East 82nd Street Townhouse

On East 82nd Street, entrenched in Manhattan’s historic “Museum Mile” sits a five-floor, gilded age townhouse previously utilized by the nearby Metropolitan Museum of Art for the conservation and restoration of paintings. Engaged by the building’s new homeowners to transform the building into a comfortable family residence, PJCArchitecture, in collaboration with Quadrant Development Consultants, undertook a gut renovation, remodel of the 6500-square-foot space while maintaining the integrity of the home’s historic style.

From the outset of the project, the homeowners conveyed their preference for a traditional aesthetic that would maintain the spirit of the time in which the townhouse was built. This directive afforded PJCA the opportunity to divert from its characteristic clean-lined, minimalist vocabulary and research townhouse architecture of the late 1800s to ensure a proper attention to detailing and proportions. While the project involved a gut renovation, the team employed the moldings, casings, and materials appropriate for a mannered-style house of its time.

The resulting home boasts six bedrooms, six bathrooms, a powder room, and a working elevator connecting all five floors. Challenged to fit all desired spaces into the building’s narrow width, PJCA navigated strict zoning requirements in order to extend the building to the rear of the property from the basement level to the fourth floor, and expanded the size of the smaller fifth floor to match the footprint of the rest of the building. The design team also reorganized the interior layout, creating open and airy spaces filled with natural light.

PJCA transformed the existing small entry foyer that originally connected to a first-level parlor into a more spacious foyer and relocated the parlor to the second level of the townhouse. The team also relocated the kitchen and dining spaces from the second floor to the rear of the first floor and combined them in an open concept layout. The new kitchen spans the full width of the townhouse, while the dining room connects directly to the rear yard, which serves as an extension to the house when the floor-to-ceiling doors on the rear facade are opened.

The entry foyer leads to the core staircase, a key design element that runs from the first level to the fifth, featuring custom-fabricated spindles and balustrades, capped with a custom brass handrail. Also connecting all levels is a custom elevator that replaced the existing elevator cab and operating system from the late 1800s that was no longer safe or reliable. As no modern elevator systems fit into the parameters of the existing shaft, the team designed a completely custom elevator with a cab and operating system to fit the space.

At the rear of the second floor, a pair of Juliet balconies off of the family room overlook the yard, furthering the indoor-outdoor connectivity of the home. All six bedrooms—located on the third, fourth, and fifth floors—are outfitted with ensuite bathrooms, while the primary bedroom on floor four includes a bathroom, dressing room, and flexible office space/seating area. On the basement level, the family enjoys access to a media room, bathroom, laundry room, storage rooms and fitness room.

The interior furnishings were spearheaded by interior designer Sholeh Djahanbani, the creative force behind Opaline Home. With a keen eye for detail and an unwavering commitment to perfection, Sholeh embarked on a design journey with a crystal-clear vision in mind. In close collaboration with the clients, she artfully fused their preferences and personalities, resulting in a harmonious symphony of colors, textures, and elements. Each hue was handpicked with meticulous care, reflecting the client's unique taste and the desired ambiance of the house. From warm, inviting earth tones to vibrant, expressive accents, every color choice told a story of its own, blending seamlessly to create an enchanting tapestry of visual delight. Sholeh's passion for her craft and her ability to infuse spaces with character, along with the client's sensibility and eye for design, created a special collaboration which resulted in the unique transformation of the house into an exquisite and deeply personalized haven.

The collaborative design team elegantly converted this historic Upper East Side townhouse into a functional residence for a modern family, while respecting and drawing design inspiration from the building’s original architecture.