Contemporary-Transitional NYC Loft Needs Polishing
As this is only a 'Concept' project I worked on the floor plan with a new arrangement of spaces and furniture. I described all my choices and the reasons why I think these are the best for your case. You're always free to rethink all of them or to change some details.
Remember that the details, the colors and the accessories you give at the end are very important for any environment, so a final touch is always needed, according to your taste.
If you need to replace the floor, I suggest to use always (or to keep) wooden flooring; it is natural, it is possible to fix it and replace small parts. It is healthy and warm during the winter. It can be more expensive but it last longer than any other and it can be sanded when needed.
For the walls, the white paint is always better, it reflects the light, it is fresh and it is appropriate in any kind of room. If you don't like white, you can go for some light creamy color, it is very nice as well and it goes perfectly with wooden furniture. Anyway if you would like to choose to add some color it is possible to paint a wall. I suggest to pick a wall which is not very busy and not too big and a color that you really like then paint just that wall, it will instantly change the look of that room. This is particularly indicated for the kid’s room, it will add a touch of color and fun.
The best improvement in the space you can make is by adding a room for your second daughter. The sisters sooner or later will need more space because they're growing. For this reason is better to make some changes now that you're renovating the apartment instead of doing it later on.
The living area together with the kitchen is a huge space and it can perfectly accommodate another bedroom. The internal walls are not expensive to build and you don't have to touch the floors if you don't need to for other reasons.
A bedroom needs to be at least 10 square meters and to have a window to cope with the regulation. The space indicated in the floor plan it is perfect for this purpose because it is about 15/16 m2 and it has a nice window. It is possible to regain some of the space you lose to build this room by adding a lot of storage in it, which it seems to be never enough.
One of the best solution for kid's room is to have the wardrobe as a 'bridge' above the bed. It will save a lot of floor space by adding so much storage. As it is shown on the floor plan, the two bedrooms have enough space to accommodate a single or a double bed (even a queen bed if it is needed) a large wardrobe, a study desk, a chest of drawers and more when the ladies will be older.
The glass sliding door (even with mirrors) are a very good idea to keep the apartment more open and you can use it as well for the second room as long as the glass surfaces give the necessary privacy inside the room when they are closed.
Since there is one more bedroom and a lot more storage space, the two small fitted wardrobe are not necessary anymore. Instead it is very useful to enlarge the bathroom a bit in order to create a first room separated to the second one so two people can use it at the same time. As my experience, four people with two bathrooms always struggle mainly in the morning.
The master bedroom it is too small to be divided in two parts and it has only one window so it will be very small in few years for the girls so the best way it's just to leave it as it is in order to save money and private space for the parents. Because it is spacious enough, it’s possible to add a chest of drawers to have even more storage.
It is a great idea to make a built in bookcase for the reading corner if you have the budget. In this case I suggest to build it large enough to accommodate the books but not too big in order to save space. I also suggest you to use white furniture or white/blacks in order to give more 'brightness' to the room, which otherwise may appear too dark because of the size of it. It is always better to use cabinet with glasses and wood doors as well as open shelves; it is better to alternate shelves with closed doors in order to give more flow to the wall and to have a space where to store objects.
It can be built a second shelf for the other wall, on the same style and color of the first one to have more space and to incorporate the TV as well. It will be very nice to have the same shelves on both walls. The television can be mounted on extendable arm that supports it and allows the TV to be moved so it is possible to watch it even from the dining table.
I suggest to furnish the area with a large sofa, the one you have its fine, and a small black coffee table. An element of dark color, like black or dark brown, in the room should always be present as a balance for the other colors, in this case the coffee table is great for this purpose. Also a nice colored carpet (dark red or velvet red that can combine well with the armchairs), can give a little softness and a touch of color and personality to the composition.
As a general rule, on the left side of the armchair it is always advisable to have a lamp (floor lamp or table lamp) in order to make the reading area more warm and comfortable.
The curtains on the windows can dramatically transform the environment. If properly chosen and properly installed they are elegant and superb. They can hide small defects of windows, light, or enhance the beauty of the landscape and interior itself. The best is to hang them for almost the entire height of the ceiling to give even more depth and luxury to the room. The best fabrics are semi-transparent falling in soft waves to partially hide the windows and slightly shield the bright light of the middle of the day.
The final touch to the room is given by minor adjustments, and then you always need to pay attention to how you arrange books and objects. The balance of forms, volumes and colors is always very important. As a general good rule is to have the objects in groups of three and do not overboard in wanting to show everything that you have in one room, too many items usually do not work together. The modern 'clean' style is mainly based on linearity and minimalism, but when it is combined with a touch of antique or rustic, as a wooden floor on an old piece of furniture, it can feels alive.