Duplex, Jane St

The interior of this West Village duplex had been destroyed by a three-alarm fire. After stripping the walls, floors, and staircase, a minimal approach to refinishing was adopted in the interest of creating a light-filled, spacious interior by re-using as much of the existing architecture as possible. The existing staircase is a good example of this approach. Natural light, entering the interior from a glass stair bulkhead above, was being blocked by the existing staircase finishes. We stripped down the existing staircase elements to the essential structure, allowing natural light to diffuse through the framework of open stringers and treads, from the roof to the lower level of the duplex.

Finishes throughout the duplex are light and informal - maple wood floors, Douglass fir plywood cabinets, and penny round tiles.

The plywood kitchen is central and open to the living area bringing meal preparation and entertaining to the forefront. The upper level is organized around an expansion of the original stair landing. The enlarged landing acts as a light well for sunlight, a winter garden for plants, and a passage to the bedroom and a small music studio.