Designed as a speculative venture, the row house at 1138 Fort View Place overlooks the Ohio River from each of its four levels. The front façade of the home acts as a transitional piece, blending the historic Italianate home on its left with the modern home on its right (1136 Fort View, also designed by John Senhauser Architects).

This Mount Adams row house was designed for a bachelor in 1991. The Postmodern era interiors were both heavy-handed and dated, in need of a complete makeover. The existing bath, being somewhat compartmentalized, was buried deeply in the plan. It was further darkened by the deep gray granite floors and walls and black bath fixtures. Light entering through the skylight was immediately absorbed by the fixtures and finishes.

The owner’s decision to remove a pre-fabricated fireplace from the living room below the master bedroom allowed for a welcome reconfiguration of the master suite. The walk-in closet and bath compartments were removed, creating a dressing room with nearly double the usable closet space and a more open, light-filled bathroom. Finally, subtle-colored porcelain and glass tile, white composite fixtures, and translucent glass-paneled wood doors were implemented to reflect a simple modern lightness.

Owing to the existing spatial parameters of this narrow, urban row house, the existing kitchen was thick and monolithic in appearance and had limited utility. It contained an endless series of wall cabinets, which further compressed the narrow space. The existing island was over-scaled and largely unusable due to a large cooktop that occupied most of it. Our solution incorporates sustainable practices to create a light, open kitchen.

We began by diminishing the amount of wall storage and re-proportioning the island. Seating was moved from the island’s side to the end, allowing its overall width to be reduced. We also swapped the locations of the sink and cooktop. The existing cabinetry was retained; it was refinished with low-VOC paint and modified with frosted glazing for the wall cabinets. Durable quartz countertops were installed along with a backsplash made of back-painted glass with recycled content. Additionally, energy-saving appliances and plumbing fixtures were installed.