apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Wow Alberto,
Great apartment! If you don't want those built-ins in your bedroom, I'd love to buy them. They may not be your taste but they certainly are mine.

Your plans for your space seem very comprehensive. A question--why lighten your floors? That ebonized look is wonderful and very clean. It also hides dirt. That is the only thing I would caution you not to do.

Kudos on a great apartment. I wish it were mine.

PS--I'm not kidding, I WILL buy the built-ins from you if we can arrange for a carpenter to take them down neatly from your place and install them in mine.

I think the Brits do a great job of creating modernist environments within Victorian envelopes, so I'd point you to any of the many UK shelter mags for inspiration. And Kelly Hoppen's books may be another source of inspiration.
And I agree with Terry on not lightening the floors right away, especially since some of your plans include darker wood/black built-ins (which I actually question a bit, also.)

Good luck with the space!

This place has lots of potential. But before you start dealing with shelving, you may want to address the water damage under the window, behind the radiator. This could cause major headaches sooner than later.

a great apartment--I can see the light is wonderful. beautiful high ceilings--you should be able to get a modern look going here with no problem.

patrick--would you tell us the names of some of the british shelter mags you mention? my situation is similar to Alberto's. just without the high ceilings and gorgeous fireplace.

The doorknobs on your bedroom door are the same knobs I have throughout my place in Brooklyn. AND they are the same knobs I had in my childhood home in Rome. Are those knobs everywhere? When I saw the knobs in my current place I thought it was a sign that I should sign the lease. Was my knob continuity omen a fraud? Does every other apartment in NYC have those knobs?

I like your place, but you can't be a minimalist with that shoe collection.

i'm kind of on the fence about 'modernizing' this apartment. i'm not opposed to the style, and i'm definately not a fan of anything "victorian", but there is a part of me that kind of sides with the opinion of design that compliments space and its architecture. i just feel like you're taking away some of the charm of that amazing apartment. i'm not suggesting a room full of toile or anything, just dont fight the space.

but i think its a great place - and i'm glad you'll be keeping the fireplace and some of the original woodwork.

best of luck!

I agree with squixan-- live in it awhile to find out the real reason you responded to this space, before you rip out any of the reasons you did!

(But also remember that respecting the heritage of the space does not mean necessarily having to be slavish to Victoriana...)

I think the bones here need to be handled with care. Once they're perfected, anything you truly love will work within them. You just may find that the house teaches you new things to love.

Martha--
I'll get back to you with some UK magazine titles, if someone else doesn't beat me to it.. I think there a few other anglo-shelter-mag-o-philes in our midst!

The UK mags that I know of are LivingEtc and Elle Decor UK. Both should be easily found at Barnes & Noble, etc.

Jeremy beat me to it. I love both of those and would eagerly subscribe to Elle Decoration UK if I could afford it. They do often show homes that showcase the old bones of the space while furnishing it in a sleek modern style. It give a nice eclecticism while still respecting what's there. No one's saying Alberto has to put flocked wallpaper up (although the Brit mags seem to be showing a bit of a renaissance there).

Are you single?

Yes, Livng Etc. is one of my favorite UK mags. Perfect Home is another but I haven't seen it for awhile (is it still around?) The Universal News chain carries just about all of them.... big selection.

Is it me, or was anyone else surprised to see they are hiring 14-year-olds on GMA?!?!?

(Alberto, I mean that in a good way.)

Is that picture of the wood/metal shelving something you've already installed?

Now, about that gilded gnome, with glitter-star boa...

Alberto, great place and I do understand what you want to do with it. I saw some pics of a Christian LIAIGRE'S showroom in Paris that illustrate the point. It can be done and the result is superb. I think I have some pics at home. If I find them I'll send them to you.

But I agree with Tod. With such a shoe collection it's hard to label you a minimalist.

And Tod, Yes these door knobs are pretty common here, I have seen them around and have the same ones in my place.

The World of Interiors is the best shelter mag hailing from the UK. I'll thumbwrestle anyone who disagrees. It's the mag that Alberto needs. It's perfectly suited to inspire him. I even subscribed because I often missed an issue when I couldn't make it to B&N.

I'm a little depressed about the doorknobs.

I also agree with squixan--

It seems to me that a minimalist esthetic can be easily achieved with what you put in the place. Your apartment's bones are lovely and perfectly scaled. I could see it in a minimalist mode just by putting in a few choice pieces of furniture--a Barcelona daybed and a couple of nice chairs.

I also agree with the writer who is urging you to rethink the bookcase-desk thing. Wait a while to see how you feel. Also, you may decide you like the desk to face the window, as it does now.

Finally (and redundantly) I get the feeling you may actually like the Victorian details and may find a way to mix your esthetic with them. This is very common the world over, not only in the UK. I've seen minimalism in Mexican haciendas, Roman apartments, etc. You get a jewel within a jewel and you can't get that sort of architectural detail today anywhere. Hence, people keep it.

The proportions of the living room look wonderful. I'd like to mention a book as a resource for brit modern in a classic shell. I can't remember the title but it is by Ilise Crawford, she was the editor of Elle Decoration UK and defined the look you are all talking about.
The book is at Barnes and Noble and is $35, not bad considering the cost of euro magazines. Also it might be worth a trip to gallagher's to scan bacx issues of the magazine.

Dear god, why is no one else commenting on the gilded gnome, with glitter-star boa?!?!

Patrick,
I looked at the slideshow and saw the gilded gnome and my lasix filled body held steady - I then come to this post and well . . . .

I do have to confess I think I was given a silver conterpart for Christmas.

Alberto,
Love your space and the bibliovore in me cannot believe those bookshelves are going anywhere.

Paula

I'm just growing more and more nervous for the fate of this beautiful space the more I see some of the details in the slideshow (Liberace the Gnome, trendy-casual shoe collection...) and and as I reread some of the plans...

LivingEtc is the best of mag´s you´ve said, but I will also include GrandDesigns and Real Homes. I´ve found a lot of ideas on them

bye

Elena

The gnome is going in the rooftop garden, right? Nothing wrong with the metropolitan equivalent of lawn ornament bling.

I don't know how, but I missed the gnome the first time around. It doesn't really speak to a modern aesthetic, does it? But I have to give points for the gnome/boa glitter coordination.

Todd, let's thumbwrestle. WOI always has the weirdest, freakish interiors, but not anything I would normally turn to for inspiration. Wasnt there an issue with a house chockablock full of stuffed dead birds. Ack! I will say the products they show can be interesting but I think to call the homes over the top is to not even get halfway there.

I would kill to have moldings and fire place like that! This winter the Conran's catalogue had a pic. of a room with moldings painted a lovely dark green shade with a very sparse modern look with the furniture - I recall some red lacquer type chairs. You might try to see if you can scrounge one up for ideas on the Victorian/modern look. Sadly, I could not copy the look in my low ceiling, no moldings whatsoever 1980s gut renovated apt. I mean unless I wanted to feel like I live in an underground aquarium.

I'm not liking the idea of lightening the floors either-- what i think would be great is to heighten the "blackness" of the floor-- draw attention to it with several layers of gloss. I think I saw a similar thing done to an apartment in some old issue of Dwell and it looked AMAZING. Weirdly warmer than a plain concrete floor that a lot of new minimal places have.

i didn't notice the gnome either, the first time around... i think it's because he belongs. i kind of like him. i agree with everyone about the floors, wait a while before making those kind of decisions. it's a nice fantasy to redo/renovate everything quickly, but i think it makes more sense to live a little bit in your space. notice what you love and don't like, what you need and what's in the way, etc.

he might need the gnome.

I have nothing against gnomes, per se, but thought it to be at odds with Alberto's declaration of wanting "his home to be as sleek, and up-to-the-minute as possible." (I feel his desire for open shelving is also at odds with that declaration, btw)

I was mostly just chiding fellow ATers for their noticeable lack of commentary, since they normally have a field day with items like that. I guess decorative nuns just scare up more past lives.

Kelly Hoppen has some really cool, almost black lacquered wood floors in one of her books. I think it's a nice transition between old and new. Might want to investigate. I also think the idea of the beautiful old space with modern pieces could be really nice--so please don't gut the details (not that that was mentioned, but just throwing that out there).

And Patrick, I laughed at "decorative nuns." I think there's something sweet and random about a gilded gnome (though a collection would scare me).

Hi, Ruth. Yep, WOI is often a bit out there with the editorial decisions, but that's why I love it. They find the most fascinating places with a combo of old-world charm and contemporary punch. It's one of the few mags I don't recycle.

patrick, i'm with you. the gnome should go. maybe he can send it to the crazy e-bay lady.

and alberto, i hope you starting to come around on reconsidering the renovations. like terry says, furniture alone can really do wonders for a minimalist look.

(and I would sooooooo love to be the one to help furnish this space to achieve that...)

To second and third and fourth people's pleas---please consider keeping your Victorian apartment as is and trying to achieve your minimalist look with furniture alone. You have a gem which you will never get back if you start renovating. I would kill for the moldings, shutters, fireplace and so on, as would many other people.

Truly, I think you can absolutely achieve the look you want within your already beautiful place. It's all in keeping it clean and sleek. You'll also save a ton of money. Lastly, you'll have an apartment unlike any other.

(I do also think there are several non-Victorian-era additions that have been made over the years by past owners/resident that can certainly stand removal/improvement, though...)

patrick... do you and i share the same 'secret' opinion that young alberto doesnt fully appreciate the charm of his place and therefore we must sabotage and/or take it from him??

i'm just kidding.

not really.

seriously, i AM kidding.

i'm just bitter.

It seems that in the already-mentioned LivingEtc. you see quite a few pads where they paint the walls and moldings out in white (so that the moldings become 'texture' instead of features) darken the floors and then fill it in with modern/contemporary furniture. That being the case I don't see a lot of things I would change in this apartment either. I might change some of the details - like replacing the doorknobs with look-alikes in more contemporary finishes. Of course maybe I'm biased since I have the whole dark floor/white walls thing going on. But then I also have the one red wall thing going on too which some would probably consider cliche.

squixan--
I'm in! ;)

I hate everything he plans to do to this gorgeous apartment.

Squixan and patrick -

Methinx some sort of mix of interior version of a Landmarks commission needs to be formed on more of an organizational model of, say, PETA, or something (yes, I'm kind of kidding, too).

It's like ... giving a Victorian old lady a fresh, new, uncomplicated dress in a silhouette that's still flattering to update her look is one thing. And a good thing. But it sounds like he's wanting to give her Botox and silicone injections! Why not just go get yourself a young lady, and leave her for the old men who can appreciate her for what she is!

Curtis, I love your analogy!

It sounds like Alberto is leaving details like the molding, to judge from the write-up. I think he could highlight all the old-fashioned details to make a beautiful contrast to modern feature, but that's just my opinion. I do have to say that we had to rip out some moldings off our kitchen door (because NO refrigerator would fit in at all - I shudder to think how old the fridge in there must have been) and it nearly killed me.

Curtis--
Hi. Lar. I. Ous.

But I do stand by the idea that a beautiful restored envelope could pretty much house anything and still look amazing, like the brilliant suggestion above of a Mies daybed. Seriously, the Brits know how to do this "new inside old" up brilliantly.

Actually, (although there seems no danger whatsoever of this happening...) even if he DID a full-blown all-out-old-lady over-the-top Victorianapalooza with the space, finishes and furnishings, the architecture would also end up taking a back seat (ironically). But at least it would still actually be there.

Fiona--
We trust you to do appropriate detail extraction when necessary!!! And we share your pain! ;)

If he posts this apartment again once he's all done, and doesn't consider my previous post, I'll have him arrested, but if he doesn't include this, my feelings will just be irreparably hurt...

OK... imagine if you will... a huge vertical mirror with an arched top (Victorian or Modern, or whatever) hung UPSIDE-DOWN above the mantel in such a way that it sort of looks like a "mirror image" of the fire-place, and in the process abstracting the shape of both, making them both VERY modern.

I simply must stop the hemorraging of my genius before it all leaks out, and there's none left with which to take over the world.

Ok, seriously. Why is opportunity wasted on the young? Wave something shiny in his face and throw it down the street. Maybe we'll get lucky and he'll chase it into a storm drain.

Absolutely, this space should be worked with, not raped.

Grumpy in Minneapolis.

WOW. a lot of comments. I've been working too much, so I'm just checking on all this now...To answer some of your concerns-

The floors are NOT staying. They are not in great condition (a fact which you cannot see in the pics) - and lighter will be better. At least for me.

The bookcases/closet completely overwhelm the size of the room. Something lower will be better. As for making them black (this is still a maybe) - what i'm really thinking about is something inspired by Japan. Was there last year, and loved it.

The Gnome. A private joke and a setimental gift. he will live in my home on his own shelf in the living room.

the shoes need a place to live - preferably not in my living room.

Thanks for the UK shelter mag suggestion - will take a look.

Just because I plan on updating, doesn't mean the building will be erased. the moldings are everywhere, they are massive, and they are staying. same goes for the fire place and mantle. there will be no mistaking where this space came from.

i will probably keep the door knobs, but not the other fixtures.

Again, the Gnome stays,

Thanks for all the compliments to my age. I'm older than you think! and no, I'm not single. but I'm flattered!

Nothing that you currently see in this room, with the exception of the black Paul McCobb chair will remain. the mirror is just there because it needed a place to live temporarily. the desk won't stay here either. everything is pretty much temporary until the renovation is completed.

Hi Alberto-- Here is a URL for the Conran Shop's idea rooms. You might see something you like.

www.conran.com/conranshopping/showCategories.do?categoryid=3

My Lasix-filled body remembers a title "Ideal Home" from the UK, or is that "Real Home"?

There's another, not Elle, that escapes me. I like UK mags because they deal with small places in cities more than US mags do.