The Secret To This East Village Apartment's Creative Energy? Grit, And Never Feeling "Too Overly Polished Or Pristine"
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A redesign of an East Village loft by Evan Edward retains its exposed brick, timber and other signs of the building’s history while making the open space feel warmer and more intimate. Designer Joshua Evan Goldfarb says the goal was to preserve the neighborhood’s grit and creative character, not create a pristine interior.

New York design firm Evan Edward has revisited an East Village loft it first designed more than 15 years ago, preserving its exposed brick, timber and irregularities while using lighting, furniture and layered materials to make the open-plan home feel warmer and more intimate. In a Livingetc feature, designer and firm co-founder Joshua Evan Goldfarb says the redesign was intended to retain the neighborhood’s creative character rather than make the apartment feel overly polished.

Goldfarb told Livingetc that the loft’s history provided the starting point for the renewed design. The team sought to respect its original architecture, including brick walls, timber and rooftop volumes, while adding warmth and sophistication. The feature does not give a date for the redesign or identify the apartment’s residents.

The interior draws on 1970s design through low-slung furniture, rich woods, smoked and brushed metals, and Bordeaux tones, but Goldfarb said the intent was not to reproduce a single period. Instead, the furnishings and finishes bring different eras together. Vintage pieces sit alongside contemporary ones, while aged materials retain visible patina.

The project also addresses the practical challenge of making a large loft feel comfortable without giving up its open character. Rather than adding walls, the designers used furniture placement, rugs, lighting and changes in materials to distinguish areas. The feature highlights sculptural seating, including an Adrian Pearsall plinth sofa and a large U-shaped sectional, as well as teak and rosewood tables by Andrianna Shamaris. A dining-room pendant by Angelo Lelii and a wood kitchen are among the other pieces and spaces discussed.

At a glance
reportWhen: Published in a Livingetc feature; the o…
The developmentLivingetc has published a profile of Evan Edward’s redesign of an East Village loft, describing how the project balances historic materials and a lived-in look with a quieter, more comfortable interior.

How the Loft Balances Open Space

The project illustrates a design approach that treats an older building’s quirks as part of its character, rather than details to conceal. That has practical relevance for people adapting open-plan or historic homes: rugs, lighting and furniture arrangements can help establish distinct uses without installing new partitions, although the feature does not assess costs or compare this approach with construction.

Its central tension is between the apartment’s setting and its function as a home. The designers kept references to the East Village’s grit and history, while making the interior darker, quieter and more enveloping than the streets outside. The result, as described by the designer and publication, aims to combine local character with a retreat-like feel, rather than choosing one over the other.

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A Design Revisited After 15 Years

Goldfarb said Evan Edward first designed the apartment more than 15 years before returning to it. The later work gave the team an opportunity to reconsider the space while preserving features that had made it distinctive. The Livingetc account does not specify when the original project took place or how much of the apartment was changed in the redesign.

The loft’s older Manhattan building presented constraints, Goldfarb said: its surfaces and architectural elements were not perfectly straight or uniform. The designers chose to work around those conditions and retain their visible character. Exposed brick, blue-painted beams and rooftop volumes are described as part of the home’s architectural identity, set against contemporary furnishings and richer finishes.

“It was never our goal to take a loft like this and make it feel overly polished or pristine.”

— Joshua Evan Goldfarb, designer and Evan Edward co-founder, speaking to Livingetc

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Project Details Not Disclosed

The Livingetc feature does not state the exact date of the redesign, its budget, the apartment’s size, or which elements were replaced or newly introduced. It also does not identify the owners or provide their account of the work. The design’s effects on comfort or daily use are presented through the designer’s description, not independent measurements or resident testimony.

The article describes the loft’s materials and selected furnishings but does not provide a full inventory, construction scope or information about any approvals required for work in the older building. Claims about the apartment as a retreat or about how well its different areas function should be understood as the project’s design intent, not quantified outcomes.

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No Further Project Milestone Listed

The source article presents the completed redesign and includes no announced next phase, opening date or follow-up project milestone. Readers can expect further details only if Evan Edward or the residents share them; no additional work or timeline is confirmed in the report.

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Key Questions

What changed in the East Village loft?

Evan Edward revisited a loft it had designed more than 15 years earlier. The feature describes a redesign that retains brick, timber and other historic character while adding warmth through furnishings, lighting, rugs and layered materials. The full scope of changes is not provided.

Who led the design?

Joshua Evan Goldfarb, co-founder of Evan Edward, discussed the project with Livingetc. The article identifies Goldfarb and fellow co-founder Michael Edward Moirano as founders of the New York- and Miami-based design firm.

How did the designers make the open loft feel more intimate?

Goldfarb said the team used furniture placement, rugs, lighting and material changes to define areas instead of adding unnecessary walls. The report does not provide measurements or an assessment of how the arrangement works for residents.

What remains unknown about the project?

The feature does not disclose the redesign date, budget, apartment size, full construction scope or the residents’ views. It also does not say whether further work is planned.

Source: rss

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