NYC prewar apartment gets a dazzling modern update

Equal parts irreverent and sophisticated, this New York City renovation has one foot in its prewar history and another in modern style. Michael K. Chen Architecture (MKCA) revamped the the Park Avenue apartment, originally built in the early 20th century, to become a contemporary residence for a young family.

The 2,800-square-foot apartment had the markings of a prewar unit—great details but cramped entryways and spaces. MKCA opened up the layout and widened room openings to create an airy feel and improve circulation. In the living room, for example, a glass and steel interior window unit separates the space from the dining room.

Photo by Brooke Holm courtesy MKCA

To make the most of the space, the architects transformed a closet into a powder room and designed a new cloak room where strollers, coats, and shoes can be stashed into built-in compartments. “Drawing from our experience designing micro apartments, we start every project, large or small, looking for a very flexible spatial organization, where spaces can slip into and overlap with one another,” the firm said in a project statement.

Chen improved the lighting in the kitchen, which has only one window, by contrasting matte black cabinets with shiny white countertops.

Photo by Brooke Holm courtesy MKCA

Everywhere else, the house is all about color. The children’s room is a shade of mint green; the master bedroom gets a muted shade of pink; and the cloak room gets some unexpected flair with flamingo wallpaper.

Photo by Brooke Holm courtesy MKCA

Photo by Brooke Holm courtesy MKCA

Photo by Brooke Holm courtesy MKCA