- Interior
In this Park Avenue Prewar Apartment, Michael K. Chen left a playful mark. Light, colour and openness are central here and make this family home a contemporary interior gem full of unique art and design objects and something special in every room.
Michael K. Chen is the founder of Michael K. Chen Architecture (MKCA) and the designer who put his teeth into this beautiful project in New York. The prewar apartment of over 250 m2 was completely renovated and redecorated for a young family. The communal space such as the living room, dining room and entrance hall were maximized and the dark storage and service areas were transformed into functional and contemporary living elements. In the historical plan, the layout was very segmented. MKCA opened up the spaces and provided circulation between the rooms and a more open feeling. "We start each project, large or small, looking for a flexible spatial organization, where spaces can slide into each other and overlap with each other," says Michael K. Chen. In the living and dining area, for example, the small doorways were enlarged and replaced by glass sliding walls with black metal. 
The apartment is filled with unique pieces of furniture, art and design objects and striking colours.
The apartment is filled with unique pieces of furniture, art and design objects and striking colours. For example, we find blue seats, a yellow carpet, pink walls and burgundy chairs. All together this forms a playful interior full of natural light. In the living room there is a beautiful fireplace of grey onyx and bronze which is complemented by a vintage 'Fontana Arte' mirror above it. The blue round sofa was designed by MKCA itself. "The round shape was very useful. We wanted the sofa to be the centerpiece of the room and to be large enough for the whole family," says Chen. We also find a sculptural chair by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and poufs around a vintage copper coffee table. If you go on to the dining room, you'll be welcomed by soft pink walls. The large black table of steel and gold leaf was designed by Alex Drew and No One and is surrounded by vintage 'Joe Colombo' chairs in alternating blue and burgundy.
MKCA is known for its craftsmanship and the design of unique and playful interiors with a sublime and special finish. Always looking for something new and different, Michael K. Chen also turned this prewar apartment into a harmonious whole with something surprising wherever you look.
Images © Michael K. Chen Architecture, Final Photography by Brooke Holm