All articles by Jason Carpenter

Jason is a New York writer who has contributed to many design, renovation, and real estate publications including This Old House, Home, and Habitat magazine. He was a founding editor of The Franklin Report, a home design guide in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. He’s also a ghost writer of numerous business and health books, as well as a producer of web documentaries and how-to videos. Jason’s work has appeared in a wide range of publications ranging from Consumer Reports to Maxim to Businessweek. Follow him on Twitter @carpyeditor.

Where to Find the Most Incredible Staircases in New York City

Images courtesy of Steven Holl Architects

July 5, 2016

Where to Find the Most Incredible Staircases in New York City

By Jason Carpenter

Stairs let interior designers show off their best combination of form and function. The flagship stores, public works, and designer condos of New York make for the perfect opportunities to test the boundaries of practicality and beauty in design. Here are seven of the most beautiful and interesting staircase designs to be found in New York City.
See our staircase gallery here

Where to Find the NYC Haunts and Houses of Famous Writers

July 28, 2015

Where to Find the NYC Haunts and Houses of Famous Writers

By Jason Carpenter

New York City has always been a hub for writers. Whether they were living in luxury or getting their start as starving artists, famous writers have lived and worked all across New York, and you can still see many of these writerly abodes today. Whether you're a fan of the Beat Generation, Sci-Fi, or even Southern Gothic, you might be interested in tracking down a famous writer's home.
See where writers lived and worked here

Pepsodent, Camel, and Yashica: The Ads and Architecture of Old Times Square

July 20, 2015

Pepsodent, Camel, and Yashica: The Ads and Architecture of Old Times Square

By Jason Carpenter

Everyone has an opinion on the ways Times Square has changed over the decades, but the basic look has been a different variation on the same theme since the late 19th century: Classic architecture covered in gigantic advertisements. Take a trip back in time with us through some pictures ahead—you might be surprised by what kinds of things used to be displayed in this Midtown hub.
See the ads of Old Times Square this way

<b>Historic Post Offices: Architectural Masterpieces That Are More than Just Places to Drop Mail</b>

October 22, 2014

Historic Post Offices: Architectural Masterpieces That Are More than Just Places to Drop Mail

By Jason Carpenter

The Federal government has dabbled in several architectural styles over the years when designing New York City post offices. From outdated baroque in the late 1800's to New Deal-era Art Moderne, all of these historic buildings seem to share two characteristics: grandiose and massive. We've rounded up here some of the greatest architectural stunners, which also showcase the evolution of historic post office architecture in the city (and almost make waiting an hour in line to mail one letter bearable).
See more of NYC's historic post offices here

Coney Island Design: “Defending the Honor of American Pop Culture”

Image © Javier Ignacio Acuña Ditzel

September 25, 2014

Coney Island Design: “Defending the Honor of American Pop Culture”

By Jason Carpenter

Coney Island is an entertainment destination in New York, with its beach and amusement park rides, but it is also a city center for weirdo culture and kitsch. The neighborhood's aesthetic has developed into something like an early 20th century carnival surrounded by '60s and '70s storefronts which may or may not be conscious of their dated designs. So the question is, how do you design a new building in a neighborhood which is so identified with an attractively shabby, authentically dated look? Buildings like the Coney Island Museum face that difficulty with each passing year.
See the retro Americana design of Coney Island here

Architecture And Design

<b>Our Top 10 Event Picks for Archtober 2014</b>

September 24, 2014

Our Top 10 Event Picks for Archtober 2014

By Jason Carpenter

New York City's architecture and design month is almost here. "Archtober" is 31 days of architecture and design events, including talks, tours, receptions, and festivals. There are dozens of events for you to check out, but we've hand-picked ten that will give you a well-rounded and memorable Archtober.
Find out here what events to check out

<b>A La Sagrada Familia in Manhattan? See the Unbuilt NYC Gaudí</b>

Gaudi’s proposed building in the New York skyline, as imagined by the TV show “Fringe.” Image © FringeTelevision.com

September 18, 2014

A La Sagrada Familia in Manhattan? See the Unbuilt NYC Gaudí

By Jason Carpenter

Atoni Gaudí was a brilliant and polarizing architect. Whereas most architects will see their works compared and contrasted against others in their field, even the most knowledgeable architectural critics will look at Gaudí's work and throw up their hands and say it must be something alien. The organic curves and mounds of Gaudí's designs look hundreds of years ahead of their time. But Gaudí worked mostly around his home region of Catalonia, and the businesslike skyscrapers of Manhattan have never looked anything like the the architect's designs. However, there was a time when a Gaudí NYC skyscraper almost came to be.
See the proposed Gaudí building here

Frank Lloyd Wright Designs Destined for NYC But Never Built

September 2, 2014

Frank Lloyd Wright Designs Destined for NYC But Never Built

By Jason Carpenter

Many wonder why such a prolific and famous architect as Frank Lloyd Wright didn't have more buildings in New York City. It's safe to say he wasn't a huge fan of urban density, but how could one possibly create something as iconic as the Guggenheim's spirals without getting any other work in the city? As we showed in a previous post, two Wright designs have actually been demolished. Now, we will look at the two buildings Wright intended for the New York area which were never fully realized—at least, not in Manhattan.
See the Frank Lloyd Wright designs here

Neon, Metal, and Patty Melts: A Look at Classic New York City Diner Design

August 24, 2014

Neon, Metal, and Patty Melts: A Look at Classic New York City Diner Design

By Jason Carpenter

American diners are neon-lit time capsules of architecture and design. They are the '57 Ford Thunderbird of restaurants, shaping post-war optimism and far too much metal into something beautiful and quintessentially American. Best of all, you can still find plenty of little diners doing what they have always done, among the rising skylines and property values of New York City.
See our diner photos here

Amazing NYC Office Interiors That Inspire and Promote Innovation

August 18, 2014

Amazing NYC Office Interiors That Inspire and Promote Innovation

By Jason Carpenter

Workplace designers are always trying to find new ways to make offices a more inspiring and productive place, especially for professional creatives. A beautiful work space can keep employees excited when they clock in every day, and make sure that the water cooler talk is about new ideas, not the shoddy carpet. These new NYC offices are pretty to look at and to work in.
See our gallery of amazing workplaces here

Popular Articles

The Nearly Fatal Design Flaw That Could Have Sent the Citigroup Center Skyscraper Crumbling

August 15, 2014

The Nearly Fatal Design Flaw That Could Have Sent the Citigroup Center Skyscraper Crumbling

By Jason Carpenter

When it comes to skyscrapers, we put a lot of trust in architects. We have to trust that they know what they're doing, and these seemingly impossible buildings are safe to be in and around. It's even harder to trust what used to be known as the Citicorp or Citigroup Center, now 601 Lexington Avenue, whose bottom floors are like four stilts, holding 50 stories of building above them. It looks like a strong wind would blow the whole structure over. And when the building was constructed in 1977, before some emergency repairs, that was true.
The dangerous details after the break

Architecture Day Trip: Visit the Mansions of Gatsby’s “Gold Coast”

August 15, 2014

Architecture Day Trip: Visit the Mansions of Gatsby’s “Gold Coast”

By Jason Carpenter

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby is an immortal novel about Long Island millionaires in the Roaring Twenties, inspired by actual parties Fitzgerald attended at the time. The Jazz Age mansions of Long Island's "Gold Coast" certainly represent a bygone era, but you can still visit several of these Gatsby-esque architectural relics today.
Plan your architecture day trip here

Summer Sculptures: Where to See Larger Than Life Art in the Parks

August 4, 2014

Summer Sculptures: Where to See Larger Than Life Art in the Parks

By Jason Carpenter

The NYC parks system gives artists a public canvas for their sculpture and design work, and there are so many great artworks on display this summer. From abstract sculptures to innovative park design, here are just a few of the interesting sculptures and design exhibits you can see in New York City parks this last month of summer.
Find the best public sculptures here

Explore Some of NYC’s Most Beautiful Buildings That Used to be Banks

July 22, 2014

Explore Some of NYC’s Most Beautiful Buildings That Used to be Banks

By Jason Carpenter

Banking made this town, and the bank buildings of the 19th and early 20th centuries continue to house some of New York's most classic architecture and design. Greek, Roman, and even Byzantine Revival architectures were the style of choice for bank buildings, and those great stone pillars are still worth visiting today. Ahead are some of the most beautiful former bank buildings in New York City.
See these beautiful bank buildings here

The New York Architecture Day Trip: From Colonial to Deconstructivism in Manhattan

July 20, 2014

The New York Architecture Day Trip: From Colonial to Deconstructivism in Manhattan

By Jason Carpenter

New York has a long history of great architecture. From the very beginnings in the colonial period to today, there are more great buildings to see in New York than anywhere else on the planet. Thankfully, with this guide, you can see them all in one simple south-north trip across Manhattan. Many great buildings are too tall or difficult to see up close, so we've chosen an example of each style of New York architecture that can also be appreciated from the ground level, rather than forcing you to gawk straight up at a skyscraper. Check out our New York architecture day trip.
Get your itinerary here

Flashback: See The New York Skyline Change Over 150 Years

July 12, 2014

Flashback: See The New York Skyline Change Over 150 Years

By Jason Carpenter

The New York skyline is made up of twelve different decades of buildings, but when you look at them today, they all form a single beautiful picture. Over the last century and a half, that picture has changed dramatically. From the original skyscraper boom to the modern glass towers of today, the New York skyline has grown more and more impressive every year, and these pictures show the process step-by-step, as well as the impending future.
See our historic New York skyline photos here

Shigeru Ban’s Hamptons Home Is the Perfect Modernist Getaway for City Dwellers

July 3, 2014

Shigeru Ban’s Hamptons Home Is the Perfect Modernist Getaway for City Dwellers

By Jason Carpenter

Shigeru Ban's star has risen, and his 2014 Pritzker Prize is attracting attention to all his designs, like the recently opened Cast Iron House. But did you know that one of his lesser known works lies just outside of New York City? If you're looking for a reason to get out of town, and would like to see one of Ban's homes up close, then all you have to do is take a drive to the Hamptons.
See our gallery of the building here

Flashback: See Five Famous New York City Buildings and Bridges Under Construction

July 2, 2014

Flashback: See Five Famous New York City Buildings and Bridges Under Construction

By Jason Carpenter

As the Freedom Tower is being completed, New Yorkers are losing a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity: The chance to snap pictures of a landmark while it is still being built. It is incredible to imagine getting to see a half-built Empire State Building, or a mess of wires that will soon be the Manhattan Bridge, or an excavated hole in the ground where Rockefeller Center will soon be placed. With old photos, we can see what these buildings looked like before they were finished, and what New York looked like before its landmarks were in place.
See what the landmarks of New York looked like in-construction here

Sitting Pretty: Beautiful and Unique Benches in New York City

June 23, 2014

Sitting Pretty: Beautiful and Unique Benches in New York City

By Jason Carpenter

On an average workday in New York, over 3.9 million people crowd onto the tiny island of Manhattan. That’s a lot of behinds needing a seat, and the city provides plenty of those in the form of benches. But not all benches are created equal. There are gems hidden in every borough – beautiful, funky, unique slabs for you to sit on this summer.
See more fantastic benches here

Architecture And Design

Temporary Treasures: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Demolished New York Buildings

June 23, 2014

Temporary Treasures: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Demolished New York Buildings

By Jason Carpenter

Frank Lloyd Wright is one of architecture's most important figures, and you can see his work in five countries and 37 of 50 states. But when it comes to New York City, there is only one major Wright construction to be found: The Guggenheim. There is also a pre-fab house in Staten Island and one in Blauvelt just north of the city, but what other work did he do in the five boroughs? It turns out that Wright designed two other major projects in NYC, but both have been demolished. Here's a look at these lost works by the great architect.
See the historic Frank Lloyd Wright works here

Manhattan Mansions: 5 of the Biggest (We Mean Gigantic) Single-Family Homes

June 22, 2014

Manhattan Mansions: 5 of the Biggest (We Mean Gigantic) Single-Family Homes

By Jason Carpenter

Everyone knows Manhattan is all about high-rise condos, tall apartment buildings, and any other kind of building in which people live above other people. But it wasn't always that way. A hundred years ago, there was still room on this small island for the ultra-rich to build mansions all to themselves, single-family homes with the square footage of a castle. Today many of these buildings, all "Millionaire's Row" mansions in the Upper East Side, belong to museums and schools, but the question remains: What are the biggest buildings in Manhattan today that were built as single-family homes?
See our list of mansions here

5 Prohibition-Style Speakeasies to Transport You Back to the Gilded Age

June 19, 2014

5 Prohibition-Style Speakeasies to Transport You Back to the Gilded Age

By Jason Carpenter

Speakeasies and retro bars have been the new trend in New York for so long that this style may not be a trend at all. These "speakeasy bars" hearken back to a time somewhere between the Gilded Age and Prohibition, giving their interior designers a chance to play around with this fantastic historical style. The five speakeasies and retro bars below show a true design sense that transports us to the time of outlawed alcohol and tiny flapper dresses.
See our speakeasy gallery here

NYC Guides

NYC’s Oldest Buildings: What Are They and Where Are They? Test Your Knowledge

June 10, 2014

NYC’s Oldest Buildings: What Are They and Where Are They? Test Your Knowledge

By Jason Carpenter

New York has a lot of old buildings. Perhaps surprisingly, many of those buildings are actually houses (yes, like real houses). These remnants of the early Dutch farming days can be spotted throughout the five boroughs, as can churches, apartments and "skyscrapers" from earlier times. We've rounded up some of the city’s oldest structures. Test your knowledge and see how many you're familiar with ahead. And while you're at it, make plans to visit one of these historic landmarks the next time you're out and about.
Your blast from the past this way

Architecture And Design

Green City: Eight of the Biggest Eco-Friendly Developments Happening Right Now in NYC

May 29, 2014

Green City: Eight of the Biggest Eco-Friendly Developments Happening Right Now in NYC

By Jason Carpenter

While going green has more or less become the norm in most modern day construction in New York, some projects have really outdone themselves from the ingenuity of design to the sheer scale of size. This is a city where the new police academy will harness the power of re-usable rainwater, and where the Barclays Center's arena roof is being covered with 130,000 square feet of new garden space. New York is placing itself at the forefront of green design and green construction, and here are just eight of the biggest green projects happening right now.
The top green developments in the city this way

The Most Gorgeous New York City Hotel Interiors

May 23, 2014

The Most Gorgeous New York City Hotel Interiors

By Jason Carpenter

Design is on display in New York's luxury hotels, where the interior look and feel is as important as where it's located. From the lobbies that welcome guests on their first steps into the building to the bars and dining areas later at night, some of a hotel's best design work lays outside the guests' rooms. Here are just a few of our favorite hotel interiors.
See more amazing hotel lobbies here

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