From the Goodreads.com synopsis: For those interested in creating a one-of-a-kind
home in a condo or apartment building, this book offers a voyeuristic peek at the
way people design, construct, and accessorize these often challenging spaces.
Thirty beautifully photographed projects illustrate how their designers overcame the
constraints of high-rise living to enhance the owners' comfort. Learn how one
architect brought elusive light into the center of a condo in Washington, DC's
Dupont Circle neighborhood, visit the "stair bridge" in a Vermont ski condo, and
observe the visual tricks used to open a Florida penthouse to ocean views. See how
designers are raising the bar on an increasingly popular housing type, whether it is
an urban pied-a-terre or an airy condo on a California beach.
******
My review: This was a surprisingly fun coffee-table style book. I don't plan on
designing or building a condo but it was fun to "window shop" :) There will be
some spoilers in this review. Some designs I distinctly didn't like and some I loved a
lot, but there were features in each one that I liked, so that no one design
completely put me off. The photography was outstanding, large high definition
pictures, with wonderful detail. Definitely plenty of eye-candy throughout. And
some of the captions explaining what is involved in renovating a condo were
informative. Many, many times they used windows and white paint to direct the
light back into the darker areas of the home. These next ones are done in order as they appear in the
book so you can follow along with the book if you wish.
***
Now, for specifics:
53 Unique Residences
CetraRuddy Architecture
Location: New York
Size: 280,000 square feet (unit sizes vary)
Landscape architect: H. M. White
Lighting designer: Kugler Ning
I didn't like this one that much as a whole, except the skilled use of light, but I did
like the white marble dining table. I also did not care for the square, long, trough -
style bathroom sink.
***
Cooper Square Loft
Desai Chai Architecture
Location: New York
Size: 5,000 square feet
General contractor: Giovannitti
Structural engineer: Donald Friedman, Attila Rona
Mechanical engineer: Simon Rodkin Consulting Engineers
Lighting: Christine Sciulli Light + Design
Audiovisual: WTB Associates
A nice loft condo, but the placement of furniture felt cold and incoherent to me,
didn't say "come, relax". The furniture also looked uncomfortable to sit in. Color
scheme also not very warm and inviting, a cold atmosphere. Lots of grey and
metal, the kitchen reminded me of a slightly aesthetically better navy mess hall at a
military base, cold an impersonal. Definitely not my style, I don't do modernistic
very well. Also , if this were my house I wouldn't feel very uncomfortable with port
holes in the walls to the bedroom, I would never feel relaxed changing clothes or
sleeping, as someone could easily look in. And again, with the square long trough sink
in the bathroom. I did like the large deep pretty tub though. Sorry, didnt like this
one very much.
***
Tribeca Skylight Penthouse
George Boyle Architect
Location: New York
Size: 4,000 square feet
General contractor: AJS/Matrix
The use of light in this one was skillfully done. Light is life to a home when done
right. using the stairs with open slats works well and lets more light through from
the large windows to the back areas. The designer used quite a lot of what
opportunities they could to let as much light in as they could, the stair design, the
use of white paint, cut-outs in various ares and the use of clear unbordered glass
for the guardrail overlooking the foyer. The patio with its pampas grass was
gorgeous! Just the kind of bit of nature to relax in the fresh air and sun and read.
***
Mount Snow Ski Condo
LineSync Architecture and Planning
Location: West Dover, Vermont
Size: 1,111 square feet
Furnishings: 2 Sisters Home Furnishings
General contractor: Fred & Fred Jr. Builders
The use of wood was nice but this one seems a bit busy to me. I like the wood and
I like the spice rack at the back of the stove. I don't care for the placement of the
microwave directly above the stove eyes. The mudroom looks nice, and practical.
***
First Avenue Apartment
Mojo Stumer Associates, PC
Location: New York
Size: 7,000 square feet
General contractor: Tennis Planning/Automatic Group
Engineer: Kam Chiu
Expeditor: Praxis Workshop Inc.
Overall nice clean look, but not my style. The dark stone added some warmth but I
would have liked the stone better if not quite as shiny, a bit distracting. Love the
large plate glass window with the great view of the city in the living room and the
contrast of the dark pillows on the light couch, but again the too shiny stone on the
walls detracted from the overall serenity. Love the dark blue couch in the family
room. Atrocious light fixture outside the wine room though. Bathroom, again didnt
care for the square bathroom sinks and the bathtub with the chaise lounge type
shape seems funky to me. And with no shade in the shower, yes the city view is
magnificent, but I would worry someone in a high-rise opposite would be watching
me with binoculars.
***
Apartment 24
Robert M. Gurney, FAIA Architect
Location: Washington, DC
Size: 2,750 square feet
Interior designer: Therese Baron Gurney
General contractor: Added Dimensions
Ok, but, not my style and again kind of cold in its personality. I did love the
generous library, as I am an avid reader. Again, the square tub and bathroom
sinks, not a fan.
***
Sky Loft
KUBE architecture
Location: Washington, DC
Size: 1,300 square feet
General contractor: Metrix Construction
Glass: Gaithersburg Glass
Millwork: Mersoa Woodwork
The cut-out in the ceiling of the living room with the frameless glass railing I liked,
leading to the office/master bedroom upstairs, letting in lots of light. Also the
frosted glass wall of the bedroom, allowing privacy and light both.
***
Pied á Terre
A4 Architecture & Planning
Location: Newport, Rhode Island
Size: 660 square feet
They claim the original before renovation was dark and dank, and the new look is
definitely not that, but the chandelier and the kitchen backsplash are a little too
"blingy" to me and could use a few pops of color. Great view of the harbor though.
***
West Side Loft
Office of Architecture
Location: New York
Size: 3,000 square feet
General contractor: Sohome
Design Collaborator: Push
Kitchen Systems Consultant: Fellini Designs
Shades: Advanced Window Coverings Associates
Like the warmth and personality of the wood throughout and the retaining of the
original structural poles. Nice combination of light and dark.
***
W24 Loft
Desai/Chia Architecture
Location: New York
Size: 4,000 square feet
General contractor: Giovannitti
Mechanical engineer: Simon Rodkin Consulting Engineers
Lighting: Christine Sciulli Light + Design
This renovation seemed odd to me. Odds and ends of various furniture style that
didn't gel with one another. The structural posts look unstable though I'm sure
they're not, like the roof could tumble down on you, and would make me feel
uneasy living there. The curvey couch looks like it should be in an airport to me. In
fact a large portion of the whole layout feels that way, a somewhat impersonal feel.
More like a commercial building than a home. I do like the large bank of windows
looking out to the other buildings. And nice use of light, natural and fixtures, except
that odd pineapple looking light fixture. And...again... with the square bathtub.
Not a relaxing look.
***
Sycamore Penthouse
George Boyle Architect
Location: Tribeca, New York City
Size: 2,200 square feet
General contractor: J. Kemp Construction
This is one of my favorites so far, possibly my favorite of the whole book! So much
warm, warm wood and lots of character. Lovley brick accent wall, appropriate
balance of wood, marble , brick, metal, and the stairwell draws daylight from the
master suite above. And nice use of different kinds of wood instead of all one
kind. The stairs are especially nice, caption says is Douglas Fir, though the effect is
simikar to cedar. The semi-mudroom idea is a good one but could use a medium
area rug so wet shoes etc dont damage that nice wood flooring. And the Outdoor
space with the couches and pampas grass is just more icing on the cake. A great
zen spot to unwind. Very few things I didn't like on this one!
***
Watergate Apartment
Robert M. Gurney, FAIA Architect
Location: Washington, DC
Size: 1,250 square feet
Interior designer: Therese Baron Gurney, ASID
General contractor: Added Dimensions and D. Anthony Beale LLC
Not that big on the design itself, but the views of the river and the Francis Scott Key
Bridge are outstanding. The slit cut in the wall between the living room and the
bedroom reminds me of a bunker, though the glass is electrostatic glass which can
be switched to frosted to allow privacy in the bedroom. Again with the square
bathroom sink...I'm seeing a trend here...
***
Riverside Apartment:
An Answer to Tropical Storm Irene
LineSync Architecture and Planning
Location: Wilmington, Vermont
Size: 775 square feet
Interior designer: Interior Furnishings by Nona
General contractor: Todd Gareiss
Nice roll armed couch and wood furniture but the corrugated metal walls take
away from its warmth to give more or a warehouse feel, though decision could have
been made because of it being in a potential flood zone. Also didnt care for the
exposed cracked beams and pipes. Liked the warm tilein the bathroom but not the
metal corrugate.
***
Leather District Loft
Studio Luz
Location: Boston
Size: 1,200 square feet
General contractor: Aldor Corporation
Millwork: Mystic Millwork, Infusion Furniture
Lots of warmwood and the flooring is gorgeous! Not a fan of the bedroom raised up
on a platform but love the arched brickwork. Nice exposed beams in the ceiling.
Overall nice loft.
***
Perimeter Loft
Höweler + Yoon
Location: Boston
Size: 1,800 square feet
General contractor: Evergreen Group
Nice clean look with lots of light and the white helps contribute to that but could
use some more pops of color, too much all the same palate and not enough
contrast.
***
West Village Apartment
Mojo Stumer Associates, PC
Location: New York, New York
Size: 9,450 square feet
General contractor: Built Rite Contracting
MEP Engineer: Stanislav Slutsky, PE, PC
Structural Engineer: Robert Silman Associates
Love the artistic window, display cases and lighting in the entry hallway. Family
room looks comfy but would have brought the couch a little closer to the
fireplace/tv. Stairs with the clear glass is a nice touch. The plush red dining chairs
I like as well. Cant say I like the claw looking light fixture in the kitchen. The study
definitely screams masculine. I like the bedroom if there are drapes you can pull
across the wonderfully large windows with the city view when you wish to.
***
Family Loft
ZeroEnergy Design
Location: Boston
Size: 1,750 square feet
General contractor: Ralph S. Osmond Company
Kitchen: Clever Green Cabinets, Gaggenau
Fixtures: Hansgrohe, Laufen, Aquabrass
Finishes: Creative Materials, Neolith
Not big on this renovation. Just not my style at all, from the furnishings to the color
choices, etc. The brick wall with the fireplace was so-so, and I do like the bathroom
color choices and the round tub, but again with the square trough sink. Creepy light
fixture over the dining room table (The Little People chandelier).
***
Naval Officers Club Condo Conversion
Robert M. Gurney, FAIA Architect
Location: Washington, DC
Size: 3,250 square feet
Interior designer: Therese Baron Gurney, ASID
General contractor: Added Dimension and D. Anthony Beale LLC
Nice use of unused area cutouts and plate glass windows to let in light. Nice
collection of books! :) Bedroom too minimalist for me and quite empty. Makes it
feel cold and devoid of personality. Platform bed lloks like it wouldnt be
comfortable. Bathroom?...what can i say, the sink looks like it came out of a
restaurant kitchen. I'm not trying to be unkind, I've just worked a lot of restaurants
before I got into my current profession and it looks like a commerical sink. On a
good note, I love the outdoor space, cozy and inviting!
***
Timber Loft
George Boyle Architect
Location: New York
Size: 2,200 square feet
General contractor: J. Kemp Construction Inc.
Metalwork: Official LLC
Love the use of the original wood structural posts and beams, and the antiqued
brick wall. The kitchen stools seem odd to me, wouldnt be my first choice, as well
as pull straps on the kitchen drawers. I like the natural wood fruit bowl. Almost
too much wood in the bathroom though, styles arent balanced. And, I've never
seen a square toilet before! Seems stylish wise a little awkward.
***
Central Park West
Chango & Co.
Location: New York
Size: 2,300 square feet
General contractor: Fox Force Five
Millwork fabr ication: Mason Woodworks
I like this one quite a bit, definitely says city. Warm dark wood floors , nice throws
and pillows contrast nicely with the white couch. Although seemingly to contrast
with the main style, I like the antelope skulls! I love the deep blue color of the high
armed couch and the nice wood floor. The breakfast nook looks practical and
useful, don't care for the light fixture.
***
Downtown Boston Penthouse
Haddad Hakansson Design Studio
Location: Boston
Size: 1,300 square feet
Torso wall sculpture: Rainer Lagemann, sourced by DTR Modern Galleries,
Newbury Street, Boston
Living Room Sectional: BoConcept
Kitchen: Liebherr refrigerator; Miele induction cooktop, oven, hood, and
dishwasher; Pennville Custom Cabinetry
I like this one also quite a bit, especially overall scanning of the room gives me a
pretty relaxed feel. Muted blues and greys, wood and tasteful furniture overall,
though I'd pick a different coffee table. Great stairwell with phenominal city view, if
you remove the light fixture, I don't care for it and it distracts from the lovely view.
There are some lovely art pieces throughout, especially in the office! Nice spot on
the terrace to relax.
***
Florida Condo Renovation
Pineapple House Interior Design
Location: John’s Island, Florida
Size: 2,550 square feet
General contractor: Parent Construction
Lovey dark wood in the foyer, and furniture is nice but I wouldn't choose that much
white, harder to keep clean. The coffered ceiling is a nice touch. The white marble
countertop is pretty with the dark wood to balance the white of the kitchen. The
bedroom, again with too much white, the designer must have love white. I like it,
but paired and balanced with other colors for more pop and contrast. Nice view of
the ocean from the bedroom, dining room and living room!
***
Gotham Views
Higgins Design Studio
Location: New York
Size: 900 square feet
countertops: Caesarstone #2003 Concrete
bath porcelain tile: Daltile CL65 City Lights
Love the slight whimsy of the Polar bears print and I like the dark grey suede love
seat with a great view of the city. Nice kitchen with soothing under-counter lighting
and nice balance of darks and lights and metal. I like the bedroom layout, with the
built in storage, television nook and city view. The bathroom tile is a nice color but
too flashy for me, a bit blingy. Nice just regular tub without trying to be so avant
garde.
***
Del Mar Loft
James Glover Residential and Interior Design
Location: San Clemente, California
Size: 729 square feet
General contractor: James Glover Residential and Interior Design
If I hadn't been told I would still have guessed either Florida or California. Nice
liveable little bungalow but a tad busy in the design/decore. I like the deck space,
looks relaxing. I'm Not too big on the noir style paintings, a bit too big and
ostentatious for the space, but everyones taste is different. Overall quite nice on the
furnishings, choice of colors, kitchen layout. I'd live here. (But what is it with the
square bathroom sinks!??), Otherwise the bathrooms nice.
***
East 87th Street
Keogh Design Inc.
Location: New York
Size: 3,000 square feet
General contractor: Peter DiNatale & Associates
Custom cabinetry: Scanga Architectural Woodworking
Custom rugs: Carini Lang
Custom sofa s: Keogh Design Inc.
Den sofa /coffee tables: Ligne Roset
Dining table and chairs: M2L
The entryway is super! (except for that curly-Q light fixture). Overall this condo is a
winner, most especially the rockin' library!
***
Aventura Loft Style Residence
RS3|Designs
Location: Aventura, Florida
Size: 1,400 square feet
General contractor: Critical Path Construction
Millwork: Arlican Wood
Glass: MDV Glass
Winter in a room design. The furnishings are nice and the work is quality but it
color palate is cold. Need some pops of color or wood to add some warmth to the
living room, kind of like the wood accents that was added to the kitchen warms it
up nicely. The second bedroom with the sliding door is quite nice, very inviting,
especially with the brown rug to balance out the white. Balcony view off the master
bedroom is fantastic! I like the tub in the master bath, looks like I could relax there
for hours, but not fond of the sinks.
***
Monmouth Beach Condo
Sheila Rich Interiors
Location: Monmouth Beach, New Jersey
Size: 1,700 square feet
General contractor: O.C.C. and Associates
Finish carpentry: RLK Home Improvements
Nice pops of color with the purple wall and the personal paintings of the resident.
Love the coffered ceiling too, a great touch with the molding white and the inside
painted grey to give it more depth. I like the contrast of color on the tile backing of
the kitchen island. Nice balance of colors, chrome and acrylic (the range hood) in
the kitchen, and nice balance of wood, glass and the blue painted wall in the
dressing area. Master bedroom is ok. but I might have liked some wood molding to
offset what seems to me to be a bit too much blue.
***
Prewar Upper West Side Apartment
Chango & Co.
Location: Upper West Side, New York
Size: 2,300 square feet
General contractor: Reece Restoration
Nice family space, and I like the cubbyhole style shelving. I wouldnt have chosen
that wallpaper, but gorgeous dining table as well as the hall table. Nice touch with
a whimsical play area of their own for the kids.
***
Peaceful High-Rise
Higgins Design Studio
Location: New York
Size: 1,500 square feet
countertops: Silestone Amarillo Sand
kitchen and bath fittings: Dornbracht Meta.02
The gallery-
Thr furniture is pretty nice but the feel of the comdo as a whole is exactly as
intended, "designed as a tranquil refuge and fundraising space and to
showcase the client’s art collection." So as such, it has a commercial feel to it that I
personally wouldn't call home. But for what it's designed for it looks nice.
***
High-Rise Beach Retreat
Pineapple House Interior Design
Location: New Smyrna Beach, Florida
Size: 2,700 square feet
General contractor: Del Mar Construction
Fresh beach front design. Great views from the wrap-around windows in the dining
and living rooms. Dining chair covers a little busy for me but overall like the layout,
with a lovely wood sideboard. Definitely too loud on the kitchen back splash tile,
but the rest of the kitchen is pretty nice overall. The shower in the master bedroom
is pretty as well. I really like the guest room with the bunk beds and nautical theme
and reading space. Has a touch of whimsy to the space and enough room to sleep
5 people in not much room.
***
Well, hope you enjoyed my review and hope it wasnt too lengthy, the idea being it
is done in order of the book , so you can follow along, a tour if you will, highlighting
various main points. I enjoyed my little tour through this book very much! Excellent
coffee table book, 4 stars! ***I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy
from http://edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com/ in return for an honest review. ***
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