Though my client referred to her new townhouse as a “dump” when she bought it, she wisely saw its potential through the veil of outdated fixtures, old appliances and tired finishes.  However, she felt a little overwhelmed by the task of re-imagining how the space would be used and how to make the existing space into a new, modern, open space with the kinds of amenities that people look for in new construction.

The original, two-story town house had two bedrooms on the upper level with one on the lower level, two modest full bathrooms and a master bathroom that was large but oddly proportioned.  The upper level layout however didn’t quite support how she wished to live; she hoped to have a master bedroom with a sitting area and en-suite master bathroom with a window (the original master bathroom was interior to the townhouse and didn’t have access to an exterior wall).  The over-sized space of the master bathroom was re-allocated to create a walk-in closet and powder room, while the adjacent 3/4 bathroom space was enlarged and connected to the master bedroom via the second upper level bedroom  to create a luxurious 4 piece master bath with an exterior window thus making it a much more inviting and soothing space.

The living room, dining room and kitchen in the upper level of the townhouse, in spite of the high ceiling that follows the slope of the roof, felt segmented and the spaces a little cramped.  The use of partial height walls to define the kitchen and the broom closet that was hanging in the space at the top of the stair only served to further break the space into smaller pieces.  Removing the partial height walls at the kitchen and taking the “eat in” space within the kitchen to enlarge the work space enabled the focal direction of the kitchen to rotate 180 degrees.  The removal of the broom closet (it was relocated) enabled more openness at the top of the stair and better flow around the new, large island in the kitchen; enables the island to function better as a serving area when entertaining.

The homeowner, using her keen eye for interior design, selected finishes, fixtures and appliances on her own.  She creatively re-purposed furniture and other items for an interior that is airy and inviting.  The overall result is contemporary and modern with a patina of time to give it a warm and welcoming feel.