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Changing Spaces
Just last year, Americans spent some $125 billion on home remodeling projects, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies - a collaborative effort between Harvard University's Design School and the Kennedy School of Government. That far outranks the dollars spent on new construction; and it means that in a city like New York, with all its prewar, multi-family buildings, condo and co-op owners and boards who haven't already been through a major remodeling project are a dwindling minority. Read More
Fleeting Fashion
Every decade or era has its own design "look.' Remember the shag carpeting and wood paneling of the 1970s or the chrome-and-glass overkill of the 1980s and early "90s? Thankfully, those trends had their moment and have since been put out to pasture, but like the fashion industry, there is always something new lurking around the corner - such as a bold new color scheme for paint, or an exotic flooring material. Read More
Architectural Building Blocks
Walk by 502 Park Avenue and you'll find a vision in progress. There stands a classic example of a gracious Park Avenue building with one remarkable, eye-catching addition: an ultra-modern glass tower on the roof that is home to the kind of apartments most of us can only dream of, with large living rooms and dens, spacious bedrooms, foyers, and formal dining rooms, all located in one of the most upscale neighborhoods in Manhattan. The owners of the penthouses on the 25th through 30th floors of the building will enjoy 4,200 square feet of interior space, as well as breathtaking views of the city skyline. Read More
Flushed With Pride
The "loo." The "WC." The "john." Or - for the more civilized folks - the "powder room" or the "lavatory." Whatever you choose to name that room in your house that comprises a toilet, shower/bath, sink and a mirror, you use it - a lot. Read More
Saving Space in Small Spaces
Space, the final frontier. The continuing mission to explore strange new ways to manage what little space is available to the urban dweller, to seek out any possible alternative to bulky appliances, to boldly find creative solutions to the fact that our living area remains constant even as our amount of - belongings, junk or stuff, (call it whatever you want) - seems to grow each day. Read More
Home for the Holidays
As the holiday season gathers steam, there may be quite a few of us procrastinating about decorating our living and workspaces. Decorating for the holidays - that time-honored tradition across so many cultures and faiths - can seem like a chore, what with all the things we have to think about this time of year. And while we can't really make the season less hectic, there are a few things to consider that might give you some inspiration and maybe ease the pace a bit. Read More
It's All in the Planning
Stephen Carter, principal and founder of the Carman Group, a Manhattan- and Connecticut-based firm that specializes in design and project and construction management is well accustomed to applying his creativity and passion for details to other people's living spaces. But last year, he completed one of his most ambitious endeavors yet - his own home. Read More
Fall Fashion Preview
Looking back on the past summer, there is good news and bad news to report. The good news is that the rain gods have responded to our desperate rain dances after last year's prolonged drought - and the bad news is that someone, somewhere, is still dancing. (Please stop!) Spring sprang a leak and summer is a soggy, foggy memory, but that doesn't mean that we New Yorkers can't salvage some quality time outdoors, and those of us that are lucky enough to have an outdoor space can still make the best use of it. And there's potentially more good news. Some say that lots of moisture during the summer months means that foliage colors will be more intense. The rationale is that plants are more lush and produce more leaves. These leaves are not as stressed when they are hydrated and even though cool temperatures trigger the color change, the plants hold on to their leaves longer. If this is true, then we are in for a long, colorful fall - and along with glorious colors to enjoy, autumn is a very busy time of year to prune, plant and plan. Read More
I Just Really Need Some Space Right Now
For much of his stand-up comedy career, humorist George Carlin has joked about "stuff." How much stuff we have, how much stuff we accumulate, and the often-insane ways we have of keeping track of - and losing - our stuff. Today's co-op and condo owners can readily identify with Carlin's comments, since one of the biggest needs for the legendary tiny Manhattan apartments is more space for all your stuff. Read More
Die Hard
Still convinced you've got plant-killing "black thumbs?" No problem. The following is a list of plants you'd need a stake through the heart to destroy. Go ahead - do your worst. With these troopers you'll finally get the satisfaction of keeping plants alive and thriving. Who knows? You just might become a plant person after all. Read More
Houseplant Husbandry
Still a few paychecks shy of that country cottage? Cubicles got you down? If that's the case, you might consider bringing a little whiff of the outdoors inside with some lush, green houseplants. Read More
Rooftops and Root Cellars
Many buildings have square footage hidden away that could be converted to residential use. Hallways, rooftops, unused garbage rooms, basement closets, abandoned water tank rooms - all are potential additions to an adjacent shareholder's apartment. The financial outlay for the building is small and the potential for revenue - both through the sale of new shares and added future maintenance - is great. Creative co-op boards and their property managers are now looking at a new tactic that adds value to both the building and certain lucky apartments; they are finding unused common space, and selling it to shareholders to enlarge their apartments. Read More
If These Walls Could Talk
A bare wall to a homeowner or interior designer is like a blank canvas to an artist - the options to create are endless. Gone are the days when you were restricted to either white paint or gaudy wallpaper. Today, you can colorize with peaceful or bold hues, create original designs using texturizing techniques like rag-painting or sponging, or cover your walls in fabrics that range from the simple to the luxurious. All it takes is a plan, some creativity, and an estimated budget. Read More
Into the Woods
These days there's a virtually an endless array of building materials available, so why is good old wood still a perennial favorite? Maybe because it lends an organic warmth to any space. Maybe because it harkens back to another time and place, where things were simpler. Or maybe just because it's a beautiful and versatile design material - but any way you slice it, wood is still one of the most popular materials around. Read More
A Splash of Color
Now that the city has shed its dark winter shades and spring is finally here, it's time for the renovation work to begin. Whether yours is a 250-unit high-rise or a seven-unit walk up, buildings all over the five boroughs are getting ready for a makeover. One of the best ways to give a building a new look is with a fresh new paint job. The results can be astounding - without a budgetary hemorrhage. Read More
Dragons in Our Midst
New York City has a lot going for it: it's a center for the visual and performing arts, it's a hub of international business, it's a major tourist destination - and it has some of the most fantastic architecture in the country. From Federal Style redbrick row houses in Greenwich Village to the Art Deco splendor of the Chrysler Building, New York has examples of pretty much every major building design trend of the last two centuries. The city also has some architectural features that hearken back even farther. Friezes and relief sculptures curl around pillars and doorways, complicated floral and woodland motifs grace cornices and window ledges, and alongside the ultra-modern glass-and-steel skyscrapers, winged lions, dragons, and mysterious, leafy faces - gargoyles - watch over the street below and add priceless charm to the cityscape. Read More
From Empire to IKEA
Like fashion, music, and architecture, interior design has changed drastically over the last hundred years. What's the bleeding-edge of hipness one year becomes totally passé the next, only to come full circle and be cool and ironic again a few years later - in what professional designers refer to as the "pendulum effect." On the other hand, many design elements, materials, textures, and styles have withstood the test of time - a Louis XIV armchair is always a Louis XIV armchair, after all, and fine workmanship and basic good taste are always in vogue. Read More
Terra Firma
Used, abused, walked all over"Life is tough for flooring. That's why it's so important to plan wisely when the time comes to redo your floors. Given how quickly a poor floor will have to be redone, the right choice is much more than an aesthetic decision - it's also a real investment. On the bright side, a well-chosen, expertly installed floor should yield years of beautiful wear with the proper care. Read More
My Green Heaven
When someone says the words "tree-lined street," what comes to mind? Whatever you're envisioning, chances are it's easy on the eyes and the spirit. The phrase connotes a certain placid, upscale sensibility, which can translate neatly into rising property values. (There's a reason realtors are so fond of the expression.) But if you're amongst the ranks of the treeless, maybe this is the year to do something about that. Planting trees is a dramatic and inexpensive way to give your building a major makeover. The following tips and wisdom may help you begin to turn your block into a leafy wonderland. Read More
Paying for Interior Design Work
Interior design in public spaces - like the lobbies and corridors of co-op and condo buildings - involves more than just the art of coordinating paint, wallpaper and fabrics. Public spaces require that the health, safety and welfare of the public are protected. Strict building codes require that the finishes and furnishings - like wall coverings and fabrics - meet certain mandatory standards of safety and functionality. Also, when any significant investment of money is involved in an interior design project, it is always wise to use a professional. Remember the lobby, elevators and corridors in your building create the first impressions of anyone entering or leaving the space, and can increase the property value for everyone. Read More
Everything But the Kitchen Sink
Kitchens and bathrooms are the hardest, most expensive rooms in an apartment building or business - especially in Manhattan - to install, renovate or remodel. A variety of skills, trades and materials come into play; the job requires extra considerations for gas, water, and electric lines, and mistakes are costly. The kitchen, where one not only prepares food but also entertains family and company, is an especially important room that requires careful aesthetic considerations. Read More
Throw Some Light On It
Everybody wants to show themselves and their home in the best light possible - literally. How you light a room gives it added definition and character, and enhances both the space's contents and its inhabitants. When it comes to interior decorating, next to the color on the wall, lighting is one of the most vital, fundamental elements. Read More
The Kids Are All Right
Your home is supposed to be a sanctuary - your family's protection from the hazards and harms of the outside world. Unfortunately, what should be a haven can often be full of hazards, especially for children, whose curiosity can be their own worst enemy. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 42 percent of pediatric deaths happen right in the child's own home, including drowning, burning and scalding, choking, poisoning, and falling. Prevention is the key to reducing the risks of injury to any family member. Read More
The Age of Aquariums
New York City has always been a sometimes hectic, stressful place to live and work, and now - perhaps more than ever - New Yorkers can use all the tranquility they can get. Short-term fixes like day spas and weekends at the shore can help, but for a more lasting remedy for the stress and clamor of day-to-day life in a white-knuckled city, maybe you should consider"fish. Read More
Decors Without Borders
Asian-inspired design elements have been quietly infiltrating some of the swankiest New York dwellings - and with good reason. Actually two good reasons: form and function. The draw of the popular Asian aesthetic is that it cherishes both equally, and the results are often stunningly beautiful motifs that incorporate not only the practical and ergonomic needs of their users, but also their psychological, physiological and spiritual needs as well. Read More
Shades of Meaning
Were you hungrier than you thought you were at that restaurant with the richly painted crimson walls? Did you feel particularly calm in that corporate reception area with sea foam-colored wallpaper? Perhaps you didn't immediately notice the physiological effects that the colors in both places may have had on you, but chances are you did experience a shift in appetite or mood induced - or enhanced - by the shade of your environment. Read More
Come Into My Parlor
Nothing communicates the character of a building like a well-designed lobby area. In just the time it takes for a resident or visitor to glance around and take in the visual impact of your building's "front room," as it were, an opinion of the building and its residents is formed. Read More
Urban Edens
A private garden in New York is like a rare jewel glittering in the concrete jungle. Co-ops often overlook their hidden outdoor spaces, but a well thought-out garden can transform a rooftop, terrace or courtyard into an oasis that enhances the value of your property as well as enjoyment of your building. Read More
Green For Green
"Ahhh. That’s lovely." We all like those attractive pink blossoms, the intricately shaped shrubbery, the tulips that burst from a planter on the sidewalk. Something about landscaping, in our minds, takes the American, white-picket-fence dream to its ultimate fulfillment, even in a densely populated, urban setting. Read More
Worth Coming Home To
Many co-op and condo-dwellers have been looking inward of late, concentrating their energy and income on making improvements to their buildings and personal spaces, rather than spending money on travel, entertainment, and other more extroverted luxuries. Boards are, of course, interested in attracting and keeping good shareholders and owners, while those shareholders and owners are interested in making their home more comfortable, convenient, and aesthetically pleasing. Read More
Bringing Calm to Chaos
The time has come to ask yourself some tough questions: Do I find myself constantly sneaking my clothing into my partner’s closet? Am I running out of drawer space because my bureau is overflowing with items I can’t fit into my tiny closet? Is my linen closet or pantry so cluttered and disorganized that I can’t locate what I need when I need it? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you are probably in need of a closet remodel. Lack of closet and storage space is a problem that many New York apartment dwellers face. The average apartment cannot accommodate growing families and changing needs–at some point, the average closet will have to be modified. Read More
That Special Touch
Is the entryway of your building looking less than inviting these days? Perhaps the lobby isn’t as cozy and welcoming as residents might like, or maybe it’s the mailroom that needs some work. If it’s been years since the last time your common areas were updated, and they’re showing their age, it might be time to consider sprucing them up a bit. Read More
Designing Outdoor Space
"It’s very special to have outdoor space in Manhattan. It’s so valuable," says Madelyn Simon, CEO of Madelyn Simon Associates, that specializes in interior and exterior plantscapes. Simon’s past projects have included landscaping the butterfly vivarium at the American Museum of Natural History and decking out World Financial Center for the holidays. In or out of the city, open-air space designed for people to enjoy year-round adds enormously to the pleasure residents take in their home. Plus, investing in landscaping and building exteriors can add to the perceived value and desirability of a property. Read More
More Than Just a Good Eye
It’s not that your lobby looks bad. It’s just that the mirrored light fixtures and orange trim that seemed so stylish in the (original) days of Abba and flared slacks feels rather dated now. A renovation appears inevitable. How should your board plan for the big overhaul? It doesn’t have to be a traumatic process. With the right amount of planning, renovations can run quite smoothly with minimal upheaval and an undeniably attractive end result. Read More
