This apartment in the East Village in the East Village transforms a floor-through one-bedroom and the duplex above into a three-story home, with a floor for the kids, a floor for the parents, and a floor for the family.

The main living space – an open-plan living/dining room with an attached kitchen – visually revolves around the striking staircase that unites what was originally two apartments. Placed out of necessity against the windows, the stair is practically transparent, with a thin solid steel structure, open risers, and open stainless steel netting. Around it, a small double-height area creates an unexpected relationship with the primary bedroom, which looks out through a large circular window.

The project was an opportunity to experiment with color and art. A set of original 1978 panels from Venturi Scott Brown’s Best store pairs with a bright red Jasper Morrison couch. Ikea kitchen cabinets are dressed up with zebrawood veneer. A bright yellow stair hall leads to the kids’ floor – jolting the family awake in the morning and hosting a small circular window into the kids’ room, where the parents wave goodnight after putting the kids to bed.