There’s a Luminous One-Bedroom Co-Op for Sale in NYC — And It Has a Library Ladder

Although interior design is subjective, there are a handful of home features I think most people have on their dream home wishlist. One of those inarguably covetable fixtures? A library ladder. Maybe I just saw Beauty and the Beast at a formative age (and maybe that wish was solidified after seeing Audrey Heprun in Funny Face), but the idea of scaling a ladder to search up high for books and sliding across the shelves is one of the most aspirational images I can conjure. But I always imagined needing a many-room single-family house, with space to spare for a dedicated library and shelves that covered every wall. Then I saw this one-bedroom home for sale in the heart of Manhattan, with a library ladder of its own.

• Where: Chelsea, New York
• Price: $995,000
• Bedrooms: 1
• Bathrooms: 1

Although the home, a unit in a co-op building, has just one bedroom, the living space feels expansive, thanks to the different levels. On an upper mezzanine level lives the kitchen, where white-washed oak floors and an exposed-brick wall painted white set the stage for a bright, coastal dining nook. A Carrara marble-topped island with a cooktop stove furnishes the kitchen, along with stainless appliances. 

Pad down a flight of stairs to the living room, where a wood-burning fireplace anchors the spacious den. On the other side of a half-wall, you’ll find the bookshelves in all their glory: Stretching up to the top of the 15-foot ceiling, the built-ins provide space for your beloved book collection while also creating a visual statement. And then there’s the ladder — tall enough to reach the tippity-top shelf, and mobile enough to roll from one end to the other. 

Although there is a full separate bedroom, this living room alcove features one more cool thing: A completely hidden bed pulls out of the wall, creating a bookish guest room out of thin air. I think I speak for many when I say I would be a very content guest in this home. 

This Property Crush is listed by Jesse Feldman, Compass.

Are you on the house hunt, or just the type of person who loves browsing real estate listings, even when you’re not in the market for a new home? Property Crush is a column where we feature actual real estate listings that get the Apartment Therapy seal of approval in regards to style (we haven’t done home inspections or anything, so don’t sue us). Know of a great house on the market? Email the listing to repitches@apartmenttherapy.com.