Name: Alberto
Location: Union Square-ish
Size: 480 square feet 1-bdrm co-op
Favorite: Still the windows
This week we are revisiting Alberto's Compromise. It has been 6 months since our last foray into his magnificently majestic abode. After a three month live-in guest and three months of renovation, having a finished space to himself is still quite novel for Alberto...
While we were away, he hired a contractor (who, by the way, he really likes and would recommend!!!) to skim and paint the walls, pull up the black original wood floor and replace it with wider oak planks that were then stained and sealed, repair and paint the windows, install a new kitchen counter and sink; an architect to design and build the wall unit/desk; and a carpenter to build a platform and low closet in the bedroom. In all he is quite happy with the results and only minimally scarred from the inevitable delays and misunderstandings along the way.
Alberto has sustained his desire to create a sleek environment within a more classical envelope, but he has relaxed his ideas somewhat about the severity of that goal. After living with minimalism for a while, Alberto is excited to bring in some texture to the apartment. He is not interested, for example, in getting "hyper-modern" lighting for the space, but rather something more eclectic. He wants the apartment's accents to be of "earthier shapes and colors", moving in the direction of the Nicaraguan bowls on his fireplace. For a coffee table, he envisions knarred wood rather than a very polished surface. The neutral walls will serve as a backdrop for the introduction of color in other ways, explains Alberto. Besides, he loves how the sun transforms his grey walls from a series of yellows to a series of pinks over the course of the day.
Sources:
- Contractor: Andrija Djordjevic 917.363.8090
- Carpenter (bedroom platform and short closet): Nick D'Ambrosia
- Architect (walnut and steel desk/shelving unit): Ben Checkwitch Design
- EAT sign, Liquor Cart: Cafiero Select--the "designer's secret" (Cooper Square/E. 6th St.) 212.414.8821
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Comments (7)
another fan of the gray! AT inspired me to choose gray for my new bedroom... the landlord is renovating before we move in and let us choose paint colors for the professionals he's hiring (because he's completely amazing!) and this quells any anxiety that is bubbling up about the jump to gray walls!
I really like that Alberto is taking his time with his space. Love your decisions! Good job.
Jessica, there are lots of guys out there with good taste.
I love the floors! If you refinished the floors, can you please pass along the info for what color/stain was used.
Too many cords at the desk area, and too much clutter in the kitchen. All the colors chosen are nice.
I can see how it is compromised.
BTW, I haven't seen any AT house tour with that many owner's photo op. What's that about? :-)
Hmmm... It looks like a very ugly version of an Ikea "we live in ...ft^2" corner.
And to accompany phase2phase, how come this post is revived after three years???
I like a place that has a well-stocked drinks trolley and only the necessary pillows to sleep (who invented the seven rows of pillows which get dumped on the floor every night?)
So what's happened to the update??