Name: Patty and Chris
Location: Astor Place/Union Square
Size: 2000 sqft
Favorite: The ceilings, the windows, and the good bones.
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Patty and Chris moved in three years ago. Once a candle factory, the space had since been overly adorned by a previous owner during the late 70s/early 80s. Instead of appreciating the apartment for what it is — a formerly industrial brick building with huge windows and brick walls with arches over each window, high ceilings and lots of space — the former dwellers tried to eek out an Italian villa in the middle of the Village...
Inside Out Video. Take a walk through Patty and Chris' sprawling space in transition.
>>Enter House Tour Gallery
As we know, this was the way of the 1980s — to build up and add busy-ness. And now, 20 years later, renovators and interior decorators across the city are doing their best to break down and strip away all those seemingly superfluous flourishes. Patty loves the apartment and believes it has "good bones." Her goal, then, is to expose as much of those bones as possible and let its natural beauty shine through.
The good thing about Patty being a full time business school student during their first year and a half in the apartment is that she didn't have time to tackle the space and Chris was indifferent. They were able to live in what felt like a rental and learn to understand the intricacies of their immediate environment — what worked and what didn't. As a result, the major, impending, renovation consists of thoughtful and tactical interventions.
Phase 1, late last year included upgrading all the windows to Argon double pane glass with wood on inside and cladding on the outside and that help to enhance temperature control in the apartment; painting the master bedroom; removing crown molding and a fake fireplace in the front room; and fully renovating the kitchen and bathroom. The remainder of the apartment will get its facelift starting next month in what is likely to be a 3-month process.
Tenets of Patty's approach are to remove any and all falsified arches in the apartment, to create efficient storage space, to minimize detailing, and to integrate sustainable building practices wherever possible including refinishing the floor instead of replacing it, keeping the ceiling fans to counteract the summer heat, using better insulated windows, buying vintage furniture instead of new furniture, and buying low-flush toilets and Energy Star appliances.
>>Enter House Tour Gallery
Resources:
Jack, the space designer who helped with the kitchen
Angela Okajima, ceramicist and potter who did the white sculpture on the wall next to the hutch.
Sean, raku potter who did the pottery above Patty's desk.
Penine Art and Antiques who supplied the unfinished chairs in the front room.
Do you have an idea for a house tour? Let me know! jill@apartmenttherapy.com
The original post with original comments: The Inside Out: Patty and Chris' Stripping Down
Originally Posted by Jill — January 25, 2006 - Aaron
I love that there are descriptions to go with the pictures - can everyone who does a house tour be required to do this? It makes the experience so much better - like being guided through their space instead of snooping around.
view brozek's profile
agreed. i loved this house tour! such a fun transformation of a beautiful space. can't wait to see the "after".
view SFali's profile
I was just thinking that brokzek! Comments make looking at these pictures a lot more interesting.
view FC's profile
Can't we proofread a little better? "Eek out"? Seriously??
I'm trying to be chill about the fact that every time "its" is used, it contains an apostrophe (its in the possessive has no apostrophe, an apostrophe in its means "it is"!), but really, "eek out"???
Our grammar is as important an inheritance as our design vocabulary.
view stewystew's profile
Patty -
I'm sure we'll be blown away with the "after". You have such a great eye, and an ability to elegantly simplify.
view Arran's profile
What's the rush? Why didn't we see the tour after all of the proposed changes have been made?
view MiklakMiklak's profile
It's kinda weird to see a house tour with captions all saying, essentially, "But it won't look anything like this." Looking forward to seeing the After.
view Lisa (Montreal)'s profile
I actually like a lot of the stuff they are planning to get rid of, and I am not crazy about the kitchen renovation. But to each his own.
view DrRubyDoomsday's profile
Gorgeous space, I have the distinct feeling this is 439 lafayette, however I could be wrong. I went to party in this building a few years back and it is one of the few with double/triple exposures in that astor place corridor. These are not cheap and this is not a discount location for Manhattan standards. Notice she is in business school, perhaps he is a hedge-funder-
This is a stunning place architecturally, but something to me seems like they are out of place...Perhaps it is just me..Perhaps I am jealous...It comforts me seeing places when I feel like it is earned. I did not get that out of this tour..Yeah i'm weird like that..
view recon1's profile
This tour made me sad. When I think of all the waste created by tearing out cabinets, walls, doors and everything else that is taking away from the owners' desire to reveal the apartment's "bones"--it just seems really superficial and indulgent. The most "sustainable" building practice is to leave the apartment as is. Of course I could look at it the other way and be grateful that people like this have the resources to hire a lot of craftsmen to bring their "visions" to life...I don't know. Something just made me feel icky when I looked at these pictures.
view madsarah's profile
This space is beautiful. That said, it's probably tough to make a former warehouse, 2,000 SF space with high ceilings and light access from all around not-beautiful. Not to even mention its amazing location. Am definitely with madsarah on this one - how sustainable and eco friendly is it if you're ripping out everything? I actually really like it the way it is, with all the old details and charm. And I too, am probably feeling a bit envious considering this apt prob cost something like, $2.6mil; and I'm thinking of what a wise commentor from a while ago said, which is that on apt. therapy we get to see how people use their design sense and creativity to maximize what they can out of a small space, and how you don't have to be completely priveledged and throw tons of money at a project to make your home truly standout.
view surlysuze's profile
Can all the haters please keep their comments to themselves?
view ceepurple's profile
I can definitively see all the potential you saw when you aquired the place. That is a skill that a lot of buyers don't have. Good luck!
view Patrick F. aka PsychoPat's profile
Ceepurple,
Not liking something and saying so is not being a "hater." I am really tired of that word. Everyone has different taste and one of the main purposes of this site is to share opinions on design, decor, and ways to live better or differently. If we all agreed on everything, it would not even be worth visiting.
Another problem I see on this site more and more is that what used to be a forum for people of modest means has now become, in part, a place to showcase the homes of very affluent people whose lives are nothing like those of most readers. So when people like the couple profiled in this article talk about how they're ripping everything out and nothing is good enough for them the way it is, it sounds spoiled and indulgent and out of touch with most of us who are reading the posts.
view madsarah's profile
i love it. its look very beautiful. here is sufficient place for 2 person. i m also design my house like that. thanks for giving me this.
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view internet money's profile
Hey it lovely .I really like it. Its very sweet. Me and my family really love it. Actually i just plan out for my house after viewing your this apartment. And my all family member like it and appreciate me. thanks for this great information. please give us more information about interior designing of house, flats, kitchen. also tall about interior designing of small space flats (rooms), kitchen. specially about dining table place,and Almeria.
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view internet money's profile
hi,
its nice one. we all love it this is a good direction in the way to choose the room and house. i think u have to give more information regarding this. i am just waiting for your new updation related the same work
thanks.
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view internet money's profile