Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: A Historic Loft in New Jersey Is Reborn
White finishes, pale woods and innovative lighting create a bright space for an artistic couple to live and work
Layout: To introduce some delineation between the living and working areas on the main floor, Jordan created a wall of plywood cabinets down the middle of the cube-like loft, essentially dividing the space in half.
The kitchen, living and dining areas occupy the space on one side of the cabinets. The other side contains a large table, storage for paintings and plans, and a library for the homeowners’ art books. Behind the kitchen wall are a master bedroom, master bathroom and walk-in closet.
A second floor above the kitchen includes two bedrooms, a full bath and storage space. The couple use the upstairs bedrooms mostly as office space for themselves, but the rooms double as guest rooms when their adult kids come to visit.
The kitchen, living and dining areas occupy the space on one side of the cabinets. The other side contains a large table, storage for paintings and plans, and a library for the homeowners’ art books. Behind the kitchen wall are a master bedroom, master bathroom and walk-in closet.
A second floor above the kitchen includes two bedrooms, a full bath and storage space. The couple use the upstairs bedrooms mostly as office space for themselves, but the rooms double as guest rooms when their adult kids come to visit.
Bringing in light: One of the biggest challenges during the renovation was how to lighten up the loft, given that it has windows only on the front side, on the right in this image. “Getting light deep into the space was tough,” Jordan says.
Previously, wood paneling covered the ceiling between several heavy, painted black steel beams, overwhelming the loft. “They were a really, really beautiful black, but they felt much heavier,” Jordan says. He removed the wood paneling, put up drywall and painted the beams and walls white to bounce as much light around as possible.
He then mounted LED lights on the top side of the bottom flanges of the beams, with the lights pointed at the ceiling to reflect diffused light. White pendant lights throughout also help. The height of the cabinet wall allows light to reach deep into the space.
Browse lighting for your kitchen
Previously, wood paneling covered the ceiling between several heavy, painted black steel beams, overwhelming the loft. “They were a really, really beautiful black, but they felt much heavier,” Jordan says. He removed the wood paneling, put up drywall and painted the beams and walls white to bounce as much light around as possible.
He then mounted LED lights on the top side of the bottom flanges of the beams, with the lights pointed at the ceiling to reflect diffused light. White pendant lights throughout also help. The height of the cabinet wall allows light to reach deep into the space.
Browse lighting for your kitchen
Kitchen: White lacquered wood cabinets highlight the kitchen. The concrete countertops were made on-site by a friend of the homeowners. All the cabinetry was also constructed on-site. “The beauty of working in a space like this is that it’s essentially a workspace during construction,” Jordan says. “We took delivery of 150 sheets of plywood, and the carpenters sawed it up and put everything together on-site.”
In this photo you can see how ductwork is concealed in casing along the top of the plywood room-dividing cabinetry, with diffusers to allow air to circulate.
The flooring is white oak.
In this photo you can see how ductwork is concealed in casing along the top of the plywood room-dividing cabinetry, with diffusers to allow air to circulate.
The flooring is white oak.
Screens: Sliding double screens of cedar and acrylic allow the couple to control and modulate how much light and sound permeates the upstairs rooms.
Because the second floor is at the back of the loft, farthest from the windows, bringing in enough light was a challenge. A series of cedar slats on rolling tracks is backed by sliding shoji screen panels made of translucent acrylic with wood frames. The shoji screens can be rolled back so it’s easy for someone on the second floor to see and communicate with someone in the main living area through the cedar slats.
“The screens give the option of using the rooms in a few different ways,” Jordan says. When guests are in the upstairs bedrooms, the screens are closed for privacy. But if one of the homeowners is using one of the upstairs rooms as an office, the shoji screens are often open.
Because the second floor is at the back of the loft, farthest from the windows, bringing in enough light was a challenge. A series of cedar slats on rolling tracks is backed by sliding shoji screen panels made of translucent acrylic with wood frames. The shoji screens can be rolled back so it’s easy for someone on the second floor to see and communicate with someone in the main living area through the cedar slats.
“The screens give the option of using the rooms in a few different ways,” Jordan says. When guests are in the upstairs bedrooms, the screens are closed for privacy. But if one of the homeowners is using one of the upstairs rooms as an office, the shoji screens are often open.
Brickwork: The brick is original to the 1890s building. Part of it had been covered by drywall, which Jordan removed.
Storage: As an architect who often works on urban projects with limited square footage, Jordan says he’s accustomed to incorporating storage wherever possible, as in these understairs drawers.
Fireplace: A ventless, self-contained fireplace was installed in the loft when it was converted to a condo decades ago. The homeowners wanted to keep it, so Jordan incorporated it into a new set of built-ins made of plywood.
Behind the doors to the left of the fireplace are a television and other equipment, and the couple’s vinyl record collection. “They don’t watch a lot of TV, but they wanted to have a television there,” Jordan says. “They also don’t want the TV visible when they’re not watching.”
Find a fireplace
Behind the doors to the left of the fireplace are a television and other equipment, and the couple’s vinyl record collection. “They don’t watch a lot of TV, but they wanted to have a television there,” Jordan says. “They also don’t want the TV visible when they’re not watching.”
Find a fireplace
Library: The challenge of fitting a staircase leading from the work area to the second floor beneath the large steel beams led to a creative solution: a large landing with built-in bookshelves and seating. The big net off the landing to the right is actually a hammock chair. More storage space underneath the landing holds files and artwork.
Guest room: This second-story guest room and office draws light from the main living area through the cedar slats. The tracks on the floor in front of the cedar screens are for the aforementioned acrylic shoji screen panels (not shown), which can be rolled across for more privacy. The slatted cedar screens on the right in this photo lead to a storage area that also houses the heating and cooling system. The open slats allow for air to circulate.
Main-level floor plan: The front door, at bottom center, opens to a slate-tile-covered foyer. A door to the left in the foyer leads to the living, dining and kitchen areas, and there is a half bath to the left of the kitchen. A staircase on the far left leads up to the second story.
A door to the right of the foyer leads to the workspace, with the master bedroom at the back (in the top-right corner). Another staircase leads to the landing with the library, and then continues up to the second story. In the master bedroom, a door at the left leads to a walk-through closet and the master bathroom.
A door to the right of the foyer leads to the workspace, with the master bedroom at the back (in the top-right corner). Another staircase leads to the landing with the library, and then continues up to the second story. In the master bedroom, a door at the left leads to a walk-through closet and the master bathroom.
Second-story floor plan: Staircases on either side of the condo lead to the second story, which sits above the kitchen and master bedroom and bath areas. The two bedrooms are connected by a full bath. There’s also plenty of storage space on the second floor.
Builder: Jim Vogel, The Company
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Builder: Jim Vogel, The Company
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Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A married artist couple with grown children
Location: Jersey City, New Jersey
Size: 2,300 square feet (213.6 square meters); 3 bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Architect: Jeff Jordan
The backstory: The building was built in 1890 as stables for a fleet of horses and carts belonging to Wells Fargo bank. It was converted to condo units in 1982, which had boxy spacing (carved up with lots of walls) and “nondescript vanilla finishes,” architect Jeff Jordan says. The homeowners’ condo “was a big and unusual space.”
The homeowners, an artist couple with grown children, wanted to create a true live-work loft that was more practical and imaginative.
Scope of work: Jordan reconfigured the kitchen, master bath and bedrooms; removed a large overhead duct that ran the length of the space; and installed a wall of cabinets to conceal the ductwork and divide the open main floor.