In New York, where space comes at a premium and even the most relaxed rooms can feel over-curated, a new destination has arrived with distinctly human touch. Australian rug purveyor Armadillo’s flagship—a 4,000-square-foot exhale perched above Madison Square Park, offers a repose from the bustle of Broadway, and a means to dissolve city pavement into something softer underfoot.
Tastemaker and chef Romilly Newman offered her eye to the space, in her first foray into spatial design. “Styling a room and making a dish are exactly the same thing,” Newman tells CULTURED. “It’s all about taste: layering, and adding things that interact with each other, but may not be the most alike.”
Inside the 1123 Broadway showroom, Newman conceived of a world where the brand’s sensibility—clean and cool—could flourish IRL. Starting today, guests are invited to experience the building’s original 1897 pine floors creaking tepidly—remember, this is a place with a heritage-packed past—while lime-washed walls and sculptural curves move the line into the present. “The space is stunning. It has such big windows, natural light, the curved walls, and I wanted to add in that warmth, depth, and some of my more traditional styles,” Newman explains.
Rugs are displayed like garments, with carefully studied draping suggesting a waterfall of polished pieces—a new color and material for each discerning decorator. “In shaping the flagship, we wanted to create a space that feels warm, tactile, and deeply intentional, where these pieces can be experienced in a more personal way. Romilly Newman’s intuitive, layered approach helped shape a sense of atmosphere that reflects the evolving language of the brand.” Armadillo Creative Director and Co-Founder Jodie Fried says.
The new space is sure to attract to both trade insiders and the design-curious, a natural extension for a neighborhood punctuated by world-class architecture studios, galleries, and hospitality destinations.
Newman’s work isn’t quite done yet. “A room is never truly finished—I’ll always keep adding things,” she says with a smile. That ethos lingers in the showroom. Nothing feels too precious. Instead, Armadillo’s New York home is like one of Newman’s well-set tables, each element there to be handled—with care.
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