Harbor Views Loft
Innovative design features like a flip-down bar and carefully designed custom cabinetry squeeze a big feel and a lot of living into this small apartment. May we do the same for you?”
Luminous Foyer
New bookshelves and a translucent shelf wall lead visitors to the main living space while obscuring direct views into the kitchen. The cubistic etched glass shelf wall is backlit by daylight, or it can glow from within by way of cleverly concealed accent lights built into the vertical supports.
Living Room
The original apartment was arranged so that the child's bedroom filled this corner obstructing the Manhattan view from the rest of the apartment. A total reconfiguration of the apartment including the relocation of the kitchen was necessary to give this corner and the breathtaking view to the main living area.
Dropped ceilings were removed throughout, exposing the existing beams, which were restored. Suspended low-voltage track lighting was chosen to provide good illumination without reducing the ceiling height. Simply detailed, maple-clad, built-in cabinets unite the perimeter with the bar in the foreground.
Crisp, minimal detailing and furnishings foreground the modern art and exceptional views. Motorized shades are concealed within all the window heads, and built-in cabinetry completes the visually quiet architectural features.
Kitchen and Bar
The flip-down bar is comprised of maple and stainless steel, while the rest of the kitchen cabinetry is rendered in glossy white "color-core" plastic laminate. The pale limestone kitchen floor was chosen because its color is sympathetic to the light bamboo floors and maple cabinetry.
The bar provides a casual dining table for the family, or it can flip down to make way for a large dining table when needed.
The large kitchen features commercial appliances and a commercial exhaust system. The exhaust ductwork was carefully detailed so that it would align with the centerline of the kitchen composition.
The veining of the pale green and white marble countertops provides a harmonious contrast with the more subtle white and maple finishes. The backsplashes are the acid-etched mirror, and the etched glass shelves reveal themselves to be truly double-sided from this vantage point.
Primary Bedroom
A totally new study and primary bathroom constrained the space available for the primary bedroom; creative solutions were required to create beauty, comfort, and utility in the limited area.
Since the primary bathroom was entirely new, a raised floor was necessary to accommodate the plumbing. The steps up to this bathroom were incorporated into a clever built-in dresser, while the cantilevered steps became shelves for daily shoe storage. The composition was completed by a large mirror next to the bathroom door that was framed in maple to match the cabinetry and steps.
Photo by James Koster
Primary Bathroom
This entirely new bathroom combines all-white Thassos marble, white "color-core" plastic laminate, and matching white ceramic tile to create a rich but subdued effect.
The large double vanity features wall-mounted fittings and a large mirror set flush with the surrounding tile border; large "can" lights were recessed into the wet wall beyond the mirror to provide brilliant illumination while keeping the perimeter of the room crisp and taught. The vanity cabinet features custom stainless steel legs reminiscent of details used elsewhere in the apartment.
The large stall shower has three shower heads and a window with an exceptional view. This window can be covered by either of two sliding glass window panels -- one etched for privacy, the other one clear so bathers can enjoy the open view.
 Photo by James Koster |  Photo by James Koster |
Guest Bathroom
This elegant but spare bathroom was designed to evoke the grandeur of 1920s era bathrooms, but the materials are used in a fresh, modern way. Cream-colored brick tiles and pale green penny tiles at the floor remind one of traditional New York City bathrooms, but the traditional "chair rail" tile has been replaced with a recessed metal channel giving the walls a taught,minimal look. Art-deco inspired light fixtures were integrated into a pair of framed medicine cabinets, and a Calacatta marble vanity is supported on simply detailed stainless steel legs. A large soaking tub and shower was builtinto its own niche.
 Photo by James Koster |  Photo by James Koster |
Check Out Our Manhattan Duplex Project
Custom-designed kitchens maximize the use of the oddly shaped spaces often found in New York City lofts while creating a big, open feel. If you like this kitchen with exceptional harbor views, you will enjoy touring our Manhattan Duplex project.
James Koster Architect
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