An acrobatic figure dangles in the foyer, balancing on an orb with a little pin light.

When she redecorated the apartment, Ms. Arbus brought in 28 chandeliers, nearly all painted a single bright color, with lampshades in various fabrics and patterns.

Ms. Arbus turned a view-less kitchen window into a gallery of fine glass and other curiosities, like empty perfume bottles and bowls from Tiffany & Company and Steuben.

The red-lacquer kitchen table seats eight and has a built-in lazy Susan.

A Venetian-style glass chandelier that Ms. Arbus found in Chinatown is the only one that was spared the paintbrush.

A Japanese painting from the 1950s hangs in the master bedroom.

The long hallway, which ends in a bathroom, is painted with polka dots in places.

There’s plenty to look at in a colorful guest bathroom, where works by Ms. Arbus and other artists cover the walls. The 20th-century sculpture in the corner is from the Philippines.

To accommodate large crowds, Ms. Arbus commissioned two red velvet couches from Vladimir Kagan and installed acrylic indoor-outdoor rugs that are easily wiped clean.

The finger-pointing piece in the library is signed by Z. Yeyati, an Argentine artist whose work Ms. Arbus collects. The mixed-media sculpture, from the Knights of Protection series, is by Linda Stein, a New York-based artist. Ms. Arbus bought the upholstered bench exactly “as is” from the Sunday flea market at 75th Street and Columbus.

A colorful giraffe from East Africa made of recycled flip-flops stands guard on the left side of the dining room, beside 16 stacking Frilly chairs from Kartell, which she uses for sit-down affairs.