Set in a classic Tribeca red brick building, once a candy factory from the 1880s, the apartment is one of five, in a quiet six-story structure. With 18-foot ceilings, original timber beams, and a large skylight, the space is full of charm and character. Initially the space felt more like an industrial loft than a home – beautiful in scale, but a little intimidating. Over the course of two years, MA Studio worked on a full gut renovation of the space to reimagine it without compromising its character. The duo wanted to respect the apartment’s original bones – the brick, the beams, the open plan – but also introduce in softness, warmth, and rhythm. It was important that the space didn’t lose its grandeur, but also felt cozy, livable and layered. A key part of the client’s brief was creating a home that could be both a retreat and a place for hosting. That duality shaped many of the team’s design decisions – from the open light-filled kitchen and dining spaces to the moodier zones like the bar and powder room. Every decision was about navigating that balance between old and new, raw and refined, and bright and moody. The tension carried through the entire process and shaped how the spaces evolved. This resulted in a space that is calm and sculptural while holding onto its quirks and singular personality – a home with an edge, yet a deep sense of comfort and quiet.
The studio’s work places a lot of emphasis on the floorplan before diving into the details of design. The flow, the sequence of spaces have to feel intuitive and balanced from the start. In this case, the work on the floorplan was truly transformative. The original staircase, a narrow metal spiral, once awkwardly positioned where the kitchen is now, disconnected the second floor from the living spaces, suggesting a mezzanine rather than a true extension. As a larger architectural intervention, the sculptural plaster staircase reoriented the layout to anchor the space. It now serves as both a functional core and a visual centerpiece, connecting the floors and reinforcing the home’s sense of scale and fluidity.
The daily living room, nestled by arched windows with views over the neighborhood, was designed to feel intimate and cozy. To enhance that tucked-in feeling, the original brick wall was covered in a light plaster to match the staircase, lightening the space and allowing the windows to take center stage. This move softened the industrial feel and helped frame the surrounding views with more intention. Upstairs, the living quarters offer a quiet, tranquil retreat. Each bathroom was treated as a unique experience, with a distinct mix of materials, lighting, and custom vanities. Using hand crafted tiles and a freestanding bath, the master bathroom was transformed into a peaceful repose.
The larger guest bathroom includes a hot stone sauna and takes on a wellness-focused approach through its materiality and flow. These shifts in tone from room to room reinforce the home’s overarching vision: a space that feels personal, welcoming, and thoughtfully curated. Some parts of the home were designed to feel open and expansive like the kitchen and main living areas, ideal for daytime living and casual gatherings. A skylight was introduced above the grand kitchen island to allow daylight to flood over the heart of the home. In contrast, other rooms take on a moodier, more intimate tone, with deeper palettes and richer textures that create a layered sense of atmosphere and warmth. The bar and powder room, for instance, lean into darker tones, deeper finishes, and low lighting – spaces that truly come alive in the evening and speak directly to the client’s love for hosting and music. That deliberate contrast between light and shadow, openness and intimacy, is how the studio gave the home a rhythm and a sense of movement and emotion.
Photos by: Joe Kramm
Staging by: Love House & Known Work
