Big Ambitions: A Clever Makeover for a 680-Square-Foot West Village Apartment

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When the owner of a New York City flat enlisted architect Evan Erlebacher, of Also Office, for renovation help, his request boiled down to a few key asks: “Reveal the original ceiling, create a living area that spanned two windows, include a dedicated workspace, and fit a dining table for six,” says Evan. “He also asked for additional closets—including storage for two bicycles—an enlarged kitchen, and a bathroom with a walk-in shower.” Oh, and fit it all into 680 square feet.

The small co-op apartment, located in West Village, had been part of a warehouse conversion completed in the 1980s. “When we first saw it, the apartment felt dark and compressed, with low ceilings and awkward moments—like a large step up into the bathroom,” recalls Evan. “We knew there was a vaulted ceiling hidden somewhere above the drop ceiling, which was an exciting prospect.” To reimagine the space for his client, a single professional in the startup world, Evan had all of the interior finishes (walls, floors and ceiling) removed and then rebuilt everything from scratch, relying on clever built-ins to squeeze in as much much storage as possible.

“Small spaces require much more scrutiny per square inch, and success can come down to a quarter inch. That level of precision made the project challenging, but also very satisfying,” he says.

Below, he walks us through the cleverly redesigned home.

Photography by Hanna Grankvist, styling by Malena Burman, courtesy of Also Office.

&#8\2\20;the apartment is organized around three freestanding millwork volu 17 — Above: “The apartment is organized around three freestanding millwork volumes in white oak that define the entry foyer, kitchen, dining, living, and sleeping areas. These volumes incorporate closets for clothing, deep storage, display shelves, desk space, and pocket doors, consolidating the necessities of daily life.”

&#8\2\20;all interior finishes are new, including the white oak floors, cus 18 — Above: “All interior finishes are new, including the white oak floors, custom white oak cabinetry, an expanded kitchen, and a renovated bathroom,” says Evan.

&#8\2\20;the apartment’s small footprint greatly influenced our approach 19 — Above: “The apartment’s small footprint greatly influenced our approach [to furnishing]. We settled on a palette of natural materials that could create a warm, domestic backdrop for our client’s life. A small space can quickly feel overwhelmed by too many ideas, so we were careful to avoid that, selecting classic pieces like the PK4 chair and the Akari pendant.”

evan erlebacher also office west village 12

evan erlebacher also office west village 11

Above: The oversized mirror at the entrance to the bedroom creates the allusion of space, while the reeded-glass sliding door offers privacy without sacrificing light.

the view from the bedroom to the dining space. &#8\2\20;from the beginning, 22 — Above: The view from the bedroom to the dining space. “From the beginning, it was clear that we needed to reveal the barrel-vaulted ceiling hidden above the drop ceiling,” says Evan. The metal bars are “structural steel ties that hold the masonry ceiling in tension. They couldn’t be removed, so we chose to keep them exactly as we found them, including their patina.”

plenty of closets now. the up down sconce is by in common with. 23 — Above: Plenty of closets now. The Up Down Sconce is by In Common With.

note there are now no floor to ceiling walls in the apartment. &#8\2\20;to 24 — Above: Note there are now no floor-to-ceiling walls in the apartment. “To preserve the continuity of the ceiling, we eliminated full-height partitions altogether. This approach also allows daylight from the three north-facing windows to reach the entire apartment,” says Evan.Bed-Stuy Beauty: An 1880s Townhouse ‘Unraveling Into the Present Moment’

evan erlebacher also office west village 4 — Above: The second door to the bedroom.”The exterior wall is a load-bearing masonry wall, and the brick coarses step outward as the wall thickens. We found this detail unusual and compelling and decided to echo its profile in the door frame. When the door is closed, it interlocks precisely with the old wall.”

For another project by Also Office, see Bed-Stuy Beauty: An 1880s Townhouse ‘Unraveling Into the Present Moment’.

For other small-space homes, see:

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