Casual Country in the City

A road closure forced real estate agent Randy Florke to detour through uptown Manhattan one day. When he remembered an invite he'd received from a former client to see his new home in Harlem, Florke called up his friend and made plans to stop by.

Upon arriving at the client's quiet cobblestone street in Harlem Heights, Florke saw that one of the neighboring 19th-century row houses happened to be for sale. He soon bought it and so became the beginnings of a new, yet unexpected place for a dream house.

Occupying the entire ground level of the house — originally the servants' quarters — the family room is actually made up of parts: the kitchen, the dining area, the play area and the living space. As a family, Florke, his partner Sean Maloney and their three kids use this space "24/7". Its open floor plan allows them to be in separate rooms but still be together; and its casual, country style allows everyone to feel comfortable.