Three into one

Finding the right home at the right price in the inner city can be near impossible. But for many people, remodeling provides a perfect solution, especially when you have a designer who thinks outside the box, as was the case for this project.

Michael Ferzoco of Eleven Interiors was commissioned to design a new apartment in a traditional Boston brownstone, using the space gained from the merger of three 600sq ft studio apartments and their common areas. Ferzoco says the apartments were in a dilapidated condition, but they were in a character building in a great location opposite Boston Common.

"The building had plenty of potential," he says. "But as with most row houses, there was natural light at the front and back only. In merging these apartments, it was possible to bring light into the center of the building by adding a large skylight and creating a light shaft."

Ferzoco says this void now houses a new staircase that wraps around the shaft and leads up from the entry through the two stories to a rooftop terrace.

"The stairwell disseminates light right through the building, including the entry lobby," says Ferzoco.

As well as accommodating the entry, the first floor features a family room-office and bathroom that can double as a guest suite if required. The main living areas are on the second floor, which has been opened up to provide a large, flowing living area and kitchen.

"The higher you go in the building, the quieter it is inside, which is why the main living areas and master suite are on the second floor," says Ferzoco.

Two structural columns in the center of the living area were retained, and two faux columns added for design integrity. The designer says these help to define the separate areas within the overall space.

"There is a rhythm and symmetry to the columns, but it is somewhat unexpected the vertical elements create both narrow and wide spaces, the latter forming the circulation routes. Extra-deep cherry wood baseboards ensure the posts will cope with everyday wear and tear."

Because the owners are avid collectors of Art Deco glassware, there is ample built-in shelving.

"We redesigned the windows in the living room, creating an arch and providing shelving either side," says Ferzoco. "Squaring off the walls with the shelving was also a way to disguise the slope of the Mansard roof that formerly projected into the room."

The furniture also reflects the owners' passion for the Art Deco era. In the living room, the sofa is an original Eileen Gray piece from 1929; the chairs are from 1934; and the lighting sconces were originally planters manufactured in the '30s. Other decorative items were sourced from antique stores and Paris flea markets.

In contrast to the furniture, the kitchen is highly contemporary. Chocolate wood-veneer cabinets are teamed with stainless steel, Formica countertops and a granite bar top. The glass-tiled backsplash, which features three toning shades of green, creates a luminous counterpoint to the dark cabinetry. The adjacent dining area incorporates a large cherry box element, which separates the stairwell and provides an additional serving area.

The main axis through the house creates a direct sightline to the master suite at the rear. This room features symmetrical windows and a central shelving unit. Again, the Mansard roof is disguised behind the shelving and squared-off walls.

Mushroom-colored walls and smoky blue accents echo the color palette of the living and dining areas, further enhancing the visual continuity.

Story by: Trendsideas