{"id":88631,"date":"2025-08-17T03:06:26","date_gmt":"2025-08-17T03:06:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/88631\/"},"modified":"2025-08-17T03:06:26","modified_gmt":"2025-08-17T03:06:26","slug":"dumbo-family-boosts-space-by-joining-two-units","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/88631\/","title":{"rendered":"Dumbo Family Boosts Space by Joining Two Units"},"content":{"rendered":"

A cherished terrace big enough for dinner parties spurred a growing family to expand their existing condo rather than move.<\/p>\n

Got a project to propose for\u00a0The Insider?\u00a0Contact Cara at caramia447 [at] gmail [dot] com<\/p>\n

When a family of four was about to become five, though their two-bedroom condo no longer felt adequate, they were reluctant to abandon it. \u201cIt featured an unusually large private outdoor terrace that was too good to leave behind,\u201d said architect Leah Solk, who established Gowanus-based Solk Architecture<\/a>, a full-service architecture and design firm, in 2019.<\/p>\n

During her first conversations with the client, Solk floated the idea of moving. \u201cIf you can find a three-bedroom you love for the same price it would cost to do a big gut renovation, you should move there,\u201d she told them. \u201cThey were like, \u2018No, we love this outdoor space, it\u2019s so rare.’\u201d They especially enjoyed hosting huge dinner parties there.<\/p>\n

As luck would have it, Solk\u2019s clients were able to buy the adjacent one-bedroom unit, which also had a private terrace. That changed the equation. \u201cWhat\u2019s unique about these apartments is that they\u2019re on the second floor of the building, with a parking garage below.\u201d The garage roof is shared by all the second floor units on that side of the building. Combining the two units gave Solk\u2019s clients a whopping 2,000 square feet of outdoor space, about the same size as the interior footage. \u201cWhich is why they decided to undergo the whole process,\u201d Solk said.<\/p>\n

Solk rethought the layout of the enlarged space, keeping the original living room where it was, but vastly increasing its size and the amount of light entering the space by folding in what used to be the children\u2019s bedroom in the original apartment. She re-did the original apartment\u2019s kitchen in its entirety and revamped all the baths. \u201cObviously we couldn\u2019t move the entry door,\u201d she said, but she incorporated a former bathroom into an enlarged entry hall with a mudroom. The three children have their own wing in the former one-bedroom; the primary bedroom is behind the living\/dining room in the original space.<\/p>\n

While the building was only 15 years old and its loftlike apartments nicely appointed, the cabinetry and appliances showed wear and needed updating. \u201cWe had an opportunity to brighten and warm it up with new finishes and create an enhanced connection to the outdoor space,\u201d Solk said. \u201cEvery finish and surface is totally new, including the flooring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Solk\u2019s firm also masterminded the interior design, with input from the clients. Blue and green, from soft pastels to rich jewel tones, play off a palette of bleached white oak for the engineered wide-plank floors and extensive custom millwork.<\/p>\n

Solk commissioned a 12-foot-long table for the dining area (top photo), and a bench to match, from furniture maker Jeane Therrien of Galerie Jeane in Gowanus. \u201cIt\u2019s one of those special things that will be passed down to the children,\u201d the architect said. She had a light fixture custom fabricated by Allied Maker in bleached white oak for over the table, as well as a dimmable linear brass LED light that runs the length of the dining room. \u201cYou can put art anywhere and it will be nicely lit, and it\u2019s mood lighting as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"MUD<\/a><\/p>\n

The apartment\u2019s entry is to the left of the mudroom, down the tiled hallway. \u201cYou can put wet coats, strollers, and bikes in there and close the sliding door,\u201d Solk said. \u201cThose are the realities of life with kids in New York City.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"KITCHEN<\/a>
\n\"KITCHEN<\/a>
\n\"KITCHEN<\/a><\/p>\n

Both apartments had small galley kitchens. Solk eliminated the one in the smaller apartment and expanded the other. \u201cWe didn\u2019t move the kitchen location, but greatly increased its size in the direction of the windows, so the kitchen is better connected to natural light.\u201d She moved the sink to a new center island. \u201cUsually you can\u2019t do that\u201d in a multi-unit building because there\u2019s no access to waste lines, Solk said, \u201cbut because there\u2019s a parking garage below, the building allowed it, and we had the flexibility to change the footprint.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stained white oak cabinetry reads as soft beige. The island is painted \u201cso it could be its own object,\u201d Solk said, with counters of Calacatta turquoise marble.<\/p>\n

\"DRY<\/a><\/p>\n

A \u201cvery useful\u201d dry bar for those who entertain, or a tea\/coffee station, is a must in all Solk\u2019s kitchens. The back of this one is woven cane, creating a dotted shadow pattern as it admits light from the living room windows into the entry area.<\/p>\n

\"GREEN<\/a><\/p>\n

The powder room is tucked behind a curved wall next to the dry bar. Its emerald green ceramic tile from Heath is a dramatic moment in an apartment scheme that\u2019s overall calm and quiet. A cove light tucked into the ceiling washes down the wall; an exhaust fan is hidden up there as well.<\/p>\n

The marble sink and mirror were custom made of leftover slabs from the kitchen.<\/p>\n

\"LIVING<\/a>
\n\"LIVING<\/a><\/p>\n

Among the living room\u2019s spare furnishings are an extra-deep sofa from Restoration Hardware, a custom millwork bench down the end of the space, and an art TV. A play space measuring 17 square feet was created for the little ones.<\/p>\n

\"PRIMARY<\/a><\/p>\n

Solk moved the entrance to the primary suite to behind the dining area, and carved out a walk-through home office.<\/p>\n

\"PRIMARY<\/a>
\n\"MARBLE<\/a><\/p>\n

Calacatta Viola marble with pronounced burgundy veining makes a showstopping shower and sink for the en suite primary bath, the slabs carefully balanced for visual impact.<\/p>\n

\"KIDS<\/a><\/p>\n

The children\u2019s wing, with two bedrooms, a bath, and a laundry room, is through a door at the end of the living room.<\/p>\n

The two girls have the larger of the two bedrooms, with very special arched bed niches, lined with mural wallpaper and with storage drawers and a trundle bed beneath. \u201cBecause they\u2019re sharing, we wanted to give each her own private space,\u201d Solk said. The millwork is painted a light pistachio color. \u201cThe girls just love it. It\u2019s very cozy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"KIDS<\/a><\/p>\n

The children\u2019s bath is a \u201cgender neutral space,\u201d Solk said, in colors they can live with for years to come. The capsule-shaped custom vanity has whimsical turned legs and a curvy mirror. \u201cWe tried to make it feel fun.\u201d A deep bathtub accommodates all three little ones at the same time.<\/p>\n

[Photos by Devon Banks<\/a>]<\/p>\n

The Insider\u00a0is Brownstoner\u2019s weekly in-depth look at a notable interior design\/renovation project, by design journalist\u00a0Cara Greenberg<\/a>. Find it here every Thursday morning.<\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

The Insider: Surgical Moves Brighten, Customize Fort Greene Townhouse
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\nThe Insider: New Fireplace, Furnishings, Built-ins Elevate Family\u2019s Dumbo Loft<\/p>\n

Email tips@brownstoner.com<\/a> with further comments, questions or tips. Follow Brownstoner on Twitter<\/a> and Instagram<\/a>, and like us on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n