One of the things I love about being an interior designer is the opportunity to work with families more than once. I was contacted by prior clients to assist them in the renovation of their newly purchased apartment. We had worked together about 6 years ago on their Upper West Side home, and now they were taking new space in Midtown East to be near their children and grandchildren living in the same building.
While not current full time residents of New York City, these clients asked me to renovate what they hoped to one day be their “forever New York apartment”. We were given a magnificent space with a large wrap-around terrace downtown to work in. However, as an estate sale, it was sadly out of date and didn’t serve their needs in any other way. I worked with them to learn about their taste, the needs of their family, and their planned way of using the spaces to be better in alignment with their future needs, as well as the current ones
One of our main focuses for this renovation was the primary bath. We enlarged it to function for two and added some much needed storage. Truly the least you can have for your forever home is a double vanity, especially these gorgeous wall hung vanities from Robern!
For the second bathroom we kept the layout and gave the space a much needed facelift. We added color, texture, and of course storage. For both of the bathrooms we prioritized Living in Place enhancements such as grab bars and showers that are easy to step into.
We didn’t enlarge the kitchen footprint, but rearranged the space to be more Living in Place friendly and opened up the entrance with a large archway for both access and visual enhancement.
As for the styling, all of our choices in tile, wallcovering and paint blended together the client’s love of black, white and gray. We included current trends such as gray kitchen cabinets and the beautiful green vanity from Robern in the second bath. We also extended the beautiful wood plank flooring into the kitchen for more cohesion.
We restored the second bedroom by putting a wall up in the living space that was previously taken out. Transom windows were installed to allow light to filter in and out of the room. Natural light is a must have for apartment living and we wanted to get the most out of what we had.
Laundry was added outside of the second bathroom and extra closets were installed for improved storage. With thoughts of possibly making this apartment their full time residence one day, we took Living In Place enhancements into our planning from the start, all while making sure the space was being beautifully updated.
The last touches will be adding the window coverings and closet interiors, which will happen after they have moved in their furnishings from storage. All in all, a wonderful and fulfilling collaboration with these prior clients and just in time for summer outdoor grilling! For more images, head over to the Renovations page on the website or to the Transformations section for some before and afters.
CONSULTATION PACKAGES
Julie and her team have a passion for creating beautiful, engaging and functional spaces, focusing on both the physical as well as the emotional well being of your environment. Click on the links below for package details:
A design collaboration done between client and designer done entirely online. Purchase the package below, submit photos of the space and existing furnishings you like to see incorporated in the design and a sketch of the space with measurements.
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Whether it is directing the flow of chi through the arrangement of furnishings, design or colors; Julie and her team can help you to create the spaces that support your vision of a balanced life, rich in the areas that matter to you.
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