Name: Kimberly
Location: Greenwich Village, New York City
Size: 950 square feet mini-loft
Years lived in: 10 years
Kimberly — who you will remember from House Call: Kimberly's Renovated Loft — is an architect who bought an apartment a decade ago in a gorgeous landmark cast-iron building. She lived in it as a grad student for a number of years, and then once she mustered the budget and courage to take it on, she transformed it into a shrine to her principles of professional practice...
After all those years of living in the apartment and thinking about it, Kimberly laid out the new design for her apartment in a month, and had it implemented in less than six months! And that includes dealing with a 'take the money and run' contractor. Her second choice contractor did a great job, installing details such as Kimberly's custom designed and welded closet hinges, the illuminated wall of glass in front of the bathroom, and the uber tiled bathroom.
Almost every single element of the apartment was designed and/or built by Kimberly. Starting from scratch, she designed the entire layout — moving the original loft access point from a steep ladder by the door to elegant floating steps in the living room; she extended the bathroom into the main hallway to accommodate two bathing options neither of which is a bathtub; she created an off-kilter kitchen island as well as closet space along the hallway in response to the context of the unit within the building. Once the renovation was complete, Kimberly furnished her loft with furniture built for various grad school projects.
Kimberly's design voice is heard loud and clear throughout her home, from the smallest detail, to the shape of the rooms, to the overall sense of space.
AT Survey
Style: Modern
Inspiration: All the great modernist architects inspire me... this project was a combination of ideas that had been developing for years on previous loft and apartment renovations throughout Manhattan.
Favorite Element:: My bathroom — I love my soaking tub. By pushing out the bathroom wall just 8" or so i was able to remove the conventional tub and get both a shower and the tub to fit. Both have benches in them. The Japanese soaking tub looks like it might not be comfortable with all the right angles but it is surprisingly so. You sit fully upright so it feels just like being in a hot tub without the bubbles.
Biggest Challenge: The location of the staircase... I chose to create an opening in the floor of the loft level and lose floor space in my bedroom rather than in my living area. I preferred to create enough room for my bed and desk, which was all I wanted upstairs, in order to make the downstairs feel much more open.
What Friends Say: They love the tub. I can't tell you how many visitors have asked me if they could take a bath. It's great during a party too — I fill it with water and float candles in it.
Biggest Embarrassment: Having my first contractor disappear with my deposit after demolishing my bathroom. I had to shower at the gym for a month while I waited for my new contractor to become available. As an architect, the experience afforded me a lot of sympathy for what my client's go through.
Proudest DIY: Since I'm the architect, the whole apartment is really a DIY. It was nice to put my ideas into practice for myself for a change!
Biggest Indulgence: The Bisazza glass mosaic tiles in the bathroom. Not only is the tub, shower and custom sink tiled, but even the ceiling is tiled!
Best Advice:: Before you do a renovation, take time to mentally prepare yourself and know what you are getting into. People aren't kidding when they say it will take twice as long and cost twice as much than originally anticipated!!
Dream Source: I love Holly Hunt. Christian Liagre's furniture is just gorgeous. I wish I could afford even one piece!
We've had an amazing response to our Apartment Therapy House Tour Submission Form. While we will work with homeowners of our favorite homes to feature full tours, we will also share the best as House Calls — short, quick tours of readers' homes. Submit your home here.
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I am in complete envy of your Arc Lamp.
http://www.carinagardner.com
view carinagardner's profile
This place is sick! I need and want everything especially that leather floor rug and the sofa/work combo unit. Nicely done!
view trixiegirl's profile
great place
love that cozy bedroom - i want that mirror
but that big mirror downstairs is in a strange spot
view sunan's profile
Love your space! If I needed an architect (and lived in NY) I'd hire you.
view aaakid's profile
Lovely apartment. This apparently owes an almost incomparable debt, given the photos shown, to Corbusier's Cite Radieuse in Marseille, which I love, that goes unacknowledged in this article.
If you like these photos and are either in France or plan to visit France, I highly recommend visiting Hotel le Corbusier and taking advantage of one of the apartment tours.
view scormeny's profile
Wow!!! Definite bookmark on this one. And I am officially obsessed with those stairs!
view PhillyLass's profile
This tour is officially my favorite! I love the innovation. The glass wall, the stairs, the bathroom, oh my! Love it!
view alisonK's profile
this place must've cost you hundreds!
well done. everything about it looks great.
view eightdouble's profile
Great work on the custom pieces.
view FiatLex's profile
I love this house- my only concerns at 1) cleaning the tile in the bathroom- even the tile ceiling in mine has to be cleaned and it is a much smaller space, and 2) lack of handrail for stairs. Probably not an issue now but for visitors, when the owner is ill, pregnant or older it might well be.
Otherwise, fabulous!
view bookgirl82's profile
This is modern yet comfortable. Functional and deeply personal. I really love how you used your talents in your home! How do I get those skills too?
view l u c c a's profile
I think code is only an issue if she were to rent the space. She lives on her own and it would not be an issue. Kimberley, very interested in talking to you, looking to make a renovation of a small house in Astoria Queens. How do I get your number? Your sensibilities are what I am looking for.
view Anusha73's profile
Love what you've done to the space. Very nice. One thing that did detract and I know why, I know that since you can look down into the living space from the loft, you placed the artwork up hight to view it from there easier, however from the ground, it doesn't work for it all looks like it's placed too hight up, nothing's relating to the furniture down there at all.
That bathroom is very interesting, just not sure I'd tile every surface but it's nice.
Great job overall.
view ciddyguy's profile
I would like to see more of the art, from what I see I really like.
view LoriSF's profile
i want a place in the village like this... man, i love nyc
view wampler's profile
amazing job. if only i wasnt a student
view ss622's profile
My goodness, it is beautiful.
view glightly's profile
speechless...
view discomonkey's profile
0_0 [drool]
view mahoganymoon's profile
This is lovely--both serene and inviting. It must be so nice to have this oasis in NYC! I love how you've incorporated all those clever space-saving storage elements.
view dearmisha's profile
I think it's kind of confusing when there are House Tours in the middle of contests. However, I do love this one.
view Curtis's profile
What a beautiful house, kimberly!
Where did you get that huge painting near the windows?
view dobbylan's profile
Looks nice. I was bothered (just me?) by the idea of filling a bathtub for parties. Is it just for aesthetics? Just candles? Huge waste of water. But then I'm from Australia, no-one (sane and responsible) would do that here.
view Rayna's profile
I also envy your lamp. Where can I find my own?
view meganpardue's profile
This is one of my all-time favorites. What a brilliant way of working the bookshelves into the design so they serve a functional aspect as well as storing books. It's my favorite book solution ever.
view storyscribe's profile
Beautiful place and well thought out.
view Nina79's profile
Love it, but agree that the art is hung way too high--it doesn't relate to anything. It might make sense when you're in the space but in these pictures it detracts from what is otherwise an amazing, well-thought-out apartment. My favorite feature is the student couch-bed thing with the moveable tables, and the gorgeous bathroom.
view sally305's profile
thanks for all the great response- for all of those who wanted to know how to reach me there is a link to my website at the beginning of this article... my website is kimberlypeck.com. also a few have emailed me regarding the floor lamp- it is arco by flos. i am so glad you are enjoying my space as much as i do!
view kimba22's profile
Fantastic. Love. SO original, so creative, so *real* and live-able.
view Jezebella's profile
My favorite is the art above the couch, the "clock" (was it?) in the kitchen, the lighting behind the glass in the hall, and the surprising warmth and color of the bedroom. Nice eclectic mix.
view dabble's profile
Kimberley is obviously a robot
view ce_pelle's profile
Wow...I think I would shower at the gym for a year if I could have a bathroom that awesome.
view Born2BeeWild's profile
Your loft apartment is really spectacular. I love the glass work and your innovative wood cabinetry the most. Your bedroom/workspace is beautiful too.
view John H's profile
Finally a small wet room bathroom! These are very tricky! You Loft is gorgeous and very well thought out. I love the storage usage of space!
view nmoss1000's profile
Umm, I absolutely have to know where you got that vacuum tube clock from! Love it!
view mrwhatever's profile
It is so refreshing to see a space that is truly lived in and not staged for photos...Loved the plug in air freshener, this is a real human beings home..
view tex.a.lex's profile
This is amazing! I really love the bathroom and the way it spices up cleaning up!
view aringpingpong's profile
Very nice apartment. I love the high ceilings and am glad that you chose to experiment in your own home.
I would just like to point out that your Arc Flos lamp is put together incorrectly. The arc should go over the marble base and not the way that you have it going away from the base.
view fhwong's profile
Just fabulous!
view ms b's profile
Some wonderful finishes and details....really nice.
Oddly enough it's got a bit of a 'masculine' vibe to it...not that that's wrong....I actually find it refreshing not to see the white painted wood furniture, or pink 'girly' stuff.
Love it!
view LuvModern's profile
I like the bookshelves, in first place. Love how bookshelves are used as room divider, not in an obvious way, and she has lots of stuff in there (It´s impossible to "declutter" books and architecture magazines, no way!).
About the 'take the money and run' contractor story... did you get your money back?
view Gaby_S's profile
Absolutely amazing! Such a perfect apartment with an open and fresh feeling to it.
I especially love the kitchen/living area and the fact that it's so bright and clean.
The high ceilings are also a wonderful piece of your home, which open the space out even more and create such a peaceful living area.
It's just fantastically live-able!
view thirstyfortea's profile
do you ever hit your head on that lamp. icestone. i know i would!! Ohhhhhh
view mtemple's profile
What a wonderfu feel your place has. So inviting and interesting in the details. Very simple but quality. Great color palette too. Well done!
view bfm01's profile
My favourite parts? Your wardrobe - that is just awesome!
And your bedroom, because I am not a fan of the white-on-white theme that is currently all the rage in just about every site I visit. I like tasteful colour, and I think your bedroom is just beautiful and a refreshing change from all that clinical whiteness.
view Lyn26's profile