Architecture Wednesday: In a Class of Its Own … 16 Minetta Lane

This exceptional home delivers an imaginative blend of two lifestyles—a house within a house—this home was created as an homage to the trees that once lined the Minetta Brook, which flowed beneath the home. Architect Adam Kushner has created a one-of-kind 4 bedroom, 4.5 bath home filled with whimsy and purpose, situated in a now landmarked district of New York City.

Inside an Italian wrought iron gate, which serves as the front door to the original building, is the front courtyard of the new home, a charming place to enjoy a morning coffee, this area also features useful storage and an outdoor shower.

A second gate leads you into the hub of this home, the kitchen. Here rustic meets modern as sleek marble counters and backsplash complement wood hand hewn from upstate trees which make up the floors, walls, cabinets and includes a bar made of an eye-catching slice of live-edged red oak. Aside from top-of-the-line appliances such as double ovens, six-burner stove with grill, and a kitchen fireplace is set up for cooking at counter height.

The kitchen is also the connector to the interior courtyard, which leads to the lower level, laundry room and offers access to the carriage house. A roomy, three-sided glass elevator suspended between the buildings allows for easy travel to the floor of your choice while enjoying the sight of your own private, breathtaking 83’ high rock-climbing wall in that interior courtyard.

The showstopper in this home is the second floor with 23’ high ceilings and a fireplace framed by timbers from the Hudson Valley. The opposite wall becomes a changeable art piece with stacked wood, which changes as wood is burned in the fireplace and new wood is replaced in the stack. Light floods through custom built south facing windows that start at the base of the staircase, curve and rise to the ceiling.

Continuing up the stairs, landings between floors provide options for a home office, library, playroom. Sunlight streams through 17’ floor to ceiling windows, filtered by vine covered lattice designed to evoke leaves on a tree.

Head to the third-floor meditation room for some time alone where a wall of floor-to-ceiling, south-facing accordion windows open onto a grass-planted balcony enhancing the room’s serene atmosphere. Soothing breezes flow when floor to ceiling windows facing north are opened. During cold weather radiant floors and a wood burning fireplace wrap you in comfort. Upstairs on the fourth floor are two bedrooms divided by a sliding door can be made into one with an ensuite bath. On the fifth floor is the intimate primary suite with its own lattice shaded balcony, woodburning fireplace, and ensuite bath.

The rooftop lounge offers beautiful village views, a mini kitchen and is the landing deck for the rock-climbing wall. Across the interior courtyard on the third floor, at the top of the carriage house sits a fully equipped gym encased in glass where you can work out with the stars, listen to the rain, watch snow fall.

On the second floor of the carriage house is the guest bedroom with an ensuite bath; from here stairs lead you down to an all-purpose room on the first floor where, tucked under the kitchen, is the cellar with its original stone foundation and wood beams and another wood-burning fireplace create a large entertaining space complete with a corner bar, full bath and wet sauna.

And it’s yours for &20M!!!

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