apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I love the armless white sofas lined up along the long wall - so sleek and elegant

Brilliant ideas, nifty space, coll use of white (love the Chaise Longue placed like that) elegant result.
I'm just not a big fan of the line of couches, unlike bepsf, I find it gives sort of a diner feel to the room, especially looking from the window towards the table.
A very fancy diner, anyhow.

great apartment! i wish there was one before photo to compare.

considering my lust for all the cabinets in this home, i am a confirmed "hider", not "seeker". so much seating. makes me wonder what is done in this home besides sitting and eating. no crafts or sewing or dancing in open spaces i guess. perfect for a bachelor pad, then. :-) so interesting to see that difference in design. with female nests we see more variety with designated activity zones. this apartment provides insight into how men live. that is fascinating to me.

It's beautiful, but...so many hard surfaces! Except for the bed, this place seems cold and unwelcoming.

Love the bath!

THis place is beautiful
but I could never live there

Hollie, I couldnt agree more. Stunning apartment though, I was floored.

I also thought it was a little funny in the bathroom. I saw the sleek tiles, sink and toilet and along the back was... a tub. I dunno, I was expecting a sleek, walk in shower.

Also, what is the purpose of the curtain in the bedroom if it is in its own room?

Like everyone else has said, I think it's lovely but if I lived there I would add more textiles and plants to warm it up. I also don't really like how all the white couches are up against the wall...it fells more like a bar than a home.

Not to be indelicate, but I'm wondering what the noise reduction on that bathroom door is. I love the look of it, but don't want to hear people peeing!

Does anyone have any experience with them?

so beautiful; love it

living room needs more rug

bed needs better bedding. a coverlet or duvet. looks like you threw a cheap BBB comforter on it. some nice, contemporary bedding would look great in that room.

I liked the apartment; I thought it was really well done. I would have chosen something a little more welcoming in terms of colors in the bedroom, but Stuart lives there!

From the list of materials, this place must have been very expensive to renovate. Is it worth it to achieve a "Manhattan" look in a Brooklyn apartment? Nothing against Brooklyn -- I lived there for years. But if you're outlaying so much cash, does the Modern style and the location justify it?

Nice space, but not crazy about the couches against the wall...and it's a little cold for me.

Love the dining table and chairs, with the white-blue-red print behind it. The rest is too cold for me....

what is this thing about coldness or hardness that some people see? I don't see it. I would love to see this concept explored in more detail.

I agree about the line of sofas. It leaves sort of an awkward space, but then again, that's where you can do yoga! Otherwise I love everything about this home.

Beautiful space, but the living/dining area looks like a club.

I think it is absolutely stunning. It doesn't feel cold at all to me (and I'm a girl). The design was so well thought out. You should be proud!

It's a nice apartment, a little spare for my own tastes. I very much like the storage innovations. Hope he's comfortable with the couch configuration and upholstery. Unfortunately the layout reminds me of an office waiting room, but I suspect the room may be too narrow to accommodate other furniture configurations without making the space seem small.

I love this gorgeous place! I love modern, clean spaces where everything is "hidden" - so efficient and compact. One of my personal goals is always to have my home resemble something that is NOT a "home" - it's so much more fun. I hate "homey". I like a place that resembles a spaceship, rock club, etc. - kind of like when Kramer on Seinfeld found the old Merv Griffin set and moved it into his apartment (where he was then inspired to start interviewing people). So, I love the white sofas here that make the apartment seem like a lounge. Bravo! (My place looks like a recording studio and I like it that way!) But then I'm a girl who is far more into brick, metal, glass, plastic than textiles or fabric. The "colder" the better as far as I'm concerned. :)

Love the storage, esp. the bathroom storage w/ the sliding door. The exposed brick and stained floors are also great. Wasn't loving the white couches, they would be more appropriate for a commercial space. Also, the bed area is way too cramped and busy and doesn't feel as "grown up" as the rest of the place.

i love this place-- not cold at all to me! I wish I had the means to incorporate a lot of these ideas... as for the bedroom feeling cramped-- I don't think it is.. it's just they way it was shot. I think the curtain covers the bed because this room is the only way through to the bathroom, right? From the amount of seating available, I take it they throw a lot of parties... and only serve vodka and white wine. :P

Love those floors. My only suggestion would be to soften the living room a bit. By lining the sofas against the wall, you have replicated the dynamic of a waiting room, bar, or movie theater. Those spaces are designed to discourage personal interaction with others seated and so is your living room. Once you have had an opportunity to relish all that open space, you might want to consider arranging the furniture so that it is more conducive to small group socializing and conversation.

The bedroom= perfection! Where did you find metallic pillows? I need them!

Exactly, the bedroom is .
Perfect for the girl hiding inside a queen of ice ;)) I especially liked the "vanity thing".

(Eh, above it was written "the bedroom is heart heart heart" with hearts inside 's.)
^^

This apartment is so modern and open - I love that it seems bigger than it is. It doesn't appear claustrophobic or cold at all. For me, less is more. The only thing I would add is a nice piece of contemporary art on the brick wall above the sofas.

What a masterpiece of planning for all the built-in & cleverly placed storage! The drawers that work on both sides of the wall- very cool use of space. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. Let me begin by suggesting that those who feel the apartment looks cold should check out the photos on our architect's website, porterfanna.com. Go to Work and then Eastern Parkway Apartment Renovation. You'll see some different artwork on the walls, which you may find impacts the cold feeling, or maybe not -- the design definitely draws on a specific aesthetic. I personally find the aesthetic very calming and soothing. The palette also supports subtle things which might be overwhelmed or overlooked if there were starker colors or textures -- these include the feeling of the fireslate countertop, the designs created by oil markings on the countertop from everyday use, the texture of the aluminum counter stools, the sanded aluminum baseboard radiator covers, the depth and warmth of the grey floors, the softness of the light grey walls, the sheen of the silk grey curtain in the bedroom, the glow of light through the bathroom door and the corresponding panel in the bedroom wall, the swirling etchings of steel wool in the blackened steel of the entrance, etc. I wonder if the richness of these subtle variations might be missed if there were a lot more bold colors and textures in the rooms.

Amelia, the silver pillows are Donna Karan. I got them at Bloomingdales.

Heather, the bathroom door actually has pretty good noise reduction. The material is a very dense plastic, and we tried to create sufficient overlap at the edges so there would not be much sound leakage.

The curtain in the bedroom allows cozy nesting in the bed (Heather Leaf, a woman does live in the apartment :) ). The curtain also keeps out the light in the morning if one person is an earlier riser than the other, and, for instance, is putting on her makeup at the vanity. (Saya, the bathroom is actually accessible from the rest of the apartment.)

Tallguylehigh, yes, aesthetically we would probably have preferred a shower, too, but resale considerations in New York (for some reason everyone thinks they want a tub) and the fact that I actually do take baths, led us to keep a tub.

Now to address the most commented on feature -- the line of couches. One of the underlying objectives of the design was to open up the apartment, make it feel larger than it did before, create continuity and flow, and make the apartment more accommodating for two people living there and for guests. The continuous line of seating (couches and bench behind the table) running across the length of the living/dining area helps accomplish this goal. It accentuates the breadth of the space, while at the same time creating a single, unified space, and facilitating dialogue between the open kitchen and the living/dining area. It also gives the room a certain energy and momentum. If the furniture were arranged in groupings within the living area, it would cut the room into segments and obstruct flow, making it visually smaller and physically restricted. It is also a very efficient use of a small space, making it good for entertaining, since it is open but also provides quite a bit of seating, and the dining chairs can be easily moved around the living room depending on how people feel like grouping. When there are no guests, the spaciousness feels nice too, even a bit luxurious, permitting two people to comfortably spread out on the couches to read or watch TV.

And AustinSarah2, definitely worth doing the reno in Brooklyn! Besides the fact that places are cheaper in Brooklyn, the area is fantastic, with Prospect Park, the Botanical Gardens and the Brooklyn Museum nearby. It was the perfect place to renovate a home and give it an edge.

Thanks, again, for all your comments. It's really great to hear everyone's reactions and suggestions!

Hi everyone,

As the other person who lives in the apartment, I thought I would add my two cents in addition to Stuart's comments.

We both wanted a calm, clean and, yes, "cool" environment with soothing colors. For me, I find cool blues, grays and white very soothing. I dislike beige neutrals, tweeds, or other traditionally warm colors and textiles. We also tried to get rid of as much clutter as possible with all of the built in storage to maintain a peaceful and clean aesthetic. This is also why there is not much furniture.

I agree with Stuart that really bold colors would have taken away from the interesting details throughout the apartment. I'm not sure that all of these details come through in the photographs. Our architects hand-distressed the blackened steel in the entryway!

What you also can't see is the amount of sunlight this apartment gets, which warms it up considerably. The large windows on both ends, as well as the window in the bedroom allows for sunlight to stream in and flood the apartment.

To BlackInk-- there are more "before" pictures on the architect's website (www.porterfanna.com). You will see that Stuart's and the architect's vision was amazing. The apartment felt much more cramped and dark. And that was even after a minor "redo" after the apartment was purchased. It was previously owned by an elderly single woman, and it showed-- the apartment had dingy beige walls, an overbearing huge vanity in the bathroom, block-like cabinetry in the kitchen, and horrible flap window treatments.

Removing the bathroom door and replacing it with a sliding door created a feeling of openness that could not be achieved any other way. Same for the built in shelving in the bathroom. I highly encourage everyone to create this kind of shelving-- it was a matter of carving out space in between the stud beams in the wall.

The curtain was quite a luxury. As Stuart said, the floor to ceiling silver curtain makes the bed into a cozy nesting environment, which is my most favorite part of the apartment. It was Stuart's idea, and I hadn't expected how much I would love it. It is heaven to pull the curtain shut and put a movie on or read in bed.

The large open space in the living room allows for lots of projects. Although you can't see any of the detritus from arts and crafts, it is where I sit to sew my ballet shoes, and Stuart works on his projects.

The comment about only drinking white wine is funny. There is a general "no eating on the couch" rule. However, when guests are over we don't think twice about it-- guests are free to eat and drink on the couches. We even had a party where red wine and hot chocolate was served and it wasn't a problem. The bench behind the dining room table is stain resistant.

The fact that the dining room table is all glass means that it leaves a minimal footprint while still allowing a table which seats 8 people in a 1 bedroom apartment.

I think that the genius of the apartment is the mix of high and low. Yes, there are high end touches such as Boffi fixtures. However, there is also a mix of very affordable fixtures which allowed us to splurge on other things. We kept the same floors but just sanded and stained them. The kitchen cabinetry is Ikea. We were able to get a friends and family discount on the kitchen appliances. And, the controversial couches? The door store!

Kelly and Stuart, what a wonderful place! I want to move in, would you adopt me?
I do like the minimalist look and it is great to see some elements I had dreamed up in my little head: i.e. the banket with storage behind the table (I'd like a breakfast corner like that), the row of suspended cabinets/vanity in the bedroom (I'd like something like that as an office space). All that storage is just perfect! It's an intelligent space with nice volumes, great light and room to breathe. Love the Lichtenstein in the bedroom.
The only thing missing for me is flowers. I can see a very sculptural arrangement, very simple, just right there. And a little round bouquet over here.

This is, without any doubt or hyperbole, the most helpful, instructive and useful home tour I have ever seen here. There is so much to learn from that whether or not one thinks one would like more color is hardly the question. I thank these folks for the time they took to explain their process and thinking. I will save this for many ideas in a very different Brooklyn apartment.

Great job, guys! As Elaine said, some of the ideas and designs are just sheer "omg-why-didnt-i-think-of-that"!

LOVE the bed -- is the headboard with the little tucked in shelf custom made???

I have a mostly white living room so I know what you mean about the room actually feeling warm when the light streams in. Great job, I find there's just so much to learn. Where did you get those fabulous plexi tables. (by the sofa).
iris12

To Scarlet1313-- although we would have liked to have been able to afford original Jacobson 7 chairs, that is just a dream! The chairs were from Crate and Barrel-- I think they called them "balloon chairs." I don't know if Crate and Barrel still carries them, since I've had them for about 4 years.

To Lbillz-- yes, the headboard was custom made by Wonk.

Iris-- the little plexi tables were very inexpensive-- from Pottery Barn Teen. Some of our friends loved them so much they went out and bought some too. They're very useful for magazines, laptops, drinks, etc.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!! I have to admit, I'd probably need a little more color here and there, but I definitely admire your aesthetic :) The design is wonderful and so creative with the storage, sliding doors and consideration of your partner/wife's (?) needs (curtain separating the bed and vanity), and maintaining enough space to entertain.

A comment on the tub thing...I've seen some of the Japanese sitting tubs with a "door" that allows you to walk into the tub. Looks a little more modern than our standard tubs, but still might allow you to maintain the tub/shower usage.

Great job on the place. It is really high style and the storage systems you have are unbelievable. That said I would really love to know how comfortable you are/guests are lounging in the living room. I love the look but it doesn't seem at all practical or inviting- in that sense it seems cold. The chaise lounge is your comfy piece I'm guessing, but how comfy is it to only be able to sit in one position? Can you really curl up and watch tv on that or the built in benches? would love to know your honest opinion design aesthetic aside.

Love your whole place ... I don't find it cold at all. And thanks for the recap of sources. So many great ideas! I have the exact size kitchen with different living area layout and love the openess of the shelving.

Scarlett1313, you may want to try here for the side tables:
http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=114&f=3008&q=clear&fromLocation=Search&DIMID=400001&SearchPage=1

Megashad-- after just hosting Thanksgiving, I think the lounge area worked very well with the bank of couches and the lounging chair. I think that the openness of the living room encourages guests to settle in and be comfortable instead of having to weave in and out of a bunch of furniture or feel stuck staring at each other. It was really useful to have somewhere comfortable for my guests to sit while I could still talk to them and get the dinner ready. Also-- if there are more than a couple of guests over, they tend to also sit at the stools in front of the breakfast bar and to bring some of the dining room chairs into the living room so that everyone can congregate together.

Just looked at the architects photos---they really do capture the light well. And I appreciate the additional storage under the couch seats and the way the tv can jut out through an opening in the closed living rooom cabinet. Ingenious!

I really loved the two paintings around the dining room table in the architect's photos! Are they somewhere else now? I think they added a lovely "depth" and texture.

Great place!

this is seriously the most space efficient/best storage solution bungalow I've seen.

Just beautiful. So many clever ideas. I loved the full range and the upside down spice storage. You can see that this is a functional kitchen. The bank of couches--a great solution for a long narrow room.

I might find it hard to live here as I'm a clutterer, but it's a treat to look at.

Clean, cold and looks very uncomfortable. Why does it remind me of a coroner's laboratory? The aesthetic is calming and soothing? It looks a "tad" clinical and morbid. It has all the elements of well thought out space solutions except the simple grace of spontaneity. Too thought out and that is it's one and mammoth mistake. No whimsy, no accidents. Just perfectly boring.

I do love this space, and all the ingenious design concepts (storage, sliding doors, cabinetry, etc).

Like has been said before by others, I too do not like the sofas against the wall in a line, seems like uninformed furniture placement to me. Perhaps the sofas are mobile and could be re-arranged easily? How else would one converse with others in the room if all were seated?

Otherwise, love the space.

I love the bathroom door handles. We too have incorporated pocket doors in our home (bath and bedroom), however we're still sans handles. What brand/model are you using.

Whole apartment looks great!

For the ladies who commented on the differences between men and women's apartments, Leonard Cohen once said something interesting.

A writer (man) needs only two rooms, one with a typewriter in it for him to bang on, and another with a woman with which to do the same.

Kelly and Stuart, You have a lovely home. I enjoyed the clean lines of your design and smart use of your space. If am I ask -- I am curious about your Festival Nouveau Cinema poster. Where did you find it and do you know if it's still available? Thanks.

Bdog-- Stuart, correct me if I'm wrong, but the handles on the bathroom pocket door aren't really handles, but were decorative stainless steel rings that we found somewhere and just glued them on to the door. So, you could really use anything just to give your fingers a little grip and to add some visual interest.

Truthiness-- the Festival Nouveau Cinema poster was from a small film festival we went to in Montreal. Unfortunately, I don't know if it is still available. When I go home I"ll check to see if there is a website on the poster and if so I'll post it here.

Truthiness-- the website is www.nouveaucinema.ca-- our poster was from the October 13-23 2005 festival

Kelly, Thank you! I will inquire about it there next...

Kelly and Stuart - Absolutely love your place!!! Totally my style..everything goes so well together and clean and modern!! Kelly - Like you I too am not a fan of beige neutrals and traditional stuff!!

Sag

Bravo & Brava! I think this is one of the best renovations/designs I've seen on this website. Every detail, every need, every function was considered. It is not remotely my style, but beauty is beauty! I went to the Architect's website, which does show off the space to it's best advantage. The artwork warms the space nicely. Thank you for your enthusiasm in sharing your wonderful home. "Job Well Done".

Some very cool and interesting ideas, i love all the storage and the media center. I think it needs a little more color and accents through out to break up the stark white every where. Overall very cool modern space!

wow just plain amazing

Any suggestions on some good buys for suspended cabinets? I am a fan of BoConcept's Volani units (http://www.boconcept.us/Volani.aspx?ID=83753) but am reluctant to go through with the purchase due to the store's bad reviews. Thanks!