French Modern Townhouse

A tall, narrow townhouse with large black-trimmed windows, cream stone facade, and decorative details stands between two other buildings. A bare tree is in front, and plants line the balcony on the second floor. The sidewalk is empty.
A bright, elegant sitting area with cream walls, a fireplace, three wooden armchairs, and a glass display case on a pedestal. A black-and-white winter forest photo hangs above the fireplace. A hallway with a plant and more seating is visible.
A bright entryway features a wooden floor, a round table with a vase of white lilies, and a curved staircase with white spindles. A chair sits against the wall, and double doors with glass panes allow light into the hallway from outside. Elegant living room with white paneled walls, modern chandelier, marble fireplace, abstract art, neutral armchairs, beige sofa, light wood coffee table, books, table lamp, decorative sculpture, and sunlight filtering through sheer curtains.
Elegant living room with cream walls, a large abstract painting, beige sofa, armchairs, a rectangular coffee table, modern table lamp, framed art, gold chandelier, tall windows with light curtains, and potted plants adding a fresh touch.
Elegant living room with cream walls, large windows, beige curtains, a marble fireplace, beige rug, cushioned chairs, a grey sofa, a wooden coffee table with decor, lamps, plants, and a modern chandelier, all in soft natural light.
View looking up through the center of a spiral staircase with white railings and dark steps, creating a repeating oval shape. Natural light shines down from a circular skylight at the top, illuminating the curves and casting soft shadows along the walls.
View looking down a spiral staircase with beige carpeted steps and white spindles. The handrail is dark wood. At the bottom center, there is a small table with a plant on it, and a wooden chair nearby. The staircase creates a circular, hypnotic pattern.
A bright living area with a curved staircase, white railings, and dark wooden steps. Built-in bookshelves, two armchairs, a small side table, and framed art complete the cozy, modern room. Light streams in from windows in the adjacent space.
Elegant dining room with a long wooden table, eight cream upholstered chairs, dark walls, large mirror above a white fireplace, tall windows with beige curtains, chandelier, sideboard with candles, and decorative artwork on walls. Carpet with geometric pattern.
Elegant, warmly lit living room with wood-paneled walls, bookshelves, blue curtains, and plush brown seating. A glass coffee table with flowers is centered, and a large blue artwork hangs above a fireplace. Tall windows line one wall.
Bright kitchen with a large island, stainless steel sink, gas stove, white cabinets, and a dining table for four by tall windows with green curtains. Pendant lights hang above the island; purple flowers in vases add color.
Modern kitchen with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, dark wood floor, island with sink, and pendant lights. Wooden table with white chairs and purple flowers. Two rectangular trays of greenery on the island; bright, clean, and organized.
A bright hallway with cream walls leads to a sunlit room. On the left is a bathroom with a sink and toiletries. On the right, a dresser with a lamp, framed photographs, and decor sits beneath more framed art. Light pink curtains are visible in the far room.
A bright, narrow dressing room features white built-in cabinets and drawers, a modern white chair at a desk, a beige carpet, floral curtains on windows, a translucent stool, a table lamp, and a vase of white flowers. Walls and ceiling are white, with minimalist decor. A narrow, elegant walk-in closet with wooden shelves, drawers, hanging clothes, a lamp on a dresser, and a padded bench. A hallway leads to a bright room with a modern chandelier and white paneled doors in the background.
A modern white kids bedroom with a loft bed, a ladder, a blue striped rug, a bean bag, a desk with a chair, bookshelves, and a window with blue blinds. The desk has an open notebook, a pen, and a colorful molecule model.
Bright hallway with white walls and detailed molding, blue shaggy rug, and a blue laundry basket visible in a modern bathroom. The bathroom features double sinks, large mirrors, blue wall accents, and chrome fixtures. Art and a wire chair are partially visible on the right.
Bright playroom with green floor, white walls and furniture, two sofas, shelves with colorful toys, a desk with a computer, wooden chairs, beanbags, and large windows letting in ample sunlight. Artworks are displayed on the right wall.
Modern living room with large windows, a black grand piano, black sofa, white chairs, glass coffee table, and minimal decor. Neutral tones dominate, with bright natural light filling the space. Tall floor lamps and decorative objects accent the rooms clean, elegant design.
Modern staircase with dark wood railings and beige carpeted steps, leading to a landing with large windows. Sunlight streams in, illuminating white walls and a decorative circular sculpture near the window above the landing. A small red brick building with three black-trimmed glass doors and windows. A central staircase with black railings leads up to the middle door. Tall buildings are visible in the background and bushes frame the entrance. Bright, clear daylight.

French Modern Townhouse

When PPA began working on this 10,000 square foot townhouse, it was a shell. The main challenge lay in creating a seamless transition between the historic French neoclassical street facade and the interiors as well as designing a livable family home in this very vertical seven-story house. PPA struck a balance between a restrained classical and stripped modernist aesthetic. The more conservatively established public rooms and bedrooms levels, connected by a spiral stair, were made more family-friendly with pocket doors and comfortable sitting areas carved out of the landings. PPA expressed the top two penthouse levels containing exercise and music rooms as a modernist addition. Victoria Hagan’s decoration echoes the essence of the architecture, infusing the spaces with light and vitality.  

Partner-in-Charge: Thomas P. R. Nugent

Design Director: Gregory Gilmartin

Associate-in-Charge: Pui Ng

Associates: Nebojsa Savic, Anton Glikin, Irina Shumitskaya, Craig Stevens, Jennifer Smith, Tiffany Burke, Kristen Haller

Interior Design: Victoria Hagan Interiors 

Photography: Scott Frances

A tall, narrow townhouse with large black-trimmed windows, cream stone facade, and decorative details stands between two other buildings. A bare tree is in front, and plants line the balcony on the second floor. The sidewalk is empty.
A bright, elegant sitting area with cream walls, a fireplace, three wooden armchairs, and a glass display case on a pedestal. A black-and-white winter forest photo hangs above the fireplace. A hallway with a plant and more seating is visible.
A bright entryway features a wooden floor, a round table with a vase of white lilies, and a curved staircase with white spindles. A chair sits against the wall, and double doors with glass panes allow light into the hallway from outside.
Elegant living room with white paneled walls, modern chandelier, marble fireplace, abstract art, neutral armchairs, beige sofa, light wood coffee table, books, table lamp, decorative sculpture, and sunlight filtering through sheer curtains.
Elegant living room with cream walls, a large abstract painting, beige sofa, armchairs, a rectangular coffee table, modern table lamp, framed art, gold chandelier, tall windows with light curtains, and potted plants adding a fresh touch.
Elegant living room with cream walls, large windows, beige curtains, a marble fireplace, beige rug, cushioned chairs, a grey sofa, a wooden coffee table with decor, lamps, plants, and a modern chandelier, all in soft natural light.
View looking up through the center of a spiral staircase with white railings and dark steps, creating a repeating oval shape. Natural light shines down from a circular skylight at the top, illuminating the curves and casting soft shadows along the walls.
View looking down a spiral staircase with beige carpeted steps and white spindles. The handrail is dark wood. At the bottom center, there is a small table with a plant on it, and a wooden chair nearby. The staircase creates a circular, hypnotic pattern.
A bright living area with a curved staircase, white railings, and dark wooden steps. Built-in bookshelves, two armchairs, a small side table, and framed art complete the cozy, modern room. Light streams in from windows in the adjacent space.
Elegant dining room with a long wooden table, eight cream upholstered chairs, dark walls, large mirror above a white fireplace, tall windows with beige curtains, chandelier, sideboard with candles, and decorative artwork on walls. Carpet with geometric pattern.
Elegant, warmly lit living room with wood-paneled walls, bookshelves, blue curtains, and plush brown seating. A glass coffee table with flowers is centered, and a large blue artwork hangs above a fireplace. Tall windows line one wall.
Bright kitchen with a large island, stainless steel sink, gas stove, white cabinets, and a dining table for four by tall windows with green curtains. Pendant lights hang above the island; purple flowers in vases add color.
Modern kitchen with white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, dark wood floor, island with sink, and pendant lights. Wooden table with white chairs and purple flowers. Two rectangular trays of greenery on the island; bright, clean, and organized.
A bright hallway with cream walls leads to a sunlit room. On the left is a bathroom with a sink and toiletries. On the right, a dresser with a lamp, framed photographs, and decor sits beneath more framed art. Light pink curtains are visible in the far room.
A bright, narrow dressing room features white built-in cabinets and drawers, a modern white chair at a desk, a beige carpet, floral curtains on windows, a translucent stool, a table lamp, and a vase of white flowers. Walls and ceiling are white, with minimalist decor.
A narrow, elegant walk-in closet with wooden shelves, drawers, hanging clothes, a lamp on a dresser, and a padded bench. A hallway leads to a bright room with a modern chandelier and white paneled doors in the background.
A modern white kids bedroom with a loft bed, a ladder, a blue striped rug, a bean bag, a desk with a chair, bookshelves, and a window with blue blinds. The desk has an open notebook, a pen, and a colorful molecule model.
Bright hallway with white walls and detailed molding, blue shaggy rug, and a blue laundry basket visible in a modern bathroom. The bathroom features double sinks, large mirrors, blue wall accents, and chrome fixtures. Art and a wire chair are partially visible on the right.
Bright playroom with green floor, white walls and furniture, two sofas, shelves with colorful toys, a desk with a computer, wooden chairs, beanbags, and large windows letting in ample sunlight. Artworks are displayed on the right wall.
Modern living room with large windows, a black grand piano, black sofa, white chairs, glass coffee table, and minimal decor. Neutral tones dominate, with bright natural light filling the space. Tall floor lamps and decorative objects accent the rooms clean, elegant design.
Modern staircase with dark wood railings and beige carpeted steps, leading to a landing with large windows. Sunlight streams in, illuminating white walls and a decorative circular sculpture near the window above the landing.
A small red brick building with three black-trimmed glass doors and windows. A central staircase with black railings leads up to the middle door. Tall buildings are visible in the background and bushes frame the entrance. Bright, clear daylight.

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