See How This Condo in a Former NYC School Got a Major Update

Posted in Angelcityfurniture

For many of us, it's easy to fall in love with an old building, quirks and all. Likely, it's those odd nooks and historic details that make a place really feel special—that is, until you need to fit a sofa around a curved wall or an inconveniently placed beam.

BEFORE: “The space is so unique, with split levels, an old bell tower, wood beams and brick; we didn't have any precedent for what we were trying to do, and so trusted Sarah and our designer to help give shape to our instincts,” says the homeowner.

AFTER: “It was important to us that the space get renovated but not lose its original feel,” the owner adds. “It's still a comfortable, relaxed, fun space that she has injected with a lot of lightness and purpose.” The fireplace hearth tile is Clé Belgian Black Reproduction Tile and the surround tile is Clé Glazed Brick in herringbone .

Thus was the case when Sarah Jacoby was tasked with renovating an apartment in an old New York City school. “The building was originally designed as an elementary school, and then it was converted to residential in the 1980s,” explains Sarah. “So, because it was not purpose-built for condos, there are all sorts of idiosyncratic spaces. The floors don’t fully align, for example, so one of the big challenges was to make this a cohesive environment. There were a lot of odd, leftover spaces, so we worked to make those more livable.”

BEFORE: The hardest part of the reno was in the details. “Often making things happen was a game of literal inches, and we had to be precise and aware of the trade-offs, giving a little here and taking a little there,” says the homeowner.

AFTER: “In the 1980s, the space had been renovated in a Craftsman style, so we were determined to take that off and to reveal some of the building’s original features,” says Sarah. The inspiration was simplifying and paring down. The cabinets are painted in Farrow & Ball Railings.

AFTER : “We feel so at home in our bedroom,” says the homeowner. “It's a real retreat from the city after a long day—and lately it's even been a retreat from the rest of our home during quarantine.” The storage is composed of IKEA cabinets with Semihandmade doors, which are custom-painted to match the walls .