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By making their new home in a suburb of Amsterdam much smaller than the maximum allowed, architects Arjen Aarnoudse and Farah Agarwal managed their energy needs while increasing their outdoor space.

Before: There was an internal window between the bedroom and bathroom in the old scheme. “It was a little bit too open, let’s just say,” says Raj.

Before: Brick tones predominated in the master bedroom.

Bleached walnut replaced cold concrete floors in this family-friendly renovation of a dated loft in West Chelsea’s late 19th-century Spears Building. To make the loft feel more welcoming, architects Ravi Raj and Evan Watts toned down the heavy industrial elements of the 2,700-square-foot loft with a warmer and lighter palette and added custom built-ins for a streamlined look. At the same time, the loft still preserves much of its historic appeal—from the exposed brick seen throughout the home to the oversized openings left intact.

The raw pine cabinetry in the kitchen ties to the raw pine flooring, ceilings, and beams that outfit all of the other rooms in the house.

The primary bedroom windows overlook the maple trees in the front of the house.

The brick wasn’t in as good shape, so the couple painted it.

Tom did all of the custom woodwork, including the kitchen island and cabinets, and Marina did the tiling, such as the backsplash behind the stove.

The couple located the dining room to the front of the house, stripping away the excess finishes to reveal the brick and wood structure, as well as the plaster walls. “We like the textures of Brooklyn lofts,” says Marina of their inspiration. They refinished the front doors and added new windows throughout. The artwork is by Matt Higgins.

A fresh coat of Benjamin Moore Super Hide Ultra White flat paint brightened the apartment. The accent pillows, made of African mudcloth, were sewn by Jordan's sister. The rattan rocker is from Article.

Now, glass and steel doors from A&S Window open onto a deck and significantly brighten the combined kitchen and dining room with natural light.

"There aren’t many row houses that treat vertical circulation and the relationship between public and private spaces the same way as [this house]," Shane says. White oak treads and a painted steel handrail make up the home's signature staircase.

With the intervening wall removed, there’s now a sightline through the main floor to the backyard.

Sandwiched between two other red-brick properties, the revamped row home now gorgeously stands out with its crisp white facade.

Street view

As with the kitchen island bench and the cabinetry for the media unit, the bathroom vanity was custom designed by Studio Jackson Scott and built on-site using Australian Blackbutt.