City Sanctuary
A family apartment in busy Mid Cambridge full of innnovative space-saving ideas
City Sanctuary | Cambridge
Situated on the second floor of an 1895 Victorian multi-family in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the living spaces of the two-bedroom apartment were generous and well-proportioned, but the couple’s son and daughter struggled to share a bedroom once they hit their teens. Storage was lacking throughout, and the cramped kitchen had not been updated in fifty years.
Throughout the residence, the rich architectural wood and plasterwork details received much-needed restoration. In some cases, details that had been concealed in drywall for years were exposed and made part of the new design. A second language of simple, clean-lined elements was superimposed to complement the extant details.
The children’s room wasn’t large enough to divide with a wall down the middle, but by creating bunks that split the space vertically with access from opposite sides, two discrete spaces were created. A solution using plywood panels and acoustic insulation was fabricated off-site then assembled in place, without having to change the existing flooring or plaster ceiling. Back-to-back IKEA (prefab) wardrobes complete the separation. A second door from the hallway was added, resulting in two fully private cabins, each with its own window.
Finishing touches to the cabins include a fold-down desk for the child who likes to draw, and a small sofa for the one who likes to socialize with friends. Wood climbing holds create an access way to the upper bunk, where graphic cloud images and a wall of books create a cozy hangout spot. On the lower bunk side, a shallow wardrobe was converted into a dressing table by adding a plywood box with glossy pink interior, mirrored rear surface and makeup lighting—a strategy to get the teenage daughter out of the apartment’s single bathroom.
The kids’ room solution could be employed without the full separation and second door addition. Placing the beds on tracks or casters would also allow the piece to be moved once one child heads to college and the second one demands more space.
In the kitchen, the exterior wall was cleared of obstructions to allow abundant light into the space. Two pantries and a brick chimney were removed to create a larger room with long entertaining island and cooking zones along the interior walls. A wide ribbon of oak wraps up and over the service areas then folds down to disguise a hidden laundry area. An adjacent pocket door cabinet keeps countertop appliances ready for use yet out of sight. The formerly dysfunctional kitchen is now a light and bright social hub.
Horizontal ribbons of storage were created in the living room (custom) and principal bedroom (Ikea kitchen cabinets with DIY trim). The bedroom cabinetry floats above a dark grey wall enlivened by an art installation by Maine artist Christina Watka.
To further expand the sense of space, etched glass panels were inserted in the foyer wall and in the kitchen exit door to pull light from common areas into the apartment while preserving privacy. Other bespoke design elements include a blackened steel and marble coffee table and a sculptural walnut shelf in the entry. Ribbed panels in the entry stair and interior hallway add subtle texture to the space, create focus points for art, and hide an unsightly electrical panel. Decorative lighting is from fabricators in New York and New England, and the artwork throughout is a mix of New England artists and objects from family.
As published in The Boston Globe
Photos: Sean Litchfield
Photo Styling: Michele Snow
Kitchen Cabinetry: Scavolini / Cucina Moda, Boston Design Center
PuzzleBunk Kids’ Room Split: Jeff Pizzi Furniture & Cabinetry
Art: Christina Watka through Room 68 Gallery and Julia Talcott (primary bedroom), David Skillikorn (dining room) via Jules Gallery, Bianca Baader and Maura Segal and Charlie Bluett (living room) via Jules Gallery, Jeremy Miranda (foyer), Liz Roache (kitchen), Colin Berry (dining & living), and art of Africa and Oceania from owner’s family