Sky and Space: Transforming Three Condos and a Hallway into a Cohesive Midtown Home

Some apartments are about comfort. This one is about presence.

In the luxury Atelier building on West 42nd Street, the client purchased three adjacent condos along with a 20-foot stretch of hallway engulfed by the units. The goal was not just to increase square footage. It was to create a home that felt like a living artwork. Every decision needed to heighten clarity, enhance experience, and make an impression.

With experience handling complex unit mergers and high-rise constraints, I designed a singular residence that feels expansive, quiet, and intentional. This case study shows how we transformed disconnected units with uneven floors into a fluid, panoramic apartment centered around material clarity, visual control, and highly tailored features.

Project Snapshot

• Project Type: Combination of three luxury condos and a hallway into one custom residence

• Client Goals: Entertain in an expressive space, integrate private and public zones, feature a central water element and sauna

• Biggest Challenges: Significant floor height discrepancies, mechanical integration, maintaining egress in a unified layout

• Standout Features: Central water feature, custom travertine fireplace and counter, sauna facing the sunset, integrated cabinetry

• Location: Atelier Condominium, West 42nd Street, New York City

Before the Renovation: Disconnected and Uneven

The original space was made up of three separate condos and a corridor, each with its own layout, finishes, and mechanical constraints. Despite the building’s modern appearance, it was constructed around the time of the 2008 financial crisis. The result was uneven floors with several inches of variation across the combined area.

The Three 2-bedroom apartments before the renovation.

And after. The kitchen of the ‘purple’ apartment is now a sauna facing the southwest for sunset schvitzing. The ‘green’ apartment is turned into the master suite.

The hallway was particularly difficult to integrate. Although it was technically part of the purchased footprint, it had to preserve egress. At the same time, it ended abruptly at a dense wall of plumbing risers in the center of the future apartment. The design needed to resolve that visual dead end and turn it into something meaningful.

The hallway before renovating.

The water feature will be right in front of the big black plumbing riser, which is tilting forward because nothing in this building was built straight or plumb…

And after…

Design Strategy: Clarity, Continuity, and Control

The design was shaped by three guiding ideas: organize the space around a clear central axis, maintain a consistent visual language throughout, and treat every detail as an opportunity for refinement.

At the arrival point, we placed a glass water feature that operates as both a focal point and architectural solution. It terminates the entry view with quiet motion and reflection, concealing the riser wall behind it. This created a sense of entry and orientation, while masking one of the most complex mechanical elements in the apartment.

Rather than closing off rooms, we used elements within the open plan to gently define space. In the southwest corner, a custom travertine counter and fireplace mark the boundary between the dining area and the living space facing the Hudson River. These low interventions keep the space open while reinforcing functional zones.

One of the original kitchens was converted into a fully built sauna, positioned to capture views of the sunset and the Statue of Liberty. Throughout the home, built-in cabinetry helps carry a continuous visual baseline. Kitchen storage turns into integrated AC covers, which become cushioned window seating. Floor-to-ceiling lacquered doors maintain vertical rhythm and a sense of volume.

Lighting was selected to support the architecture rather than compete with it. We used long, slender chandeliers that stay out of view lines, along with flush wall LED fixtures and recessed lighting to softly define transitions and functions.

Results: Serenity Through Precision

What began as three disjointed condos and a corridor is now a cohesive, flowing residence with a quiet sense of control. The apartment feels open, intentional, and uninterrupted. Light moves across materials without friction, and each zone is framed with care rather than boundaries.

The project was featured in an eight-page spread in Home Design magazine, which described the result as “a serene home of flowing space and fine detailing.” The apartment embraces contrast. It is expansive but composed. It invites movement but encourages pause.

This project demonstrates what becomes possible when constraint is treated as a design tool rather than a barrier.

Project Budget

The renovation was completed in 2013 for under $700,000. At the time, each condo was purchased for approximately $1.5 million, bringing the real estate investment to around $4.5 million. While pricing conditions have shifted dramatically since then, the strategy remains relevant. A focused plan, precise execution, and clear priorities made it possible to deliver impact without excess.

Press Highlight

“A serene home of flowing space and fine detailing.”
— Home Design (8-page feature, print edition)

Featured for its calm spatial transitions and refined material palette.

Let’s Talk About What’s Possible

You’ve now seen how three disconnected condos and a hallway were transformed into a single, highly personal home. This project shows that good design is not about adding more. It is about knowing what to emphasize, what to refine, and what to let go.

If you’re living with a layout that isn’t working, or a space that doesn’t reflect how you want to live, the first step is clarity. Together, we can define what matters most and shape your home around it.

I work with clients who value design that lives well and feels intentional. Let’s talk about what’s possible in your space.