New York design studio White Arrow has accented the interiors of a rowhouse in Queens with dark blue cabinetry and mid-century furnishings, during an overhaul of the property that spilt it in two.
The updated residence is located in Ridgewood, an area neighbouring east Brooklyn that has become favourable for new homeowners.
Built in the early 1900s, the building is in a landmarked portion of the area, which is marked by tree-lined streets and three-storey brick tenements.
White Arrow tore out the interiors of the two-storey Ridgewood Rowhouse, and created rental portion with its own separate kitchen to serve as an income property.
"We worked with a young couple to economically gut-renovate the property," said the studio, which is based in nearby Williamsburg.
The owner's apartment occupies the upper level, while the rental unit spaces the ground floor. Upon entering is a staircase in a narrow hallway — typical of New York City apartment buildings — which provides access to both apartments.
Originally, the staircase had blue carpeted treads and was clad in wood paneling. White Arrow turned it into a light-filled space with wooden floors and steps stained off-white, and railings and balustrades painted black.
Before the renovation, the rest of the interiors had linoleum floors and drop ceiling tiles. Floral wallpaper lined the rooms, with particle-board cabinetry in the kitchen.
White Arrow gutted the rowhouse from top-to-bottom, creating a new open-plan kitchen, living room, and dining area in the owner's portion. The new layout maximises the space for entertaining, with two bedrooms positioned at the opposite end.
Existing kitchen cabinetry was ripped out and replaced with custom-made storage, most of which is free-standing. These cabinets are painted dark blue with topped white marble counters, with copper pendants hung overhead.
Period-appropriate millwork and fixtures were added to complement the home's historical features.
In the stairway are antique salvage doors and schoolhouse pendant lights that juxtapose the modernist furnishings found in the other rooms.
Mid-century pieces include a round coffee table in the living room, an office-style cabinet in the dining room, and a dresser in the master bedroom.
Surrounding a glass-topped dining table are six black dining chairs created by Finnish modernist designer Ilmari Tapiovaara.
"To keep the historic home feeling artful and modern, we picked a mix of contemporary and vintage furnishings," said White Arrow.
Artwork, sculptural accessories and African textiles complete the interior decor.
White Arrow has recently transformed an apartment in Brooklyn, which involved overhauling a historic schoolhouse in Williamsburg with all-white interiors.
The renovation boom across New York's boroughs has also included the revamp of a townhouse with a new glass stairwell by GRT Architects, a studio with plywood details and a lofted bed by New Affiliates, and a three-storey home with pops of colour and hiding places for cats by BFDO Architects.
Photography is by White Arrow.