Apartment renovation Chelsea, NYC, March 2007 – November 2008

In the hundred years this building has existed, habitation typologies have changed dramatically. Today, we desire an open floor plan to enhance fluidity and ultimately give us larger spaces to live in. Kitchens are no longer hidden and separated from the main living rooms, but rather the central feature of the house. On the other hand, the kids get their own room to be creative and loud without bothering the rest of the family or can sleep while the rest of the house is noisy.

Great craftsmanship brought this apartment back to life and up to date without destroying its original character. Ornamental moldings were preserved and where we eliminated walls they are then faded out.

Bespoke cabinets were designed to optimize storage. Clean cuts through the entrance wall give access to the children’s closet from the hallway as well as from within the bedroom. In the middle of the corridor, a floor to ceiling cabinet stores photo equipment and an archive. The square cabinet door handle, used on all cabinets, evolves into a small desk in the master bedroom. At the south end of the main hall, the new kitchen / dining / living area is revealed. All the kitchen appliances are hidden, and every available inch is used for storage. When not in use, the kitchen looks like a weightless sculpture hovering above the newly soundproofed and renovated floor.