Downtown Cool in an Uptown Duplex
When a Lower Manhattan couple decided to move uptown to be closer to their children’s schools, they didn’t want to sacrifice their downtown style. “They weren’t interested in the typical prewar, Upper West Side classic six,” says architect West Chin, whose architecture and interiors firm, WCA, adapted spaces in a newer midrise building to suit the couple’s taste for clean lines.
Spanning two floors, the apartment has a lower level that’s a complete kid zone, and an upper floor that combines family-friendly spaces with areas more appropriate for adult entertaining. Most important, while they prefer cool, uncluttered downtown style, the couple likes their modernism warm and welcoming. Paying careful attention to how the family lives, Chin tucked clever storage solutions into thick walls and streamlined cabinetry, and created soft, inviting places where the family of four could hang out together. It’s a rare combination of minimalism and family friendliness. Here’s how he did it.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family of 4
Location: New York City
Size: 4,050 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 5½ bathrooms, 2 offices
Chin combined three chopped-up apartments on two floors to create the home, knocking down walls and opening up the space. Because the building is located on a wide street, it enjoys lots of natural sunlight. Chin added many unique lighting solutions that punctuate the white walls and ceilings while emphasizing long lines, such as the recessed cove over the sink in the kitchen.
An elevator deposits visitors behind the counter stools, on the top floor of the apartment.
Here’s a view of the top floor as one steps off the elevator. “There are different levels of privacy on the main level,” Chin says. The frosted glass screen (right) can be slid back and forth to open up the kitchen to the rest of the space, or to conceal it from view when guests arrive for parties. The kitchen’s palette of stainless steel, white lacquer and statuary marble blends seamlessly within the open plan.
The TV is mounted on a skimmed-concrete accent wall, with media storage and bookshelves tucked behind it.
The entire home was designed to accommodate the way the family lives. The kitchen opens to this family/TV room, which is the family’s main gathering space. Inevitably, the clan winds up eating in front of the tube sometimes, so Chin installed a floating banquette in the corner behind the sofa. It’s also a great spot for playing board games.
More about Downtown Cool in an Uptown Duplex
Spanning two floors, the apartment has a lower level that’s a complete kid zone, and an upper floor that combines family-friendly spaces with areas more appropriate for adult entertaining. Most important, while they prefer cool, uncluttered downtown style, the couple likes their modernism warm and welcoming. Paying careful attention to how the family lives, Chin tucked clever storage solutions into thick walls and streamlined cabinetry, and created soft, inviting places where the family of four could hang out together. It’s a rare combination of minimalism and family friendliness. Here’s how he did it.
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family of 4
Location: New York City
Size: 4,050 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 5½ bathrooms, 2 offices
Chin combined three chopped-up apartments on two floors to create the home, knocking down walls and opening up the space. Because the building is located on a wide street, it enjoys lots of natural sunlight. Chin added many unique lighting solutions that punctuate the white walls and ceilings while emphasizing long lines, such as the recessed cove over the sink in the kitchen.
An elevator deposits visitors behind the counter stools, on the top floor of the apartment.
Here’s a view of the top floor as one steps off the elevator. “There are different levels of privacy on the main level,” Chin says. The frosted glass screen (right) can be slid back and forth to open up the kitchen to the rest of the space, or to conceal it from view when guests arrive for parties. The kitchen’s palette of stainless steel, white lacquer and statuary marble blends seamlessly within the open plan.
The TV is mounted on a skimmed-concrete accent wall, with media storage and bookshelves tucked behind it.
The entire home was designed to accommodate the way the family lives. The kitchen opens to this family/TV room, which is the family’s main gathering space. Inevitably, the clan winds up eating in front of the tube sometimes, so Chin installed a floating banquette in the corner behind the sofa. It’s also a great spot for playing board games.
More about Downtown Cool in an Uptown Duplex
