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This 3000-square-foot Union Square loft—an adventure in uni-color design—was designed to be at once playful and calming

by alice forstead

There’s no question that white plays an indispensable role in interior design, and by association, architecture. Not truly a color in and of itself, white is actually referred to in the trade as a “neutral” (famously referred to by Coco Chanel as a representation of “beauty that is absolute. It is the perfect harmony”) and wielded by architects for centuries, notably in the Baroque and Rococo styles of the 17th and 18th centuries respectively. Church interiors then were often depicted in white to demonstrate both a sense of unlimited heavenly space and the relative wealth of the church (it is a challenging hue to keep clean, after all). In the wake of the French Revolution, womens wear was swept by white in the idiom of ancient Greece and Rome. Modernity saw artists such as Piet Mondrian utilizing white in high-contrast drama against black lines and fields of red and blue, while 20th-century architects such as Le Corbusier’s in his Villa Savoye, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum, and Mies van der Rohe’s Farnsworth House wielded neutral as an antidote to the dark, often claustrophobic Victorian design. White floated, it danced, and, almost counterintuitively, accentuated unexpected corners and curves.

In the remodeling of this Union Square loft, Joseph Tanney, AIA, of Resolution 4 Architecture took the neutral concept to the point of whimsy. Described by the architect as “white, bright, light, and tight” (though by Manhattan standards, its 3,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath duplex layout is positively cavernous), the home—designed for a young family of four—is an adventure in seemingly horizon less perspectives.

“We found the conditions of the loft when we arrived to be in a state of suburban wannabe…in other words, the previous layout was trying to be a large suburban four-bedroom central hall Colonial home,” Tanney explained. “Working hand in hand with the client and contractor, we removed walls and reorganized the layout, editing the space to reveal the essence of the loft.”

Part of the renovation turned the upper level into communal space, highlighted by a wall of windows facing south and east. The kitchen is tucked around the corner from the entry, allowing the dining and living spaces to breathe in the sunshine and to provide a wide-open play space.

Another method of accentuating the uber-open concept is the storage bench running the entirety of the dining/living rooms’ south wall. And contrary to a typical layout, bedrooms are located on the lower level, accessible through a spiral stair.

“Although at first glance the space does not look kid friendly, the home was designed with family, play, and the production of art in mind,” added Tanney. “The white-on white pallet creates a canvas, allowing for the client’s life of art to evolve over time. Much of the furniture—and even one of the bathrooms—is kid-scale, too. At the bottom of the stairs is another open play space, leading to a designated toy/art room.”

Hand & Stone SPREAD

One of the ways white can be maintained architecturally is through the use of both abundant and cleverly concealed storage, provided in this instance by “built-in cabinets, which allow a place for everything and everything in its place,” as Tanney put it. “Organization is important and the client was very hands-on throughout the design and construction process.”

Artwork in both the master bedroom and powder room, as well as some in the kid’s rooms, was created by the client. She also designed the dining room table, selected the light fixtures, and all of the furniture.

“The project was a true collaboration among architect, client, and contractor,” Tanney said. “A dynamic synergy among the participants help turn what could have been an intimidating renovation and interior design scheme into something that is both playful and inspiring, and a visual and psychological respite from the roil of the city below.”

Resolution: 4 Architecture
150 West 28th Street, Suite 1902, Manhattan 212.675.9266 / re4a.com
Architects: Joseph Tanney, Robert Luntz
Project Architect: Kristen Mason / Contractor: West Village General Contracting
Photographer: RES4