Adding a freestanding wall is a cost-efficient way to change a space, Skriloff said, noting that the cost for the closets, including adjustable shelving, and new headboard and bed in the Chichester house bedroom was about $2,000.
Taking down walls is also an option, particularly in opening up the kitchen, which better suits today’s more casual life style. That’s what he did in a redesign of a prewar, Upper West Side condo. Because the kitchen is now visible from the living room — the effect is of a Soho loft — Skriloff also made it all white and sleek, hiding the microwave and toaster ovens and other clutter in floor-to-ceiling closets. A row of stools are lined up along a counter, which backs onto the living room, and faces a wall, free of cabinetry, that is used to exhibit artwork, including a large photograph reworked and enlarged by the owner, which hangs over the stove. Even though it is mainly hidden, the storage space has been increased five-fold, he said.
Making an entrance
One common waste of space is an unused front door. For a client in Boiceville, Skriloff moved the front door to the side of the house, adjacent to the parking area. He transformed the rear sunroom, which had been a den, into the kitchen, and put the new front door where the kitchen had been. The office is now located in the former dinette. The entranceway now leads directly to the stairs, with the living and dining rooms on the left side of the new hall and the kitchen and office on the right, making the space work more efficiently.
In his redesign of a 1960s ranch, the three-car garage became the living room, and the former living room is now the entrance. “We took the front window out and put in a door,” he said, noting the placement of two wing chairs creates a welcoming entranceway. The previous entrance foyer is now a small office.
No matter the size or layout of your abode, the sky’s the limit, provided you approach the space with imagination, awareness of its true functionality, and an open mind. If money is tight, remember that it’s vision, not bucks, that truly makes the difference.
