Houzz Tour: Tying Together a Boston Loft

By Becky Harris, Houzz Contributor , July 14, 2016

The owners of this loft had been seduced by its sweeping Boston skyline views and vibrant historic South End neighborhood, but its existing built-ins and other features didn’t stand up to the loft’s 18-foot-high ceilings, and the spaces did not make the most of the views. Working with the architects at ZeroEnergy Design, they embarked on extensive renovations to create efficient multipurpose spaces, including a home office, built-in storage, room for guests and a nursery for their first baby, who was on the way. Here’s what they did.

Photography by Eric Roth

Houzz at a Glance Location: South End, Boston
Size: 1,750 square feet (163 square meters); 2 to 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Architect Stephanie Horowitz of ZeroEnergy Design moved the front door to line up with the hallway, revealing skyline views the second you walk through the door. She added glass block to borrow light from the building’s corridor, and an extensive storage wall for mechanical units, coats, shoes and other gear. She also worked around a few pesky items and integrated them into the design — a modern chair silhouette wallpaper conceals an electric box that could not be moved, for instance. The vibrant red door matches the color of the firebox.
 

1080 Cadires Wallpaper: Hygge Cooperative; paint: American White, Benjamin Moore

“The entry is a multifunctional space that serves three main purposes,” Horowitz says. It’s an urban mudroom, complete with coat closets, cabinets and a sofa. It’s also an office, with a built-in walnut desk and flip-up cabinet doors that conceal things like printers and paper. And because the sofa folds out into a bed, it can also serve as extra sleeping quarters.

Cabinetry: custom, Clever Green

Floor lamp: BluDot; fireplace surround: Charcoal Shadowstone, Realstone Systems; fireplace bench: Basalt Black, Neolith; pouf: Bliss Home and Design; wood