A Noguchi ceiling light hangs above a vintage coffee table, stool, and chair from Somerset House. I like to keep the colors and textures of our designs aligned to the style of the buildings theyre in, Luks says. I want my clients to never have to renovate, so I prefer timeless finishes over trends that can date quickly.Its common as a New York City architect to make sweeping changes that can modify existing layouts for the better, she says. While we did that in small ways, we spent a lot of time thinking about this apartment in sections. With such a small footprint, we had to get creative about how we layered things on top of one another. The kitchen and bathroom were reconfigured for this era, and the grandfathered-in sunroom was entirely renovated so that it could flex as a dining room, office, and guest bedroom. We hung three of the four air handlers for central air from the existing ceiling structure in the living room, and then concealed them in dropped ceilings. The fourth one is actually concealed above the bookcases in the living room and closets in the bedroom. And that bookcase also conceals a wine fridge.Luks says that carrying out these changes was like solving a Rubiks cube instead of a jigsaw puzzle, but she enjoyed the challenge. And besides, its fun when everyone enjoys the same warm-yet-neutral palette. This is probably my dream kitchen in terms of color and finishes, she says. We chose the paint color together, which is Farrow & Balls Skylight, and then I ran with the millwork and layout.Luks found the slab from BAS Stone and paired it with cabinet knobs from Water Street Brass, a Waterworks faucet, and a Barclay sink. A Viking range also makes a statement.Farrow & Balls Skylight adds a subtle hint of color.After about two years of working as a team, Luks left the apartment to Sullivan and Pitt at the start of 2024. She had spent years researching the history of century-old homes, learning how to honor them. And she committed herself to finding just the right materials to meet present expectationsit took visiting five different outfitters to find that exact Stilton cheese kitchen countertop the owners requested. Luks wasnt surprised by how dedicated she was to this place. Perhaps she was just returning the favor.Its very important to me to create a connection between any project Im working on and the surrounding area, Luks says. Infusing the home with a sense of history has made it feel grounded and period appropriate.