East 72nd St Apartment
A traditional, dark prewar apartment was opened up and reconfigured for better flow and modern amenities. Several maids rooms were reconfigured to yield a new eat-in kitchen and family rooms. Modern details complement and enliven the grand scale of the space.
Before renovation, this apartment was an unattractive warren of small dark rooms. After gutting, an open airy feeling was attained through the use of space defining portals and sandblasted glass "window" rather than convention walls. Light colored floor and wall treatment give the apartment a level of brightness which bless the home's north-facing exposure.
As one enters the space, a barrel vaulted corridor to the left leads to the bedrooms. To the right, a rotunda shaped space mediates a graceful shift int he circulations axis and celebrates a sense of arrival. Adjacent to this rotunda is at the Japonnaise black-tiled modern powder room consistent with the apartment's early modern classic design themes.
Beyond the rotunda, one passes through an austere palladian portal to enter the living room. At one end, the original marble fireplace is framed by cabinetry and light emanating soffits which give it a lively new context. At the opposite end of the room, a rhythmically organized green wall defines the entry to the dining room. The lighting in these spaces reinforces the overall design concept: modern recessed down lights and indirect lighting are combined with more transitional wall sconces and Viennese chandeliers to create a synthesis of old and new.
Like the living room and dining room, the kitchen also consists of two adjacent ante spaces: a general sized work area and a large breakfast / family room. The curved shape of the breakfast counter separating these two room is mirrored in the curved soffit above, adding a sensual note to the crisp black and white color scheme. The spirit of the turn of the center Viennese cafes is evoked by the Josef Hoffmann sofa and checkerboard tile floor. The formal qualities of this space make it appropriate for entertaining as well as for more casual family meals.