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The curved wall marks the entrance to a hallway with two bedrooms and a bathroom. When the kitchen expanded in size, Engelsman was faced with the problem of the hallway being squeezed too tightly. “One day I was like, ‘Why don't we just curve it over to the bathroom door,’” says Engelsman. “We got an extra eight – ten inches by having it curve instead of come to a sharp corner.”

Closing the shutters on a summer afternoon dims the house for an ideal siesta.

The house’s most distinctive architectural feature—a towering chimney that rises two stories above a sunken living room like a looming’80s obelisk—is its best-kept secret. “When we first moved in, I got a chimney guy to come take a look at it, and he was just blown away,” David says. “He’d never seen a structure like this.”

The original skylight was kept.

Timber details continue inside, adding warmth to the modern aesthetic. Clerestory windows run across the length of the central plan, filling the space with illuminating natural light.

Skylights draw sunshine into the apartment.

The residence architect Cary Bernstein designed for Scott Croyle and his family is an exercise in hide-and-seek. Clever storage keeps the space clutter-free and lets the structure shine. In the entryway, drawers tuck under the mezzanine, niches hold artwork, and speakers are built in line with the cabinets.