The open floor plan and the adjacencies of varying types of spaces, as well as areas with extremely limited recessing depth, created unique lighting design challenges for this small New York City apartment. Selective uses of luminous coves expand the space while accent lighting and decorative fixtures add a warm, traditional coziness. A shallow, domed uplight cove with dimmable blue and white cold cathode lamps provides an illusion of height creating a memorable arrival experience. The hand blown blue and clear Venetian glass chandelier adds glamour, and the recessed accent lights highlight the painting opposite the entry. Walls in the elliptical stair are washed with light from a continuous, concealed cove. Soft light filters down through the well and highlights the stair’s sculptural form. The open plan kitchen has an industrial stainless steel hood over the island that did not blend well with the adjacent, more formal dining area. Our design introduced four backlit, luminous glass panels to conceal the hood, while providing ambient light for food preparation. Sheer draperies create an elegant separation between the two areas.

Concealed tungsten halogen lighting, under the overhead cabinets, provides work light at the perimeter. The dining room niches are grazed with light from a concealed cove and the bottom shelf is backlit luminous glass. Accent lighting for the art and a decorative glass chandelier complete the lighting. A lensed shower light provides backlight for a sheer shower curtain, giving ample ambient light to the children’s bathroom. A custom luminous glass cove provides all of the ambient light in the master bath, visually expanding the narrow 6’ width of this 18’ long space. Circular coffers, between ducts in the ceiling, allow the use of pendant mounted luminous spheres in the children’s room. The translucent glowing wall of the bathroom provides additional light.

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