New Life for 1880s Gem
the esd journal
New Life for 1880s Gem
STUCK IN A STATE OF DISREPAIR AND THE VICTIM OF A PREVIOUS OWNER’S EXTREME HOARDING HABIT, THIS 1880S TOWNHOME LOOKED AS THOUGH IT HAD SEEN ITS GLORY DAYS AND WAS WELL PAST HOPE. Fortunately, its new owners, alongside Mowery Marsh Architects (MMA), saw beyond the neglect and recognized its potential. I had the opportunity to contribute to the final design stages by enhancing the furnishings, art and decor. Together, we breathed new life into this townhome.
THE YORK STREET PROJECT
EVERYTHING HAD TO GO INTO THIS HOME in order TO PREPARE IT FOR A COMPLETE MAKEOVER. THE HOARDING AND GENERAL LACK OF UPKEEP MADE IT ESSENTIAL TO RIP EVERYTHING OUT AND START FRESH.
FORTUNATELY, THE NEW OWNERS WERE LOOKING FOR A BRAND NEW HOME; THEY DIDN’T WANT TO FEEL TOO MARRIED TO THE ORIGINAL ARCHITECTURAL STANDARDS OF BROWNSTONES WHICH MADE THE DILAPIDATED NATURE OF THIS HOME ALMOST A GOOD THING — IT GOT RID OF THE GUILT THAT MIGHT GO WITH TEARING ORIGINAL MOLDING, FIREPLACES, FLOORING, AND EVEN STAIRCASES OUT.
WITH THE HELP AND INVALUABLE EXPERTISE OF THE MOWERY MARSH TEAM, NOT ONLY were we ABLE TO REIMAGINE THE FOUR FLOORS OF THIS HOME, BUT TRANSFORM THEM INTO A FUNCTIONAL AND MODERN FAMILY HOME WITH THE ADDED BONUS OF THE PASSIVE CERTIFICATION.
PC: HARIS KENJAR
PC: HARIS KENJAR
AESTHETICS
A FEW KEY THINGS MMA MADE SURE HAPPENED IN THIS HOME: LOTS OF LIGHT and a consistent COLOR PALETTE. MOWERY MARSH CHOSE THEIR STRATEGY, BRIEFED US ALL ON THE VISION, AND WE SET TO WORK.
FLOOR TO CEILING WINDOWS WERE USED IN EVERY SPACE POSSIBLE TO FLOOD ROOMS LIKE THE DINING ROOM, SITTING AREA, AND BEDROOM WITH NATURAL LIGHT. THE HUGE AMOUNT OF LIGHT STREAMING THROUGH THIS HOME GIVE THE IMPRESSION OF OPENNESS AND LIGHTENS THE MORE TEMPERED COLORS.
AS MUCH AS THE OWNERS LOVED PATTERNS, WE WERE NOT GOING FOR A MAXIMALIST LOOK, BUT RATHER TOOK OUR BLACK AND WHITE MINIMALIST CONCEPT AND PAIRED IT WITH FLORAL WALLPAPER IN RICH EARTH TONES WITH POPS OF BRIGHTER HUES IN GREEN, ROSE, AND BEIGE. THIS CREATED VIBRANCY WITHOUT RELYING ON BRIGHT COLORS AND A NEW COLOR PALETTE FOR EACH ROOM.
PC: HARIS KENJAR
THE RESULT WAS A CALMING, NATURAL DYNAMIC THAT CREATED ATMOSPHERE WITHOUT CROWDING A BUILDING THAT WAS ALREADY ONLY 16 FEET WIDE.
MOWERY MARSH MAGIC
THE CHALLENGE OF TURNING A HOME LIKE THIS — FALLING APART, SMALL SPACES, FOUR STORIES — INTO A PASSIVE HOUSE IS ONE MOWERY MARSH ARCHITECTS IS ALWAYS UP FOR. THAT’S THEIR SPECIALTY, AND THEY DO IT OH SO WELL. FOR THIS YORK STREET PROJECT, THEY WORKED THEIR MAGIC TO BOTH DETERMINE CREATIVE WAYS TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR PLAN AS WELL AS LET LIGHT IN AND MAKE THE HOME AS ENERGY EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE.
THEY STARTED WITH THE TRADITIONAL SKYLIGHT, THEN ADJUSTED THE WIDTH OF THE HALLWAYS TO CREATE LARGER GAPS OF SPACE, ALLOWING LIGHT TO SPILL DOWN THE STAIRCASES INTO EVERY FLOOR OF THE HOME. THEY THEN SET ABOUT AIR SEALING AND UTILIZING EVERY INCH OF SPARE SPACE FOR THE SYSTEMS THAT WOULD ALLOW THE YORK STREET HOUSE TO BECOME PASSIVE AND GIVE THE WHOLE 1880S GEM A NEW LIFE.
PHOTOGRAPHER: HARIS KENJAR
INTERIOR DESIGNER: ELAINE SANTOS
ARCHITECTS: MOWERY MARSH ARCHITECTS