GENERAL INQUIRIES studio@marchouston.com
PRESS/MEDIA INQUIRIES look@marchouston.com
Monday - Friday 9AM - 5PM
245 8th Avenue, Suite 893, New York, NY 10011
by appointment only
BEFORE
AFTER
SOLUTION
OUR DESIGN GOALS:
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Streamline functions within the primary suite
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Expand bathroom to accommodate two people simultaneously
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Provide storage for client's extensive shoe collection
To optimize utility and flow and improve the overall experience, we annexed space from the home office to design a new, fully partitioned primary suite comprised of a pass-through bathroom and dressing area with a wetroom and discreet water closet. Centered around a large trough sink, the reconceived area allows the client to move seamlessly between bathing and dressing routines. Early in our design process, we explored options for a glass enlosed wet room that would allow views to the tub and shower from the bedroom, but the client opted for a partition that would afford greater privacy.
The small closet in the bedroom proper and the walk-in closet in the office were eliminated and replaced with a combined, expanded version within the dressing area. Cabinets for larger items are positioned above wall-to-wall hanging storage and an integrated dresser behind mirrored doors with racks for shoes on the reverse. This shoe storage system was a particularly intricate collaboration between our office, the millworker and the contractor and ultimately an elegant feat to achieve. Additional millwork units were designed for both the bedroom and the office for supplemental storage.
"His ability to synthesize vision, floorplan and budget pushed the project to a whole new level."
Ordinary just isn't in our wheelhouse.
The spaces we create require mastery of inordinate calculations, keen anticipation of opportunities and unwavering focus. Our broad experience and well-honed capabilities have primed us to pursue the farthest reaches of possibility to create homes that exhibit a refined sensibility and ensure maximal utility.
We know exactly how to strike that balance.
We know exactly how to strike that balance.
Older homes built for the times in which they were constructed are often at odds with the demands of modern
living. This 1880's Brooklyn townhouse illustrates that reality
with a number of programming constraints that segmented the natural cadence of the homeowners' lives.
The generously proportioned primary bedroom was serviced by a small bathroom ill-equipped for the needs of a couple, forcing them to use of a secondary bathroom down the hall in another room for overflow storage and preparation routines. Sufficient closet space was also lacking, requiring a closet in the home office to be used for their wardrobe.
CHALLENGE
Older homes built for the times in which they were constructed are often at odds with the demands of modern living. This 1880's Brooklyn townhouse illustrates that reality with a number ofprogramming constraints that segmented the natural cadence of the homeowners' lives.
Older homes built for the times in which they were constructed are often at odds with the demands
of modern living. This 1880's Brooklyn townhouse illustrates that reality with a number of programming constraints that segmented the natural cadence of the homeowners' lives.
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BEFORE
AFTER
IMPLEMENTATION
After demolition, new framing was erected to designate the distinct areas of the new layout. Plumbing was routed to the reassigned locations for toilet, tub, shower and sink. We also designed custom suspended medicine cabinets to hang above the custom marble sink which was fabricated offsite and inset meticulously within walls lined with handpainted covering. Late discovery of a tile defect in the wet room required that we pivot during installation. Our solution was to instead use a hand-applied, waterproof plaster on two of the walls to complement the newly laid materials.
"When you meet a fellow aesthete its like meeting a kindred spirit who shares your vision of beauty. It was like that for Marc and me — a couple of witty references and we were on our way to a beautiful partnership. If it was up to me I would have had a house full of chairs so Marc’s ability to reign me in and create a unified look from our conversations was the starting point and the final act.
I had a couple of key moves I wanted to make within the brownstone, but it was his ability to synthesize budget, vision and floor plan that really pushed the project forward in a very interesting sophisticated way. He is not afraid of a challenge and is incredibly resourceful. His lighting knowledge and expertise was a welcome surprise and helped me look at lighting in a new way. Marc’s savvy suggestions on furniture and finishes gently pushed me and the project to a whole new level. He is a dream to work with."