Sumptuous Sophistication for a Manhattan Loft

After the owner of the attic, in Manhattan’s Tribeca area, first referred to as architect David Howell, his intentions were to sand and refinish his present floors. From the time they were completed, they’d completely renovated the entire apartment, leaving the client with all the renovation bug along with a brand new addiction to shopping for furniture and accessories. “The renovations took much longer than my client originally expected, but he really enjoyed the process every step along the way,” says Howell. “His Saturday routine became going for a coffee and then wandering down to the BDDW showroom, where he would text me photos of bits he liked — I really loved them.” The client’s beloved bits made their way into the house, which has new floors, raised ceilings to better accommodate his 6-foot, 6-inch elevation, a fresh air system and a completely reconfigured layout.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Initially a mentor, now joined with his girlfriend
Location: New York City
Size: Around 2,800 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms
That is interesting: This converted attic building was two historical Tribeca warehouses; the renovations seen here were finished in 2012.

David Howell Design

An significant part the renovation was creating an original impression that wowed. “The previous entryway was a contorted, tight vestibule with strange angles,” says Howell. “From reconfiguring the design, we were able to open it up and reveal the diagonal views all the way through the light in the windows.”

This original impression includes bronze and walnut via the dining table and mirror, elements that repeat throughout the room. “My client completed this console table all the way home from the BDDW showroom,” says Howell, laughing. “That is not something you find daily in nyc.”

Captain’s mirror: BDDW; table: Chall Hall Table, BDDW

David Howell Design

The original steel beams, exposed joists and masonry walls reflect the history of the construction, which has been two commercial warehouses in its prior life. “We’re respectful of the attractiveness of what was already there,” says Howell. “We just made it more extravagant and also made it make more sense spatially.”

The aforementioned original flooring has been engineered and honey coloured; Howell replaced it with a prefinished ebonized walnut.

David Howell Design

Heading toward the huge steel windows from the entrance, one passes from the kitchen.

“This pendant light from Karkula gives off a warm orange glow and draws people to want to hang out in this space,” says Howell. The huge scale is a superb match for the huge attic and the kitchen area.

David Howell Design

Howell reconfigured and expanded the kitchen. “The previous kitchen occupied the corner at which the large cabinets continue to be,” Howell says. “A door into the client’s master bedroom completely cut off the distance; it was right in which the sink is.”

David Howell Design

Howell wanted the kitchen to be lighter than the floors but white. Thus, he picked oak cabinets using a custom stain that is someplace in the middle. The hardware offers strong, straight lines that honor the original warehouse elements of the attic and the opulent feel of the redesign.

Also to maintain the kitchen light, upper cabinets were not used all around. Howell clustered the large cabinets and refrigerator at the corner, freeing up room to leave the rear kitchen wall as light and open as possible. A simple ledge follows a line created by the vent hood. The backsplash is exactly the identical Caesarstone as the countertops, which adds continuity and reflects the light.

David Howell Design

From the dining area, an oval dining table from BDDW breaks up all of the rectangles. The seats are classic, and the client found the glass teardrop chandelier during a visit to Los Angeles.

The prior fireplace was a really modest corner unit. Howell enlarged it wrapped the corner walls at a gorgeous Chinese quartzite to earn the fireplace match the scale of the attic.

David Howell Design

Opposite the dining space, a silk rug the client bought in the Far East defines the living room area, and its feel and color palettes tie the textiles and metallic bits together.

The exposed joists supply a steady rhythm that works nicely with the rectilinear furnishings. Drapery rods are hidden between the joists, allowing the drapes to stream from floor to ceiling, and white sheers between the windows trick the eye into seeing a wall of light.

David Howell Design

A sculptural bronze table picks up on other bronze bits used throughout the house; a large coffee table stands around the scale of the big sectional and wide-open room.

David Howell Design

A second Far East silk area rug grounds the rectangular bedroom. Wall-mounted nightstands with ebonized grips from BDDW float over the floor so as to not interrupt the carpet and exposed border of walnut floors.

David Howell Design

Also floating from the master bedroom is the built-in shelf component, which tucks in directly beneath the soffit and does not clunk up the area’s design. It provides much-needed storage and display space without disrupting the rectangular shape of the space along with the carpet.

David Howell Design

The shower at the original master bathroom was so big that it dominated the area and pulled off the entire configuration. “There was a poor hierarchy of spaces in here,” Howell says. He created an oversized bathroom that felt directly to his tall client, including large counters, a large bathtub and a raised ceiling. “Sometimes you have to catch additional space vertically … additional inches overhead are really critical for him,” he says.

David Howell Design

Both Howell and his client hail from New Zealand and were conversant with all the Sydney sandstone aesthetic viewed here. “These tiles are a porcelain version of Sydney sandstone,” Howell says. The tile on the floors is a more abrasive, slipproof version of the tile to the walls. The simple color palette lends a relaxing feel.

The countertops and bathtub surround are natural rock. The advantage of the bathtub surround functions as a shower bench; clear glass lends continuity and retains the room feeling as big as possible. Howell also planned the convenient niches made of matching gems.

David Howell Design

The relaxing colors of the master bath weren’t required from the powder room. Opening the door reveals a surprise: bright reddish Florence Broadhurst wallpaper on the ceiling and walls. A floating vanity allows the floor extend uninterrupted all the way to the wall.

David Howell Design

Stacked stone retains the lively print from overwhelming the space and adds a contrasting rough feel.

“My client hadn’t ever revived a space before, but he had such a great time renovating this place that he’s captured the bug; he is eager to reestablish another space,” Howell says. It seems like he’ll be extending his new Saturday showroom browsing routine indefinitely.

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