
Inspiring West Village Townhouse Transformation
How architect Eric J. Smith infused contemporary sophistication and Deco aesthetics into this New York City home
- Text by Charlotte McManus
- Photography by Peter Murdock
In the heart of the West Village, Manhattan, a seven-storey townhouse has been utterly transformed. What was once an ailing building is now a warm yet highly sophisticated residence, much to the delight of its new homeowners and their two college-aged children.
To execute such an ambitious undertaking, the owners called on the talents of Eric J. Smith Architect, a New York-based firm renowned for its stellar residential projects and deferential attention to the principles of beauty, craft, and tradition.
With a visual background in film production, the home’s owners were keen to collaborate with the company on an all-new design that was at once stylish yet suitable for the family’s day-to-day lifestyle.
In their mind’s eye, the owners saw an artful marriage of architecture and decor that blended contemporary design with echoes of the past and touches of eclecticism. At the same time, the home had to offer a versatile, comfortable environment where the family could both entertain and relax with ease.
“The concept was to create a respite from the business of a typical New York street scene and step back a bit in time, perhaps to the Deco era,” says Eric Smith, the firm’s founding principal.
“The idea of a small boutique Parisian hotel hit the mark for the right vibe and attitude to develop the design. We collaborated extremely well—there was an easy exchange of ideas about how things should look and function for the family.”
The scale of the project was extensive, requiring a dramatic overhaul to restore a sense of function, flow, and efficiency. The house had previously been split into three separate apartments by the former owner, meaning that Smith and his team had the somewhat Herculean task of uniting the spaces into a single-family residence.
What’s more, to the dismay of both architects and clients, it came to light that the conversion had created several major design flaws. For instance, a steel column positioned through the vertical centre of the building rendered much of the interior space unusable, while a badly built open staircase connecting each of the seven storeys was crying out for a redesign.
Luckily, Smith was ready for the challenge both structurally and design-wise.
“In the entry hall, we introduced architectural details derived from Deco and eclectic influences that carry through the rest of the home,” he says.
“We used brass inlays on the floor and doors, a stepped cornice, and vintage-style hardware, balancing out the eclectic furnishings and contemporary artwork featured throughout the home.
“The flow continues through pocketing doors, with the same darker paint tones bringing you to a small bar-cum-lounge area, before stepping into the living room, which is a dramatic expansion of the space.”
This intimate lounge, positioned between the foyer and living room, creates an elegant allure with luxurious detailing. Just look at the ceramic-fired lava stone countertop or the back-painted mirror panels. Meanwhile, front-lit glass shelves create a pleasing glow. The space forms a natural gathering point to share conversations and cocktails.
Other areas of note include the third-floor “green room,” a welcoming, cocoon-like space furnished with comfortable seating, in which the vivid green tones of the wall and ceiling offer a striking counterpoint to the artwork positioned therein.
In fact, the homeowners, who are avid art collectors, were pleased to have their extensive collection taken into consideration during the design process. Pieces by artists such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, David Hockney, Joan Mitchell, and Joan Mitchell are shown off to their full advantage with a dedicated lighting system. What’s more, Smith used the art collection to solve the tricky issue of the stairway in the same neat move.
“Layers, space, and artwork are revealed as one ascends the seven-storey open stairway that serves as a vertical picture gallery, graduating from the public spaces to the private,” Smith says.
The completed townhouse demonstrates a masterclass in architectural style and design sophistication. Visitors stepping through the door leave the bustling NYC cosmopolis behind to enter an oasis of calm, where new pockets of wonder and delight can be discovered on each of the seven floors.
Inspired for a Beautiful Life
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