This apartment in Brooklyn blends family-friendly with cool and contemporary

THE PROPERTY

A six-bedroom, single-storey apartment in Brooklyn, New York, with an open-plan kitchen and living space with adjoining family room, a playroom, guest bedroom with en-suite bathroom, plus a WC and second bathroom, a further four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a laundry room and two terraces.

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KITCHEN

Eight years after buying a two-bedroom apartment, the owners bought the neighbouring property and combined the two to create a six-bedroom super-apartment, with astonishing views across the East River to Manhattan’s towering skyline.

Keeping the kitchen and living space in the original apartment (and converting the existing two bedrooms into a playroom and guest room) they turned the second apartment into a four-bedroom wing for the family to sleep in.The huge open-plan kitchen and living space is the heart of the apartment, and manages to combine a practical cooking and eating space with the elegance of a hotel lounge.

A dark-oak floor and a rich blue sofa grounds the open-plan living space, with its white walls and ceiling. The couple wanted it to be welcoming and homely but didn’t want to compromise on the beauty of the furnishings, so refused to go for practicality before aesthetics, and chose marble for the kitchen and white upholstery, elsewhere.

LIVING ROOM

The couple took the opportunity to gut the interior and remedy the flaws of the original development, taking out industrial air con and installing an integrated central-air system. When they took down the ceilings, they discovered structural beams and a metre of wasted space that they opened up to add height and architectural detail to all the rooms.

Deciding to scrap the original plan for a formal dining room that would be used only occasionally, they instead set aside a corner of the living space for entertaining and created a family room where they could watch TV and hang out every day.

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HALLWAY

When the owners bought the adjacent apartment, they also bought the corridor between the two properties and integrated it into their expanded home. Now it links the bedrooms to the main living space.

GIRL'S BEDROOM

Gloss white wood gives the four-poster a more contemporary look in this room, while beading on the walls and closets nods to the building’s landmark status.

TEEN BEDROOM

Glamorous metallic furniture mixed with quirky accessories make this the perfect room for a young teen. The ceiling was opened up during the refit, which revealed an extra metre of room height hidden behind panelling.

EN-SUITE BATHROOM

Marble tiles break up the glacial affect of an all-white modern bathroom, while chunky handles add ballast to the scheme.

MASTER BEDROOM

Home is the owners' sanctum, so they chose calm colours to keep it serene.

TERRACE

The huge terrace that leads off the living room is one reason why these outdoor-loving owners crossed the East River from Manhattan to Brooklyn.

Photography Matthew Williams / Styling Beth Flatley

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