embody personal narratives, and harmonize past and present," Mishaan explains. Rather than stripping the home down to its studs for a contemporary overhaul, the design team chose to preserve the emotional core of the apartment. Treasures, furniture pieces, and artworks collected by the family over the course of thirty years were carefully restored, recontextualized, and woven together with contemporary bespoke elements designed specifically by Mishaan’s firm.
The home’s spatial narrative begins the moment guests step inside. The entryway welcomes visitors with a custom rug from Rug & Kilim paired with a bronze sculpture drawn directly from the family’s private collection. Above, an Elsa Foulon porcelain pendant casts a soft glow over the space, while a striking cast-bronze staircase railing extends through the home’s vertical circulation. Notably, the railing was forged from molds taken directly from an actual tree branch, anchoring the interior in the organic world.
Throughout the residence, the layout was updated to support the owners’ modern lifestyle. Custom tinted wide-plank oak flooring, layered lighting schemes combining recessed fixtures with decorative pieces, and smooth plaster finishes establish a refined foundational envelope.
In the primary suite, the design takes on a deeply personal character. Relocated during the renovation, the suite is enveloped in rich navy wallcovering and features a bed upholstered in paisley wool. A Kelly Wearstler bouclé chaise and bench sit alongside custom shelving crafted from brass, wood, and glass. The adjoining primary bathroom features pink marble flooring that extends up the walls before gracefully transitioning into blue-and-white waterjet marble. Adjoining this is a dream dressing room complete with mirrored walls, a custom parchment vanity, and a curved bench upholstered in Pierre Frey velvet.
Family-centric spaces were given equal care. Guest accommodations were tailored to the specific needs of visiting relatives, including the creation of custom built-in bunk beds for the grandchildren. Designed to maximize both functionality and playfulness, the bunk room features Temple Studio wallpaper that injects a vibrant, youthful energy into the space.
"The client wanted this home to be updated to the new stage of life, but did not want to erase all the memories that were lived in that space for 30-plus years," Mishaan notes. True to this ethos, existing furniture found new life in unfamiliar settings; for example, a desk that once anchored the main living room now serves a quiet, purposeful function within the primary bedroom.
Drawing Inspiration from Bogotá’s Greenery and the Andes Mountains
Beyond personal history, the apartment’s geographic context heavily influenced Mishaan’s design choices. Set against the dramatic backdrop of the Andes Mountains, the penthouse boasts views that are rarely found in standard metropolitan environments.
"The view of the mountains of Bogota is not a view you get in many metropolitan cities, so I thought it was something worth using as an inspiration," Mishaan explains.
This dramatic natural landscape directly inspired the playroom’s sage green millwork, honey oak floors, dark wood doors and baseboards, and natural marmorino plaster walls. Earthy color palettes appear throughout the apartment, reinforcing a seamless dialogue between the interior spaces and the rugged terrain outside. In the primary bedroom, a dark blue blossom wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries creates a serene, transportive atmosphere reminiscent of a tranquil, hidden garden.
In the secondary living room, marmorino plaster walls provide a soft, tactile backdrop for a sage silk Rug & Kilim rug. Here, existing furnishings were carefully preserved, while game table chairs were refreshed with Nobilis upholstery to bridge the gap between historical continuity and contemporary comfort. The room also houses significant personal art, including Flow Followers (2011) by Patrick Tschudi.
The Art Collection and Material Palette
The apartment’s extensive art collection forms an emotional anchor for the entire residence, featuring prominent works by Peter Halley, Sophia Vari, Pedro Ruiz, and Larraz. Yet, Mishaan points out that the selection of materials ultimately served as the true driver for the design narrative.
"There was no clear storyline," Mishaan reflects. "It became a balanced combination of the materials that felt right to the client and myself."
This curation relies heavily on a sophisticated interplay of textures and patterns. Leopard-print Stark carpets, printed linen window treatments, a reused antique Aubusson rug, wool bouclé seating, and dark brown velvet window treatments build depth throughout the rooms. Custom furnishings, bespoke architectural millwork, and refined bronze hardware introduce a personalized touch, while honey-toned wood flooring, dark wood accents, and a custom family room bookcase wrapped in white parchment infuse the home with warmth.
"Extensive use of marmorino plaster throughout the common areas [creates] warmth and softness," Mishaan adds.
Adding a final layer of authenticity, much of the custom furniture and millwork was fabricated locally by artisan workshops throughout Colombia. By sourcing craftsmanship locally, Mishaan ensured that the apartment remains deeply connected not only to the family who has lived within its walls for decades, but also to the cultural landscape of the country it calls home.
