As parents of two small children, the owners of this 1900-square-foot loft in Hell's Kitchen were keenly receptive to a design approach that allows for spatial flexibility and adaptation. Key to the implementation of this concept are two champagne-tinted sliding resin panels running the length of the apartment. By changing the location of these panels, the space can be altered in a variety of ways that respond to the family's changing needs for access and privacy. For example, the living room can be screened from the entry area, the kitchen and dining area can be separate or contiguous, and the home office can be hidden or revealed. In addition, movable partitions between the children's rooms, when folded against the wall, create a single large play area.

A grid of two foot by four foot porcelain floor tiles and a consistent perimeter treatment establish spatial continuity and a clear visual datum. Vertically proportioned windows, finely fluted cabinetry, the pronounced grain of zebra wood panels and textured glass in the bedroom doors reinforce a subtle striation that permeates throughout. A palette of warm tones, delicate textures and wood accents counterbalances the industrial character of the exposed concrete beams and softens the spatial geometry.

Photos by Amy Barkow.