The owners of this 520 square foot, three-level studio loft had a few requests for Turett's design team: use sustainable materials throughout; incorporate an eclectic mix of bright colors and textures; gut everything...but preserve two decorative tiles from the existing bathroom for nostalgic value. TCA drew on its experience with 'green' materials to integrate FSC-certified wood flooring and kitchen cabinets, recycled mosaic glass tiles in the kitchen and bathrooms, no-VOC paint and energy efficient lighting throughout the space. One of the main challenges for TCA was separating the different programmatic areas -- kitchen, living room, and sleeping loft -- in an interesting way while maximizing the sense of space in a relatively small volume. The solution was a custom designed double-height screen of movable translucent panels that creates a hybrid room divider, feature wall, shelving system and guard rail.

The three levels distinguished by the system are connected by stainless steel open riser stairs with FSC-certified treads to match the flooring. Creating a setting for the preserved ceramic pieces led to the development of this apartment's one-of-a-kind hidden gem: a 5'x7' powder room wall made of 126 six-inch tiles -- each one unique -- organized by color gradation.

This complete renovation, from the plumbing fixtures and appliances to the hardware and finishes, is a perfect example of TCA's ability to integrate sustainable design principles with a client's individual aims.