NYC Loft

The NYC Loft is a Lower Manhattan pied-a-terre for West Coast clients with an extremely busy bicoastal lifestyle. An extensive renovation was required to remove an odd assembly of spaces and to utilize the full potential of the apartment in order to create a highly customized residence, that would serve both as calm and airy space to come home to after a hectic day or a versatile private space to entertain friends and guests in the great room or on the private rooftop. The great room spans over almost half of the floor area and offers a seamless open living concept between the living and dining area as well as the kitchen. A generous master suite is located on the opposite end of the apartment, which is buffered by two further spacious bedrooms, each bedroom with its own en-suite and dressing room, as well as secondary spaces. The client’s initial informal brief for the interiors contained a total of four words: ‘Open space. Contemporary. Serene.’ Responding to the client’s request and vision for the property, the focus of the understated contemporary design concept turned towards material character and texture rather than strong patterns or statement colors. Whether it is the beautifully aged finish of an original wood beam, the large planks of cerused European oak flooring, the haptic experience of a custom soft silk rug or the unique veining of a feature stone, carefully selected finishes and design elements form a layered composition of light colored materials structured by dark accents and highlighted by the occasional hint of warm brass tones. One of the design highlights is a slender blackened steel staircase leading up to the private rooftop. Initially perceived as a spatial challenge, as the access to the roof had to remain quite prominently in the center of the space, the stair was turned into a feature element, acting as a screen between the dining and living area. Merging necessity and design aided to subtly define the large space of the great room.