She wanted a loft, she bought a Victorian.

A mixed media artist returning to Rhode Island after many years in New York was looking for a live-work artist studio. She was under contract to purchase an empty manufacturing building; however when the sale fell through she purchased a three story mansard-roofed Victorian on Broadway. The lower two floors of the building remained in great condition with much of the original period details including decorative tile fireplace surrounds and oversized mahogany doors. The third floor lacked the detail and richness of the lower floors and was a warren of rooms and hallways in poor condition and had fallen victim to many bad renovations over the years. She decided to keep the lower two floors as professional office space to be rented and to renovate the third floor into her home and artist studio.

Our client challenged us to create a space that would have the openness and rawness of the earlier manufacturing space she was interested in while celebrating the history and character of the Victorian building.

Non-load-bearing interior walls were removed to create a large open space along one whole side of the building. The floors were patched with purple heart wood inlay where walls were removed, recording the past as an architectural palimpsest. Two large brick chimneys that were previously concealed by walls were stripped of their plaster coating and exposed. To further expand the space, a stair well was opened directly from the ground level to her unit above.

Freestanding elements of matte gray cabinetry wrapped with layers of construction grade fir plywood were strategically positioned in the large open space to create distinct yet interconnected areas - kitchen, living area, dining area, and studio. Some of these elements anchor to and partially surround the brick chimneys to create a media wall and kitchen island. In other locations, the freestanding element holds a pair of sliding pocket doors that are able to close against the perimeter walls – an inversion of Victorian parlor doors.

Large pyramidal light apertures cut through the attic space to introduce north light to the studio and dining areas. The unique shape of these light apertures is the geometric resolution between their ceiling opening location and the skylight glass on the hipped roof and the existing ceiling structure is left exposed as it passes through the light well.

The renovated bathroom area was enlarged by removing a hall and top portion of a staircase that was no longer needed in the apartment. The enlarged bathroom area gained a window and grew to hold a laundry area that was previously located four levels below in the unfinished basement.