Stephen Govel

Tuscan pool photo in Los Angeles

Photo of a mid-century modern drought-tolerant backyard water fountain landscape in Sacramento.

Riverview private house interior stainless steel and marble floating staircase 3D drawing Design and 3D drawings by Leo Kaz Design Inc.
Mid-sized trendy marble floating open and metal railing staircase photo in Toronto

Located in the heart of Manhattan’s Lower East Side, the building was erected on a shallow commercial lot between two 120 year old masonry buildings and a new residential rental building. 330 Grand Street is a mix of 725 SF 1BRs and 1050 SF 2BR apartments. It also contains a 1100 SF two story duplex as well as private and public rooftop space, large private balconies for most units and two large private terraces for the ground floor units. 330 Grand Street was originally designed and approved at the NYC DOB as a prefabricated modular building. During the pandemic, as shipping costs skyrocketed putting the project at risk, we suggested redesigning the building as a reinforced cast-in-place concrete structure. Concrete was readily available and prices had not been affected by the demand increase that many other materials suffered in the pandemic. We took this opportunity to raise floor to ceiling heights, enlarge high performance windows and redistribute the buildings MEPFS and Structural Systems to create very open floor plans. The challenge was to create a luxurious sensorial living experience with very limited means. In a city with very high construction costs, low cost residential buildings in the area are usually devoid of good quality, design and character. Our approach was to aim high for the end user, prioritizing natural light, open space with long visual perspectives, high ceilings and as always, rejecting the use of predefined building templates. Our biggest challenge was to ensure that the small spaces feel as clean cut, large and bright as possible. Several unique design decisions were made to ensure low cost and high quality; Floor plans were laid out so that spaces were wide open and free of clutter from mechanical or structural interruptions. Therefore all infrastructure was placed in lateral demising walls, which in turn act as the unit’s storage and kitchen. The apartments feel wide open, are super quiet and have more storage space than any other comparable apartment in the city. To solve the problem of the site’s shallow commercial lot which is typically prone to dark interior spaces we focused our attention on the building’s envelope. Instead of the usual small punched window openings, oversized high performance windows were designed to ensure that light penetrated as far as possible into the units. In the smaller 1BR units, the full 50’ depth of the lot is perceived by partitioning spaces with sliding pocket doors that can be retracted to allow deep visual perspectives, making the sight lines in the space feel longer, larger, more ample than normal. In addition to the full height glazing, each unit above the 2nd floor receives a 7 foot covered balcony, adding 120 to 240 sf to each apartment, something unusual in New York City buildings. The space is large enough for a full size dining table, when the weather permits being outside. We also worked hard to ensure modularity. For example, all kitchen units are all identical throughout the building. The idea of modularity and the economy of the repetitive unit is exercised to the maximum through the building. Hardware, appliances, flooring, wall coverings and material finishes are all carefully selected to feel bespoke, high quality and unique. It was important to KURV that the result of this work manifest into something that would deeply connect with the end user and sustain relationships with the consumers of this space. All images by KURV Architecture ©

A modern mix of charcoal grey stain and antique wire glass cabinets with a black farm sink combine with a walnut kitchen island for a warm and hard working kitchen. The dark palette adds drama but was actually a solution to mitigate nighttime reflections on the opposite windows that had ruined the view.

Elegant living room photo in Los Angeles

Living room - victorian living room idea in DC Metro

When working on our exterior projects, we do our best to hide all fasteners. It;s a cleaner look, and improves the performance of the fasteners themselves.

The close floor view shows small black hexagons arranged within a white hex-tile field. This repeating mosaic pattern brings French bistro character to the project, linking kitchen and bathroom floors through a consistent geometric detail and clean black-and-white contrast. Cedarstone Renovations connected this Toronto kitchen and bathroom project with black-and-white hex tiles and gold accents. Bathroom updates, a refreshed powder room and repainted kitchen cabinet doors create a coordinated interior with a French bistro influence. Explore bathroom renovations, kitchen cabinet updates and tile installation at www.cedarstonereno.com.

Photography by Jen Steele
Example of an urban home office design in Vancouver

Raised birch trees on black suede walls
Inspiration for an eclectic powder room remodel in Cleveland

No Fault recently had the pleasure of completing Tirrill Park Playground Project, or what is affectionately called the “Rawrrr with Colton Playground.” Located in Manchester, Iowa, this park, dedicated to the memory of an area child, Colton Meyer, whose life was sadly cut short, serves as a beautiful memorial. Inlaid dinosaurs and dinosaur footprints give a nod to Colton’s favorite animal. We’re honored to have taken part in this project and are thankful to have had the chance to team up with Boland Recreation for another great playground design. What's also great about this surfacing s that it's available for use in your residential play area!

Photos: Richard Law Digital
Inspiration for a large contemporary home design remodel in New York with two islands

Example of a minimalist wooden glass railing staircase design in New York with wooden risers

maverick painting
Huge mountain style wooden spiral staircase photo in San Diego