When Limor Baum, founder of New York City-based Limor Baum Interiors, had the opportunity to annex a neighboring apartment to her own residence, she approached the project from the perspective of both a designer and a homeowner.
“I wanted a kitchen that could function extremely well for everyday family life and cooking, while still feeling calm and integrated into the architecture of the apartment,” she said.
A priority was creating a generous island that could serve multiple functions – food preparation, storage, casual meals and gathering – without visually overwhelming the long, relatively narrow space allotted for the kitchen, which measures 8 3/4 x 20 feet.
The scale of the island was an important part of the design. Baum wanted to see how far it could extend while still maintaining comfortable circulation and keeping the kitchen visually balanced. At nearly 14 feet long, it became an architectural element rather than simply a piece of kitchen cabinetry.
“The combination of such a substantial island with very restrained, handleless cabinetry allowed us to create a kitchen with a strong presence without relying on decorative elements,” said the designer.
The architect and contractor for the renovation, John Lee, had a unique history with the apartment: he was the previous owner of the original unit and sold it to Baum ten years ago. His familiarity with the original apartment gave him an unusually comprehensive understanding of both the existing conditions and the construction required to bring the two residences together.
Interestingly, the completed kitchen reflects Baum’s previous career. Before becoming an interior designer, she worked as a nutrition therapist for about 15 years.
“That background made functionality particularly important to me; the relationship between food storage, preparation, cooking and cleanup, as well as having enough uninterrupted work surface,” she said. “I wanted the kitchen to make cooking feel intuitive and enjoyable while also creating a place where our family naturally gathers.”
Sources for Combining Two New York City Apartments
Design: Limor Baum, Limor Baum Interiors Architect: John Lee, Workshop for Architecture GC: Workshop for Construction Inc. Photography: Francis Dzikowski KITCHEN Appliances: Miele Counter Stools: Design Within Reach Faucet: Vola Millwork: Peter Billow Sink: Blanco
