Private Residence

Chelsea, New York, NY / 2007–2008

An architect’s white whale is the design of his or her own home.

The challenge we faced was designing for a relatively small space on a modest budget. The apartment was rove of small spaces that had, apart from haphazard electrical and plumbing upgrades, remained untouched, if not abused, since 1913. It was ripe for an intervention. Our goal was to open the living room, dining room, and kitchen to create more functional, open space to accommodate our love of cooking and entertaining. For us, it was important that everything have its place, and storage was carefully devised to eliminate all unnecessary clutter. We reconfigured the master bedroom—which was previously too small to accommodate a standard bed—to provide adequate space for a queen bed and wardrobe for two. The second bedroom was envisioned as a flexible space that would accommodate a coat closet (mud room, in county parlance) while retaining its potential as a small, second bedroom.

We were able to create several moments of surprise throughout the apartment with small finishing details and careful choice of materials. The apartment feels spacious with well-proportioned spaces and clear circulation, achieving an economy of design and storage on our budget.

Photos: Francois Dischinger