It Takes Two: A Pair of Brooklyn Heights Apartments Reconfigured Into One, by Shapeless Studio

Start typing to search...

Lately I’ve spent a quite a bit of time in my tiny apartment fantasizing about how much space we’d have if we could somehow merge with the flat next door. It’s something all city-dwellers dream of, especially these days: pushing out a few walls and getting more room.

That’s what a pair of creative professionals recently got to do in real life, in a Civil War-era building in Brooklyn Heights: seamlessly combine two warehouse-like units into one cohesive, serene space, with help from Shapeless Studio Architecture & Interiors.

“Before the renovation, the space was pretty unexciting,” reports Andrea Fisk of Shapeless Studio. “There were some exposed brick walls, small rental-quality kitchens that seemed at least 20 years old (one in each apartment), and standard 2 1/4-inch oak flooring.” To start, she and co-principal Jess Thomas Hinshaw—with structural engineer Tom Gasbarro, ABS Engineering, and Sunshine Renovations Management—started by stitching together the two units at the seams. Instead of thread, though, the two spaces are joined with steel and glass doors, a nod to the building’s industrial bones.

Robert and Sandy, the homeowners, “are very design savvy,” Andrea says. “They had a really good idea of the look they wanted to achieve from the outset.” In addition to industrial elements, the team went with rich textures like tadelakt and terrazzo, custom millwork (and generous amounts of concealed storage), and dashes of ochre and yellow amid black and neutral finishings. “The final apartment really reflects them,” says Andrea—and their young daughter, Mia, too.

Have a look:

Photography by Hagan Hinshaw, courtesy of Shapeless Studio Architecture & Interiors.

the deep layout of the combined apartments meant that some spaces were bathed i 17 — Above: The deep layout of the combined apartments meant that some spaces were bathed in natural light while others were set far back from the banks of windows. The solution? Embracing the dark. The entryway is furthest from the windows, so it got a wash of blue paint on the walls and dark blue linoleum on the floor.

the dark mudroom opens into the bright, open living spaces, which take advantag 18 — Above: The dark mudroom opens into the bright, open living spaces, which take advantage of the light. “The color throughout is Benjamin Moore’s Cloud Cover,” says Andrea, chosen out of a wide lineup of whites because it worked with the laminate that covers a wall of cabinets in the kitchen. “I think we otherwise would have chosen a white that was a bit warmer, however cooler whites have a really calming quality, especially on overcast days. They make the space look so quiet and peaceful.”

Adding to the sense of calm: Madera’s Clinton Hill light wood flooring throughout the open space. “Madera is another great company based in Brooklyn,” says Andrea. “They have a version of this floor that has more knots and character, which we’ve used on other projects and it’s also great. Here, since the main room was so big, we wanted the floor to be very quiet, so we selected the knot-free version.”

&#8\2\20;most of the millwork in the apartment—and the custom kitche 19 — Above: “Most of the millwork in the apartment—and the custom kitchen table—was made by our good friends at Armada, but the kitchen is actually made by Henrybuilt.” At right is the aforementioned wall of cabinets. “That wall is a real workhorse of kitchen storage. It has a built-in fridge, full-height pantries, and the wall ovens. That is how we were able to keep the other side of the kitchen so clean and tidy,” adds Andrea—it’s all behind closed doors.

the minimal henrybuilt kitchen in tone on tone black. &#8\2\20;we did use d 20 — Above: The minimal Henrybuilt kitchen in tone-on-tone black. “We did use decorative plaster behind the kitchen, which adds a bit of texture, and we decided on a shade that was just a hair darker than the wall color,” says Andrea. “You have to be careful with plaster behind a kitchen, and the type we used is water-resistant, so it is able to be washed with a soft sponge. The deep ledge behind the cabinetry also helps us here, because the plaster backsplash is a bit farther back from the cooking surfaces than is typical.”

The workspace is lit with Trapeze 1 fixtures by Apparatus. “We adore this fixture,” Andrea says. “We got the version with the porcelain shade, and when the lights are on, the whole shade glows a little bit.”