Art Deco Apt. Renovation
Goal:
When a couple inherited a medium grand piano (with no place to put it), they began to rethink the organization of their space. Since the three-bedroom apartment had resulted from combining three separate apartments, it lacked cohesive centralized spaces. Despite the large living/dining room and adjacent seating area, the Clients spent most of their time in a small den off the kitchen.
Process:
KATZ noticed the cozy feel in the den and wanted to design the same feel for one large open space organized around the piano. The first design decision was to combine the living, dining and sunken seating space and soften the edges between them; wherever possible, corners were curved to create a sense of continuity. KATZ added detail to highlight separate areas with different functions within the large space. In the dining area, the ceiling was raised. Doors were relocated to better connect the kitchen to the rest of the apartment. The apartment originally had a sunken living room, which allowed the design to play with the floor plane, raising it both to add soundproofing and create a comfortable nook.
Result:
Through careful project management, the design was brought in on time and on budget. The piano and the clients now have a new home.
Moral:
Life is like a piano… what you get out of it depends on how you play it.
