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ABOVE, LEFT & FACING PAGE: This 1873 brownstone had been chopped into apartments, and our
clients came to us to transform it back into a single-family home. They wanted a bright, modern
space, but the house was in an historic district so we couldn't change the exterior. Instead, we created
a sky-lit atrium in the center of the house. The owners wanted a casual, family-f riendly living space,
so the kitchen is on the first-floor f ront (traditionally the formal living room), with the family dining
table at the base of the atrium. They wanted a low maintenance house, so materials are simple and
durable, in a palette of oak, white, and gray. Particular attention was paid to the places where the
body interacts with the house—the handrail is carved into the stair wall, sculpted on the back side to
fit the hand, and finished to be incredibly smooth to the touch. The mudroom's concrete tile is a nod
to the original floor tile, which was too damaged to reuse
.
Photographs by Jane Messinger
See more about Catherine Truman Architects on page 457
