A New York loft conversion

James Rippon James Rippon
Greene Street Loft, Slade Architecture Slade Architecture Living room
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Everybody dreams of living in New York at some point of their life. There is certainly something very alluring about the Big Apple, with the city owning a special charm and charisma unlike that of any other. There is only a handful of world cities that have just as many special warehouse conversion homes as New York, and this Lower Manhattan loft is one of the city's finest examples. This massive 300 m2 home was once a commercial and industrial loft space, and has been thoughtfully converted into an idyllic home for urban living. With a variety of materials, industrial touches, and a modern feel throughout, New York locals Slade Architecture embraced the task of renovating such a large space with open arms. Let's see how they did it.

Bright and open

Immediately, the sheer size of the space is evident, with open plan living and high ceilings typical of industrial space conversions. The new home has been divided by 8 foot tall freestanding volumes, to help define the different functions of each area. Located on Greene Street in Lower Manhattan, we wonder what the price tag might be for a space as large as this, in the centre of NYC?

A mixture of styles and textures

Mismatched furniture and a colour scheme of neutral and earthy tones becomes more clear as we move around, and are offered another view of the first volume, which divides the living, dining and kitchen areas from the study. The 8 foot tall bookcase has been designed to hold the owner's unique collection of traditional Korean trunks, which contrast the modernity of the metallic feel of the shelves themselves.

Old & new in harmony

On the opposite side of the divide from the living room is a study and second lounge area, with a rear projector for cosy nights in. We love the mix of old and new, with retro furniture sitting beside modern cabinetry and shelving, modern lighting installed into a detailed ceiling from a bygone era, and original, stained flooring in unison with more modern, neutral colour schemes.

An unmissable dining table

Hard to miss in the open plan area is the 19 foot long, 48 inch wide bespoke dining table, which is a single piece of Mokore. The custom table which comfortably seats 20 had to be lifted into position with a crane, and now sits in its new home on two custom made blackened steel supports.

Sleek kitchen design

The industrial windows typical of these old warehouse buildings were restored, allowing in ample natural light from both ends of the building and thus further enhancing the free flowing nature of the design. In the kitchen, yet another material has been used, adding another textural element. Here, a marble benchtop sits proudly atop the kitchen island, alongside stainless steel, and the interesting use of light blocks as cupboard doors. Throughout, the original floor was used, only giving the timber a new stain to bring it to life again.

Here you will also notice the ladder that leads to the 2nd bedroom, which is a loft sleeping area above the guest bathroom and storage area. Further down the corridor is the two small steps that lead us up to the master bedroom.

Not your average master bedroom

Moving into the main bedroom, an eclectic style arrangement has been chosen, with an ever-popular Eames chair used to decorate the room alongside the headboard, which is a teak slat wall that allows the shelves to be rearranged as you please.

Want to check another industrial-inspired home from New York City? Then take a look at this penthouse extension in Brooklyn.

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