Stuart Mast's Profile

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. Let me begin by suggesting that those who feel the apartment looks cold should check out the photos on our architect's website, porterfanna.com. Go to Work and then Eastern Parkway Apartment Renovation. You'll see some different artwork on the walls, which you may find impacts the cold feeling, or maybe not -- the design definitely draws on a specific aesthetic. I personally find the aesthetic very calming and soothing. The palette also supports subtle things which might be overwhelmed or overlooked if there were starker colors or textures -- these include the feeling of the fireslate countertop, the designs created by oil markings on the countertop from everyday use, the texture of the aluminum counter stools, the sanded aluminum baseboard radiator covers, the depth and warmth of the grey floors, the softness of the light grey walls, the sheen of the silk grey curtain in the bedroom, the glow of light through the bathroom door and the corresponding panel in the bedroom wall, the swirling etchings of steel wool in the blackened steel of the entrance, etc. I wonder if the richness of these subtle variations might be missed if there were a lot more bold colors and textures in the rooms.

Amelia, the silver pillows are Donna Karan. I got them at Bloomingdales.

Heather, the bathroom door actually has pretty good noise reduction. The material is a very dense plastic, and we tried to create sufficient overlap at the edges so there would not be much sound leakage.

The curtain in the bedroom allows cozy nesting in the bed (Heather Leaf, a woman does live in the apartment :) ). The curtain also keeps out the light in the morning if one person is an earlier riser than the other, and, for instance, is putting on her makeup at the vanity. (Saya, the bathroom is actually accessible from the rest of the apartment.)

Tallguylehigh, yes, aesthetically we would probably have preferred a shower, too, but resale considerations in New York (for some reason everyone thinks they want a tub) and the fact that I actually do take baths, led us to keep a tub.

Now to address the most commented on feature -- the line of couches. One of the underlying objectives of the design was to open up the apartment, make it feel larger than it did before, create continuity and flow, and make the apartment more accommodating for two people living there and for guests. The continuous line of seating (couches and bench behind the table) running across the length of the living/dining area helps accomplish this goal. It accentuates the breadth of the space, while at the same time creating a single, unified space, and facilitating dialogue between the open kitchen and the living/dining area. It also gives the room a certain energy and momentum. If the furniture were arranged in groupings within the living area, it would cut the room into segments and obstruct flow, making it visually smaller and physically restricted. It is also a very efficient use of a small space, making it good for entertaining, since it is open but also provides quite a bit of seating, and the dining chairs can be easily moved around the living room depending on how people feel like grouping. When there are no guests, the spaciousness feels nice too, even a bit luxurious, permitting two people to comfortably spread out on the couches to read or watch TV.

And AustinSarah2, definitely worth doing the reno in Brooklyn! Besides the fact that places are cheaper in Brooklyn, the area is fantastic, with Prospect Park, the Botanical Gardens and the Brooklyn Museum nearby. It was the perfect place to renovate a home and give it an edge.

Thanks, again, for all your comments. It's really great to hear everyone's reactions and suggestions!