This Tour is an instance of art impacting life: architect Azin Valy took inspiration from her customer’s artistic work when changing a cramped two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan’s Nolita neighborhood into an open, expansive loft. In her work, artist and client Suzanne Russell frequently deals with “interrelated parts that are constantly shifting and moving.” It’s a philosophy that Valy applied when she incorporated sliding doors, built-in cabinets and “smart glass” windows that go from transparent to opaque.
“Casper [Russell’s partner, a Danish attorney] also has an eye for perfection and minimalism, so the attic is our collaborative attempt at translating their requirement for a space that reflects their characters and thoughts,” says Valy.
at a Glance
Who lives here: A retirement home for Suzanne Russell and Casper Munter
Location: New York City
Size: 1,500 square feet
That is interesting: In the late 1900s, the flat was tenement housing.
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All the walls in the flat were stripped to the first brick foundation. “The apartments used to be row-house buildings before they were converted to condos from the 1980s,” says Valy.
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The sleek, contemporary spirit of the appliances, the Caesarstone countertop and the white cabinetry contrasts using the white oak floor and recycled-beam pub in the kitchen.
Would you see that the smart-glass windows that transition from clear to frosted at the flick of a change (from inside the bathroom)?
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Following is a closer look at one of the windows from the kitchen right now it’s in transparent mode and allows light to flood the bath from the home living room. Along with being a natural light source, the windows are just plain fun.
Kitchen designers: Urban Homes; countertop: Caesarstone
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Following is a peek at the window inside of the toilet while it’s frosted for privacy.
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Materials utilized in the kitchen can also be utilized in the bathroom, linking the two spaces. “Reclaimed classic subway tiles from the kitchen also surround the tub in the toilet,” says Valy. The identical Caesarstone countertop used from the kitchen cascades on sills and shelves in the toilet as well.
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The clients’ minimalist style is evident from the bedroom, in which a task lamp and a pair of reclaimed planks are the only decoration. A reddish side table gives the spare room a place of color.
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A close look at this picture reveals a mirrored door, which creates the illusion of a extended narrow space by representing the distance resulting in the living space. Interestingly, the hallway used to be a shaft between two row houses.
“Our goal from the renovation was always to reflect the clients’ modern sensibilities,” says Valy. “But keeping the brick walls and keeping up the appearance of the shaftway-turned-hallway roots the space to its tenant housing history.”
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The living area and the dining area can be connected or separated. Sliding doors (the track along the ceiling is envisioned here) let the room to change from open to private.
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A closer look at the sliding doors that separate the living area in the dining room.
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Here we see the sliding door can separate the guest bedroom (at right) in the dining room — and the way that it can also visually connect the two spaces.
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The floor plan shows the way the living spaces are interconnected and the way one area bleeds into another. The flat retains its raw and open quality with the help of temporary obstacles that allow the room to accommodate and transform based on the privacy requirements of the clients.
More:
400-Square-Foot Unfolding Apartment in Manhattan