Storefront Apartment
WHAT: Ground floor studio loft space with 14′ ceilings
CHALLENGE: No storage and lack of order (poor physical and
visual circulation, lots of soffits, etc.), and privacy from street
STRATEGY: Add banks of closets (acting as color accents) where space is
not otherwise usable, complete lines of soffits, reorient stair and entry sequence.
Full curtain “wall” at front facade allows for privacy while admitting light.
CONTRACTOR: Tadkar Construction PHOTOGRAPHY: Ben Rahn, A-Frame Studio
To unify the front facade, add privacy, but maximize natural light, the entire surface is covered with a semi-sheer natural linen curtains. All the furniture is kept light and off the floor so as not to visually weigh down the small space.
A couple of new storage spaces are expressed as solid-colored volumes: below the loft, unusable space is transformed into cube holding a pantry/laundry/broom closet, while...
...a bank of clothes closets in the loft create a plane hiding also a coat niche in the entry area at mid level and a storage niche in the bathroom below.
The palette is kept natural with a few fresh bursts of color. Richness comes from textures and shapes instead.
This is a picture of the first incarnation--hence it doesn't match the rest, but it shows the fun I had with the fact that the end of the kitchen couldn't be well-defined.
