east-side Residence
OVERVIEW
Location
Manhattan
Type
Full Home Renovation
Our clients’ newly purchased East Side apartment had many of the things they were looking for: the right location, generous space with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and beautiful natural light. But every room was in need of renovation.
They wanted to transform it into a home that felt distinctly their own—a place of tranquility, elegance, and simplicity, designed for their life together and for gathering with friends.
Area
1,903 sf
Scope
Architecture and Interior Design
Layout
Most of the apartment’s original layout worked well, so rather than reconfiguring it entirely, we focused on a series of intentional changes that better supported how our clients wanted to live.
THE ENTRY
At the entry, an ash wood screen creates privacy between the foyer and dining room while maintaining a sense of openness and bringing warmth to the arrival experience. An existing office was converted into a generous entry closet, and the kitchen was slightly enlarged to provide additional storage and improve the proportions of the space.
LIVING AND ENTERTAINING
Rather than creating one prescribed way to use the apartment, the layout gives our clients choices in how they gather, connect, and find separation when they need it.
The furniture layout continues this flexibility. A sofa and daybed anchor the living room, while swivel lounge chairs can turn between the main seating area and the breakfast counter and bar. When our clients entertain, larger groups can naturally divide into smaller conversations while still remaining connected.
One of our favorite details is the curved wood ceiling trim, which follows the geometry of the living room and accentuates its horizontality while bringing warmth and softness overhead.
Integrity, creativity, and empathy shape the way we work.
KITCHEN, BREAKFAST COUNTER & BAR
Between the kitchen and living area, we introduced a breakfast counter with a panel that can be opened or closed. Open, it allows conversation to move between the kitchen, counter, bar, and living room. Closed, it gives our clients privacy when they want the activity of the kitchen separated from the rest of the home.
dining & entertaining
The dining room was designed to support both everyday meals and the larger gatherings our clients regularly host. An expandable dining table allows the room to accommodate more guests when needed, while two closets integrated on either side of the paneled wall provide generous concealed storage.
A credenza and wall-hung cabinets add another layer of storage while helping establish the proportions of the room. Together with the paneled wall, these elements give the dining room a sense of structure and definition while keeping it open and comfortable for gathering.
private spaces
Our clients wanted the bedrooms to feel simple and open, with enough thoughtful storage that they could be easily tidied and remain calm.
In the primary bedroom, we created an architectural frame to anchor the bed while keeping the room visually open. A workstation by the window takes advantage of the natural light and is integrated with ash storage. A lounge and vanity area is visually separated from the sleeping space, creating a transition to the bathroom and walk-in closet.
In the child’s bedroom, custom built-ins provide generous storage for books and games while incorporating a window seat for reading and relaxing. A vibrant wallpaper behind the bed anchors the sleeping area and brings color and personality to the room without adding visual clutter.
Materials
A home built for tranquility, connection, and the kind of everyday beauty that doesn't ask to be noticed.
When the Mehta family purchased this Manhattan apartment, they weren't looking for a showpiece. They were looking for a place to exhale. A home that could hold the quiet of an ordinary Tuesday morning just as well as a Saturday evening with close friends gathered around the dining table.
That became the foundation of everything.
The Approach
At The Whistling Well, we do not begin with trends or styles. We begin with the architecture of the space, the character of the people who will live in it, and the specific energy of its context.
For this project, that meant a palette of natural materials chosen not just for how they look, but for how they feel and what they bring to daily life. Stained oak and ash for warmth and grounding. Leathered quartzite for quiet solidity. Linen, leather, and wool for softness and sensory comfort. Brass for warmth and detail. Artisan ceramic tile, marble, and warm tinted glass for depth, light, and texture.
The colour palette balances cool and warm tones that move together rather than compete. Clean lines throughout are softened by round edge details that keep the space from feeling rigid. Every material was selected to contribute to a home that feels as good to live in as it looks.
Our Favourite Details
Some details in a project stay with you long after the work is complete. In the Mehta Residence, three stand out.
The curved wood ceiling trim in the living room is one of them. It draws the eye along the full length of the space, emphasising its horizontality and giving the room a composed, considered quality that no straight line could achieve.
The dining room wall panels are another. Subtle enough that guests may not immediately notice them, but present enough to give the room a layered elegance that makes every meal feel like a moment worth having.
And the warm tinted glass behind the bar shelves, which catches light and transforms it into something ambient and generous, making the space feel grander than its footprint and giving the bar its own quiet presence within the larger room.
A home that restores. That gathers. That holds the everyday moments and makes them feel worth holding.
The Mehta Residence is proof that aspirational and liveable are not opposites. When a home is designed around the people inside it, beauty and function stop competing and start working together.Former Customer