Pioneers in the neighborhood, the owners of this Chelsea townhouse had inhabited its upper floors for the last forty years. When they decided to change quarters and move downstairs, they gave ESE Works the mission to transform the building’s cellar and one-bedroom ground floor rental into a modern duplex.
The most impressive change in the once-dark cellar came from the new windows, looking into a hollow space dug in the garden to bring light and air into the room. The cellar itself was excavated several feet deeper to increase the ceilings’ height.
Up a flight of stairs, the back wall was extended to carry a deck above, and floor to ceilings glass doors were installed looking southward into the garden. The garden became a visual extension of the living space, continuing into the dining area and in the open kitchen. Separated from the rest of the ground floor by a short hallway and the newly built staircase, the entire north side became a master suite. The final transformation of the new home came from implementing beautiful minimalist details throughout—trims, carpentry, hardware and finishes.
