Spaces

A TEXTURED APPROACH

17th October 2013

This project has been a favourite of mine for some time – indeed, since I first laid eyes on the images on another site. This dramatically redesigned townhouse in Chelsea in NYC has had its fair share of online coverage (see these posts on HomeDSGN, Afflante and Freshome for starters) so why feature it here?

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I’m a firm believer that some projects are so good – and so timeless in their appeal – that they deserve to be visited and considered again, and again, and even again. We all absorb so much great content online these days (and both Tumblr and Pinterest deserve credit for that) but it can be easy to miss a few of the gems along the way.

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And this project is a gem. This brownstone is home to a fashion designer – a fact that’s clearly reflected in the gorgeously refined aesthetic throughout this interior – and the architects for it redesign were the New York City-based studio Archi-Tectonics. The owner wanted a ‘textured’ approach to the new concept, and the architects responded with an inspired use of materials and some truly knockout features.

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The existing 3,400 sq/ft (316 m2) house was gutted and the top floor was raised while the garden level was lowered. A new timber and glass staircase was inserted, and a skylight bathes this area in natural light.

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A 550 sq/ft (52 m2) extension was added to the rear of the house, transforming the interaction with the garden. Pivoting doors open onto a terrace from the library and office on the garden level, and the feature is repeated in the master bedroom on the second floor, which also opens onto a terrace.

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And let’s not forget the key features within the main living areas, including those giant sliding screens that help create a fluid flow of space, and the tactile interplay of materials. The result is an elegant and really beautifully designed home – and, yes, a gorgeously textured one.

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For more on this project, visit Archi-Tectonics. Photography by Richard Powers.