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The guest bathroom.

Architect Michael K. Chen, founder and principal of the eponymous New York–based firm, resuscitated a four-story, 3600-square-foot home that had been abandoned for 20 years by incorporating a playful color palette and interesting details, such as this oval-shaped skylight.

Main bathroom

The powder room is wrapped in Josef Frank wallpaper.

Pros: Laminate is at the low end of the price range for countertops, is scratch- and stain-resistant, and comes in a tremendous range of colors. It’s also easy to install, making it a viable DIY option for the handy crowd. Cons: Because laminate countertops are created by layering pieces of plywood and plastic, edges can chip off easily, and the surface can even melt if too much heat is applied directly.

Three elements of the extension were built off-site: the exterior and structural concrete, which includes patterned brickwork, the nonstructural concrete elements (like the kitchen counter and bath), and the balustrade. An arch motif ties together the renovation.

The green backsplash tiles are vintage, reclaimed from another project.

The Cesca dining rooms chairs are from Knoll. The design team purchased the industrial bookshelf from Leroy Merlin and sprayed it with red paint.

The marble countertops and gold hardware are a subtle nod to the past, while also fitting into today's trends.

After: By knocking out a wall and building a new island, the kitchen flows more cohesively into the living room and dining room. The

The coffee table is from Anthropologie.

An exposed ridge beam at the ceiling and sloping ceiling defines the living room in the open plan. The lights over the dining table are by Muuto.

Sometimes all it takes is a little luck. For a young married couple, it came in the form of this rare find: a 19th-century, three-story, single-family home in the heart of Paris. The building was a charmer with good bones, but was in need of some serious care. In a vibrant retrofit by architect Pierre-Louis Gerlier that includes structural reinforcements, the reimagined design is set off with a new floor plan. The lower level now serves as a space for the couple’s children, with the public areas—including an open-plan living/dining room and kitchen—on the floor above. Upstairs, the attic has been transformed into a very large primary bedroom with a green-and-white bathroom suite. The living room (pictured) showcases the firm’s bespoke carpentry work with a beautiful, mossy-green built-in bookcase that frames a new fireplace, and a staircase surrounded by arched doorways that hold hidden storage. “We created visual breakthroughs in order to connect the different spaces,” says Gerlier. “The rounded arches are there to help magnify these moments.”

While Hank fabricated the built-ins, Nell set to work on the sofa's cushions. Two of her collages hang over the sofa and desk.

A mezzanine loft level provides extra floor space without increasing the home's footprint. Built-in bookshelves double as a guardrail for the lofted work space, accessed by a built-in ladder.

A custom blue bookshelf offers a pop of color in the living area and houses the couple's collection of art books and objects.