Manhattan Pied-à-terre

We designed a less than 300-square-foot pied-à-terre in New York’s West Village for our Connecticut-based clients, who wanted a permanent space in the city for weekend excursions. Set in an original carriage home, this quaint setting had great charm but was tremendously outdated and poorly laid out. When our clients found this apartment, which was not far from where they met 20 years earlier, they hired us to envision a better future for this once overlooked dwelling. 

Our principal design challenge was to figure out how to make this incredibly tiny space feel comfortable, spacious, and functional for rest and relaxation. We focused on updating the interior decor to match the clients' taste while maximizing the footprint for storage and daily necessities. Once equipped with a full kitchen, we made the eating and cooking area much smaller to accommodate a larger seating area by the window. 

We introduced a network of custom closets to amplify storage options, painted black and adorned with sleek gold pulls that create the illusion of expanded space by pressing the units up against the wall. This minimalist motif continues into the apartment’s sitting area, adorned with a working fireplace and set next to a brightly lit window. 

The bathroom was also gutted and updated with all new appliances. We chose a richly veined marble tile that covers the floor, walls, and shower area to create an immersive experience that brings lightness into the otherwise darkly colored residence. We also selected smaller fixtures to maximize the feeling of spaciousness. 

Another breakthrough in this project was figuring out how we could relocate the front door to create an entrance hallway further removed from the sleeping area. We were able to position the door as far from the bed area as possible, which resulted in a discreet sleeping alcove situated away from the social and sitting zones of the apartment. 

Published in:
Luxe Magazine

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Photography © Ty Cole