Upper East Side Pied-a-Terre
With their two children recently off to college, a Westchester family invested in a pied-à-terre on the Upper East Side to give them flexibility for work and social life in the city. Located on the twenty-first floor, the apartment had never been renovated and retained the original, inefficient layout of a 1960s residence.
The renovation transformed the two-bedroom, two-bath home into a compact jewel box, where every square inch is carefully optimized for storage, appliances, and work surfaces. Ceiling heights were maximized wherever possible, incorporating light coves and discreet fixtures that create luminous planes of light throughout the day and evening.
Extensive custom millwork weaves seamlessly around building risers and service lines, carving out niches for storage, display, and even shower recesses within the tightest of spaces. A palette of light and dark finishes establishes a refined contrast, giving the apartment both clarity and elegance while amplifying its sense of openness.
New York, NY
Completed 2025
Living + Eating
The living room lies between a recessed wall niche at left, that sits below a building structural beam, and a white painted storage “cube” that wraps around building risers and ducts. A discrete offset provides a simple surface for up-lighting the painted concrete ceiling.
When one enters the apartment, one is greeted by a carefully detailed kitchen clad in white oak and Taj Mahal quartzite. The low ceiling is due to a large building-wide exhaust duct that passes overhead. Additional insulation and wall board was required to acoustically and safely isolate the duct creating an intimate low space.
The kitchen features a series of stone counters and back-splashes with integrated refrigerators, dishwasher and microwave drawers for space efficiency. Slivers of space available are converted into niches for salt, pepper, and cooking oils.
A large structural column and plumbing riser enabled the creation of a white lacquered paint storage unit for washer / dryer, wine refrigerator, and other storage. The unit creates a natural kitchen nook, detailed to match the kitchen cabinets and featuring a picture shelf and upholstered bench.
Sleep
The main bedroom includes a desk area and integrated heating and cooling unit. A wall of painted lacquer panels serves as a backboard for the bed. A white oak panel wall includes a discrete frame TV.
The wall between the kitchen and main bedroom is thickened to house a recessed TV as well as a pocket door that, when open, creates a corridor like vista across the apartment. Discrete light covers (right) extend a soft light across the painted concrete ceiling.
The main bathroom wraps around a large plumbing and duct shaft. Every moment is maximized for use including a recessed vanity behind a gas riser to increase floor space and a simple bench provides seating in front of a wall of tile for towels.
The guest bedroom doubles as an at-home office. A folding “murphy bed” collapses into the wall where an array of bookshelves and cabinets afford storage for the apartment.
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