Originally constructed in 1995 as an artist work/live studio building, the Mecca has been home to tons of painters, musicians and sculptors. One of the owners recently confirmed that Sarah McLachlan was one of the original owners.

This modern double height loft apartment designed by Victoreric, known for their elegant and timeless designs. Take a look, this is a fine example of what everyone thinks when you say ‘loft’

The architects accepted the challenge and soon discovered the hidden beauty of the sloped ceilings, converting them into a row of skylights for the seamless flow of natural light into the three-decade-old living space that opens into a balcony terrace. Using their creativity, the architectural team found out a way to reveal the spectacular yet concealed view of the city that once lay hidden behind the slopped ceiling.

Deliberately choosing to create a space that provided a home-like ambience in a hotel setting, the G Architects Studio team exposed the unique character of the bare concrete apartment and added an oomph factor by introducing typical hotel features and achieving harmony between the old and the new. The marriage of raw industrial finishes with modern day amenities has helped make it a more welcoming space for people who seek home comforts in an apartment rental, exposing guests to the “real culture of Tokyo.” The magnificently decked bare concrete space now boasts an inviting bar area and a cozy freestanding bathtub.

Making the best use of the industrial attic interior, the architects used soft painting techniques on the raw concrete walls to create a panoramic effect of the traditional Japanese Washi paper, uniquely lifting the aesthetics and adding to the beauty of the interiors. The astounding effect of spray painting A4 sheets of resin and then removing them is clearly imminent in the form of a spiral-like texture, beautifully blending the old and the new walls and adding to the overall appeal of the setting.

Other forms of aesthetically beautiful introduction to the otherwise boring bare concrete space are the wooden floorboards and the exposed plumbing features and electrical wires in dark orange hues, designed to perfection to enhance the industrial look.

As the first model for similar projects involving bare concrete loft, the G Architects Studio project offers architectural hope for rejuvenating other disused “pencil buildings” in Tokyo. Built in the 1980s during Japan’s economic growth, these uniquely constructed buildings stand tall on a land disproportionate to their altitude.

The interior of the apartment is contemporary and rich in details, integrating artistic elements with industrial ones. The predominant color on the walls and ceiling is white and a dark reflective floor offers contrast along with the dark tones of the side walls that are painted black.

The overall neutral tones create a very elegant ambiance with long white curtains adding privacy and large windows allowing a good view of the surroundings. The lounge area is separated from the kitchen through a large island and the second floor is accessed through a spiraling staircase that also acts as a sculptural element in the living area. Another interesting characteristic of this space is that there is a separate room for the motorcycle so that it also becomes a part of the ambiance.

The Wrigley Lofts are the real deal. This is the type of place you picture when you think of a hard loft. No cookie-cutters here. There are multiple lofts in this former factory – each unit is unique with different finishes and layouts – from the floors to the lighting. The first owners got the space from the developer about as raw as possible so each person put their own stamp on their unit. Because the ceilings are so extraordinary, many units have a mezzanine level and some even have direct freight-elevator access. Like in the movies. Except you are the hero.

Suites feature original industrial windows, 14-foot ceilings, original concrete mushroom-style columns and the exposed pipes and duct work that one would expect in a true hard loft conversion. One of the best things about this building is the uniqueness of individual suites. Original purchasers of this building bought raw space from the developer for about $100/square foot, and each owner made these blank canvasses their own – consequently no two suites in the building are alike.

Yet, in the end, made the decision to give the loft a complete modern transformation, creating a striking visual aesthetic with open spaces for entertaining that the homeowners could enjoy for years to come. Greater functionality, clean lines and an enhanced material palette are just some of the details that were improved.

The kitchen features custom stained oak cabinetry and White Macauba quartzite countertops. The upper cabinets are covered with perforated metal panels. The oven, steam oven, cooktop, and warming drawer are Gaggenau. The refrigerator is Sub-Zero. The barstools are from Holly Hunt.

The 3,000-square-foot home is an open-plan space designed for entertaining.

The fireplace is located at the original chimney stack of the building. Robb Studio created a sculptural fireplace using exposed concrete, steel, and Shou-sugi-ban wood for the hearth seat.

A SHY 04 pendant light from Bec Brittain adorns the master bath. The custom vanity is made from oak charred with Shou sugi ban. The fixtures are Grohe.

Chicago-based STUDIO GILD is the compelling story of three talented designers — Melissa Benham, Jennie Bishop and Kristen Ekeland — who have joined forces to create a fresh and approachable interior design firm. Founded in January 2014 the collective draws from its principals’ experience in residential, hospitality, retail, commercial and graphic design. Taking inspiration from fashion, art and architecture, Studio Gild infuses each project with whimsy and sophisticated style.

Mister Martin, a skilled banjo player and pianist, a semi-retired actor with four dozen films under his belt, a screenwriter, occasional playwright and the author of a slew of books, purchased the two parcels that comprise the estate’s 5.86 rolling acres and the arrestingly unconventional Roland Coate Jr.-designed residence that crowns its most prominent hilltop in early 1995 for an unknown amount.

A gated drive makes a sweeping, serpentine path under dense canopies of mature specimen trees up to a pancake flat blacktopped motor court that isn’t quite but might as well be the roof of the muscular and decidedly bunker-like residence. Current listing details and other online resources show the partially subterranean dwelling was built entirely — we’re talking floors, walls and ceilings — of poured concrete in 1974, with four generously proportioned bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms in the 7,377-square-foot main house plus two more bedrooms and a bathroom in an also bunker-like detached guesthouse.

Exposed and unadorned poured concrete walls, ceilings, pillars and pony walls in the ample living and dining rooms are slightly if monochromatically softened with concrete-colored wall-to-wall carpeting, while both public and private spaces are enlivened with puffy, multicolored sofas, chairs and poufs, elevated by a collection of impressive artworks, provided a soupçon of earthiness with natural wood furnishings and, ultimately, relieved of some of the industrial intensity by cinematic expanses of glass panels and steel-framed French doors that provide both intimate views of the property and magnanimous sunset vistas that sweep over the Pacific all the way to the all-but-unspoiled Channel Islands.

Red brick terraces add a shock of color under foot, and step down the hillside to a partially shaded lounging terrace that forms a peninsula in the bullet-shaped swimming pool that’s wonderfully flush with the simple, grassy landscape that rings it but does not, this property gossip is pleased to report, flood the car with the unnecessary melodramatics of an infinity edge. Much of the property remains ruggedly wooded and there’s a detached three-car garage attached to the backside of the guesthouse.

Like many wealthy and successful entertainment industry mandarins, the Emmy-, Grammy- and (honorary) Oscar-winning Mister Martin, the 69-year-old father of a toddler and one of Tinseltown’s top collectors of contemporary artworks, maintains an impressive portfolio of private residences. In addition to a humbly scaled if not exactly cheap one bedroom and one bathroom pied-à-terre in a distinguished building just off New York City’s Central Park West that he picked up in April 2008 for $885,000, Mister Martin also and owns Villa Au Soleil, a hilltop compound with panoramic sea views on the global glitterati-approved French West Indies island of St. Barts. Mister Martin has had his island getaway on and off the sales and rental markets for years and — as it turns out — is currently listed for sale at about $8.9 million and is also available to rent by the week at rates between $16,000 and $28,000. Back on the West Coast, Mister Martin owns a two-residence compound on a barely there cul-de-sac deep in the mountains above Beverly Hills. He acquired the first of the two properties, a 0.68 spread with a 7,000-square-foot-plus house, in early 1995 for $3,175,000 from Corbin Bernsen and Amanda Pays, and he picked up the neighboring 1.02-acre property in the fall of 1997 for an undisclosed amount.

By U.S. standards New York is a pretty old city, and over the years New Yorkers have been pretty diligent about preserving its historic architecture. As we head into the future, we’re seeing more and more old industrial buildings being transformed into beautiful homes. A great example is this Upper East Side penthouse in a water tower that is not only awesome in concept, but is also stunning to look at. Lili and Lee Siegelson, the couple who own the immaculate home, worked with Olson Kundig Architects, and together they transformed two floors of the building into an apartment big enough for their happy family.

When Olson Kundig Architects began an overhaul of the apartment five years ago, Lee had been living there for a half-decade, having purchased the eccentric tower space — effectively the building’s 18th floor, and tall enough to have its own small mezzanine — as a bachelor in 2004. After he married Lili and they had two kids, the couple added the (much more conventional) 17th floor, and now they had to figure out how to put it all together. “At some point,” says Tom Kundig, principal of Olson Kundig, “you just go, ‘At what point are we grown up? When do we start to make a true home?’ They might not agree with that,” he adds, starting to laugh, “but I see it all the time.”

Making a true home entailed completely gutting the 18th floor and cutting a stairwell through from below. The architects custom-designed many of the interior fittings, including a banquette-bench-table dining nook in the corner of the living room. Their polished refinements of utilitarian materials can be seen in details like the exposed-pulley handle that opens the upper windows. The Siegelsons “came to us because of our industrial sensibility,” Kundig says. “What I think of as industrial is authentic; it embraces the function of the place, the materials, and it’s an expression of how it all works together, and that is what they really liked.” To that end, they left the exposed brick walls alone and used steel-chain mesh to cover the huge arched windows in the living room, which extend nearly to the 19-foot ceiling. “It’s really tough and filters the light, and it’s never going to deteriorate in the sun.” They also added a fireplace and chimney — which, if you think about it, is a little funny with all that water overhead. “Thousands of gallons, just right up there above the apartment!” says one of Kundig’s colleagues when I mention it. No wonder the surrounding rooftop garden is so green.

The Grace Tower was built in 2008 and features a distinctive design that includes Italian inspired courtyards and stunning walk up townhouses. The building is characterized by its arched windows, rounded balconies, and gargoyles. Perhaps, one of the city’s most inspired buildings, its visual uniqueness in comparison to the city’s other buildings, adds to the appeal.

Each interior unveils decorating details that exude elegance and sophistication. As you step from one room to the next, the porcelain floors and rich Mozambique millwork ensure a smooth transition. The most spectacular part of the property is the en-suite bedroom on the last level with cathedral ceilings. It is currently listed for sale for $7,899,000. Have a look at the video for the virtual tour and let us know what you think!

There are two direct elevators opening into a private foyer, the Elysium Penthouse features porcelain floors, rich Mozambique millwork througout, and an insuite private elevator.

The penthouse also boasts of its fair share of technological features, which include – climate controlled wine storage area (crafted from glass), Gaggenau appliances, geothermal heating, smart air-conditioning, ethanol fire places and a security system (with bio-metric fingerprint recognition). Finally, these advanced albeit ritzy attributes are bolstered by host of utility zones like a concierge, indoor/outdoor pool and spa fitness facility. So, at the end of the day, the scope is not only about intangible opulence (for sake of opulence), but also encompasses the qualities of comfort and safety.

The master bath contains a large soaking tub, an enclosed showering room, and separate enclosed toilet as well as two vanity sink areas all done up in the same porcelain, wood, and grey marble of the rest of the house.

This loft of 115 sq. meters located in the heart of Kyiv, Ukraine. A project is executed in style of loft with the use of great number of characteristic elements. An apartment is in new building in the center of city.

The architects’ starting point was to create a loft for a gentleman, rather than a hipster. Martin Architects came up with a bold design that’s not for the shy and retiring. A glass paned wall partly conceals a bedroom from the main living space, which faces an open kitchen, with a fire set ingeniously into its units.

The bold space is adorned with raw brick, cement and wood alongside refreshing designer furniture pieces. A wall of plants framed by reclaimed wood adds both a witty touch and greenery to a dining area. Colours throughout are masculine greys and browns, with yellow accents in rugs and lights, while exposed concrete forms the backdrop to an adventurously-styled bathroom.

The most important feature of this Kyiv Loft is furniture and elements of decor, which were made Ukrainian masters, companies and designers. Furniture of Igor Martin, developed for a company HIS (Home Ideas Supply), made debut in this project. The apartment is also a smart house; everything can be done through a smartphone.

An absolutely stunning example of modern loft design with a masculine touch.

The expansive main living area boasts 25-foot ceilings truly making a grand statement. In this room, they kept a neutral, cohesive palette helping to unify each of the designated spaces.

The kitchen is pretty minimalist as not to compete with the historic glass it’s centered around.

White oak floors keep the mostly white space from feeling too cold and stark.

The fireplace is clad in quartz that goes straight to the ceiling.

The living room fireplace is back-to-back with a smaller version in the media room.