Just What the Doctor Ordered

A surgeon’s penthouse in a unique new building is as masculine as it is beautiful.

by Eileen Smith Dallabrida Published August 13, 2009 at 03:00 PM

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The living area opens to a large, open-air balcony situated high above the street. Photograph by Thom Thompson

Mary Anne Ellis makes homes feel better, diagnosing their ailments and finding just the right remedy.

When the interior designer was asked to create an inviting space for an orthopedic surgeon, she started with the bones of the home: the blueprints.

“It’s great working with that blank canvas,” she says. “You don’t have nearly as much flexibility after the walls go up.”

Ellis improved the condo’s circulation by relocating the washer and dryer, which had been sited just off the entry to the unit. That created a grander foyer, where the homeowner could display a large bronze of a bison.

She also did a bit of reconstructive surgery on the floor plan, transforming a third bedroom into a cozy den. And the third full bath was reconfigured into a powder room, repurposing the space captured from the tub as a custom cupboard with deep pull-out drawers.

“The new layout is much more in keeping with the way the client lives,” she says. “He didn’t need a third bedroom, but he enjoys his den each and every day.”

But what sets the penthouse apart is a large, open-air balcony, which is ensconced in a leafy oak. It’s a tree house of sorts. The only reminders of the urban setting are views of architectural moldings and mansard roofs. “You would never imagine this condo was in the middle of a city,” says designer Mary Anne Ellis. “It’s peaceful and tranquil.”

The condo is located in Washington House in Newark, a new building on the site of the old Stone Balloon, the former rock ’n’ roll landmark on Main Street. It’s a pedestrian friendly site close to shops and restaurants.

But what sets the penthouse apart is a large, open-air balcony, which is ensconced in a leafy oak. It’s a tree house of sorts, a green and serene oasis high above the bustling street. The only reminders of the urban setting are views of the architectural moldings and mansard roofs on neighboring buildings built in the 19th century.

“You would never imagine this condo was in the middle of a city,” Ellis says. “It’s peaceful and tranquil.”

The condo has a loft-like upper level, which is outfitted with a circular oak table that does double duty on poker night. Flip the top, and it becomes a game table.