Take a moment to imagine being able to live in your very own penthouse in New York. Then, imagine being able to afford to not only refurbish the whole apartment, but add an extra storey on top. For most, it’s hard to even consider this as reality, but for one lucky New Yorker, this was the case.

South Slope, an area of Brooklyn, New York, has seen dramatic changes over recent years. Much like the rest of Brooklyn and other inner-city suburbs of the city, the face, and prices, of real estate, have inevitably changed forever. With the owner already occupying the 3rd-floor penthouse, they saw the potential to extend the only way possible in New York- up. The whole apartment was gutted, and a 4th storey added, which included a small front balcony facing onto the street, a master bedroom, and an office space at the rear.

The artistic owner chose to have a large amount of input into the design of their new-look apartment, which resulted in a true collaboration between client and architect. Not only did they have an input into the aesthetics of the home, but they conceived and constructed many elements of the refurbishment and extension. With the help of  Brooklyn local Ben Herzog, the resulting project is modern, raw, and a testament to the streets of New York.

An industrial theme becomes immediately evident once you enter the apartment, with the quintessential elements, including exposed brick, concrete, steel, and a palate lacking in bold colours yet bursting with character. Even the air conditioning ducting was left exposed. Here we see the kitchen island, with a benchtop of finished concrete, and the unique kitchen faucet, almost reminding us of a microphone from the 50’s.

The opening to the rear deck was enlarged significantly, with new doors and windows added to flood the 3rd floor with light. Timber panels cover the cabinetry, which inconspicuously hides the pantry and other kitchen cupboards.

Sometimes, in any form of interior design, it is the little things that have the biggest impact. Here, the new tiles for the walls surrounding the wash basin have been designed to resemble brickwork, in a tribute to the grungy streets that Brooklyn is known for. Brownstone brickwork is the face of the townhouses and other buildings that line suburban New York streets, so to give this new bathroom some New York attitude, these tiles were chosen, and are now a real talking point of the new penthouse.

Parquet floors are always a good choice, and in this industrial style renovation, it is no exception. Opting for an unfinished look, both the third and fourth floors, as well as the stairs that conjoin the two, have all been kitted with this parquet flooring design of irregular timber tones.

There is something very alluring about penthouses, and the luxury and lifestyle they portray.