When embarking on his Brooklyn loft remodel, this interior designer stayed flexible

• Homeowners: Sue and Alex posted their loft remodel on Sweeten
• Where: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, New York
• Primary renovation: A full-unit Brooklyn loft remodel aiming to add storage and functionality while preserving the apartment’s “80s loft” aesthetic
• With: Sweeten general contractor
  
• Homeowner’s quote: “Our Sweeten contractor proposed great ideas. We had a few conversations before the renovation, and she was very accommodating.”

Written in partnership with Sweeten homeowner Alex. “After” photos by Miao Jiaxin for Sweeten. 

Elevating the best aspects of home

We have been living in this apartment in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, since 2015. It was the first place we lived together, and it felt like a real 1980s loft, which Sue and I liked a lot. The previous owner was crafty—he’d installed his own kitchen cabinets, and the spirit of the place was very DIY. Sue works in Fin-tech and I am in interior design. We didn’t do much work when we first moved in, thinking it made sense to let the apartment evolve.

The apartment comprises approximately 900 square feet. It had many vantage points, which our cat, who recently passed, really enjoyed. The neighborhood seems to have a lot of industrial building conversions—a church here, a school there, made into residential apartments. Our building belongs to the latter group, and was converted more than 30 years ago. Visitors are often amazed at how wide the hallways are. That sort of space is not something you often encounter in NYC.

Honing in on the shared lifestyle

Looking to build on the apartment’s openness, we made a few changes early on. One was removing a spiral staircase and replacing it with an industrial-use stair; it remains in the same location in the current iteration. Another was taking out an idiosyncratic shelving system that the previous owner had installed. We are both utilitarian, and that aspect of our personalities influences our aesthetic.

We also like this word that the Dutch have, Gezellig, which translates to something like coziness. It’s not a style, per se, but achieving it was a driving force for our renovation. We didn’t want an overly designed space, but rather one that felt considered.

Practical launch pad to renovate

We coordinated our renovation to coincide with the water boiler warranty expiration. Each unit has its own boiler, and you always hear about these things failing shortly after their warranty goes. We figured we would try to avoid becoming a statistic. Another motivation to upgrade was the desperate need for an electrical panel overhaul in the apartment. We wanted to add an in-unit washer and dryer and a shower to our powder room. In addition, the apartment lacked, and desperately needed, built-in storage. 

We posted our project, and Sweeten was a great help in providing a list of relevant contractors in Brooklyn. Since I work in this field, I did not utilize other services the company provides. I wanted to complete the renovation within an allotted time frame, and keep within a firm budget. Our Sweeten contractor proposed great ideas. We had a few conversations before the renovation, and she was very accommodating. 

“Sweeten was a great help in providing a list of relevant contractors in Brooklyn.”

Design tricks-of-the-trade

It is always exciting to see a project on paper come to life, but it is especially interesting when you have an experimental client—in this case, ha!, ourselves. Our contractor convinced me that we should open up the entry foyer, which I wasn’t sure of. But in the end I think sacrificing the extra storage was worth it to expand the passageway. We also separated the passthrough between the dining and living space with an oversized barn door, which disappears when retracted.

We employed other tricks as well. Take the painting and color scheme, for example. We applied a World War I ship-camouflage technique known as Dazzle—which was a way of masking the volume and shape of military ships using geometric patterns—to try to make walls and objects more or less vanish into the space. We used black behind the TV to have it blend into the space. It is also a nod to the blackboard that would have hung on the wall in this former classroom.

We stayed with a pretty strict material palette just because it is easier to manage and is also a fun challenge to stretch the limit of the material. For example, the black countertop and black backsplash is actually a paper-based product that is extremely durable. I also used it as treads for the stairs.

Being flexible during the process

No matter how simple you aim to keep it, in any construction project, there will be challenges to overcome. We moved out of the apartment during the renovation, but I went to the job site every other day to make sure we were moving forward. During one visit, I noticed that the contracting team had framed one of the walls in the wrong location. Instead of losing time having the contractor demolish the framing and restart, however, I decided to redesign that portion of the space. I did it overnight. In the end, we were able to salvage the work and it turned out nicely. It felt serendipitous. 

Connect with Sweeten contractors

Paying attention to and working with the GC within the process always helps, and given my work, I am familiar with the arc a job follows. Our favorite part of the renovation was the end.  

Working from home for the past year, we were able to enjoy the apartment’s ample flow of sunlight throughout the day. It is great to have a space that works so well now and feels not just in sync with the building we live in, but with our entire lifestyle. 

Thanks for sharing your Brooklyn loft remodel with us, Sue and Alex!

Materials Guide

LIVING AREA RESOURCES: Paint in Simply White and Black Forest Green: Benjamin Moore. Industrial staircase: Grainger. 

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Paint in Simply White: Benjamin Moore. Kitchen cabinets and hardware: Ikea. Countertops and backsplash (white material from Krion; black material from Richlite; Elkay sink and AXOR faucet: Porcelanosa. Refrigerator: Samsung. Dishwasher and stove: Bosch.

BATHROOM RESOURCES:  Porcelain wall & floor tile; Vanity and sink: Porcelanosa. Shower fixtures and hardware: Hansgrohe. Toilet: American Standard.

Originally published August 19, 2021

Updated on June 8, 2023

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.

The post My Sweeten Story: A Cozy Loft in a Converted School Building appeared first on Sweeten.

Semihandmade cabinet doors transform Sweeten kitchens without breaking the bank

Homeowners have a personal style that they express through their designs. Kitchen cabinetry uses a good percentage of an overall renovation budget. So, how do you stay true to your design aesthetic without breaking the bank? One way is to opt for the look of custom cabinets without actually ordering custom. That’s where Semihandmade kitchen cabinets come in!

Semihandmade makes doors specifically for standard Ikea kitchen cabinets, bathrooms, media, and storage units. Here, we round up some top Sweeten renovations which used these doors transforming a wow-level on an affordable budget. (See if you can tell the difference!) Bonus: Semihandmade’s president, Beth Brenner, shares some tips on the different ways a kitchen can be customized.

Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free.

Duo-tone Semihandmade cabinets

(Above) Tina + Andrew’s kitchen

Tina loved her charming 1930s prewar building she grew up in. So when a two-bedroom co-op became available, she and her husband, Andrew, jumped at the chance. It needed to be renovated but that didn’t stop them. They posted their project on Sweeten and hired a general contractor to update their kitchen.

The couple needed to stay on budget, so they looked into Semihandmade cabinet doors. “We tried to be clever and save where we could,” says Tina. “Instead of custom cabinets, we went with Ikea but purchased the cabinet doors from a company that specializes in stylish and modern cabinetry for Ikea kitchen systems.”  They chose a beautiful super matte shaker cabinet in white and light gray.

Tip from Beth: Semihandmade doors are simple to screw on and off, so if down the road you want a totally different look, you can easily change out the doors instead of tearing out your kitchen all over again!

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When the budget is the top priority

(Above) A Queens kitchen in a rich neutral

Like many homeowners who renovate, this couple’s biggest concern was budget. After renting for years, they had saved up to buy their own place, a two-bedroom, two-bath in Flushing. They decided updating the kitchen would be the most dramatic change. They chose a mix of neutrals and opted for Semihandmade cabinet doors with Ikea bases. This allowed the couple to get a customized look for a fraction of what fully custom cabinets cost. “The space is much more open and inviting,” says one of the homeowners. “I’ve never been one to hang out in the kitchen, but now I want to spend more time here.”

Tip from Beth: Semihandmade doors come in 45 different colors and styles, but the doors are also available unpainted so you can unleash your DIY spirit.

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More storage space, coming right up!

(Above) Dan + Mike’s kitchen open shelving storage

Dan and Mike’s one-bedroom, one-bath co-op was in desperate need of a kitchen renovation. To achieve their desired aesthetic, it would require removing a wall, gutting the entire kitchen, and extending the counters and cabinetry.

Removing the wall had a major impact on the look as did taking down the upper cabinets and replacing them with open floating shelves. The shelves were sourced from a shop in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, that specializes in salvage pieces. For the lower cabinets, they installed Ikea cabinets with Semihandmade doors and hardware. Floating shelves can make up for storage lost in the removal of upper cabinets.

Tip from Beth: Lower shelves are perfect for easy-to-grab cooking essentials like cutting boards, spices, and cookbooks. Higher shelves tend to be more decorative. It’s the mix of objects and textures that makes floating shelves a standout in any kitchen.

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Finding savings to splurge

(Above) Jennifer + Alex’s two-toned kitchen

When Jennifer and Alex Figueroa bought their beach house in East Hampton, they wanted to renovate it in order to meet their family’s needs. They have two young boys, so they wanted a space where they could run and play freely. This meant opening up the choppy layout and gutting the kitchen.

“We felt excited about this part of the project,” says Alex. “We splurged on a wine fridge, quartz countertops, and an integrated refrigerator but otherwise kept the open kitchen fairly simple.” This “fairly simple” design included their contractor customizing Ikea cabinets with walnut panel doors for a two-toned look. He also added paneling on the ceiling for a luxe look. This took the 1970s home into the new millennium.

Tip from Beth: Two-toned looks work well when complementary styles and colors are used for the upper and lower cabinets. Another popular trend right now is a pop of color for the kitchen island, paired with base cabinets that are more neutral.  

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No time for custom cabinets? No problem.

(Above) Marc + Steve’s kitchen

After seven months of living in their new home, Marc and Steve decided it was time to take the plunge and renovate. “The kitchen was perhaps the most outdated room,” says Marc. The existing cabinets were grimy and the doors were falling off the hinges. They wouldn’t be able to measure for new cabinets before work began. Marc and Steve decided to use Ikea cabinets with Semihandmade doors in order to get the cabinets quicker (custom cabinets have longer lead times.)

To streamline the look of the kitchen, they chose flat-panel doors rather than the popular shaker style. They needed to order cabinets of varying sizes so this choice helped to unify the space. “Design-wise, it’s the kitchen we always wanted and I don’t think we have any regrets about the choices we made (and there were so many choices),” said Marc.

Tip from Beth: Since we make our door fronts to order, the time it takes from payment to delivery depends on the materials purchased. Currently, the average lead time is 3-6 weeks.

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See even more inspiring kitchen remodels using Semihandmade!

Need help deciding on cabinets for your reno? Check out Sweeten’s guide, How to Choose Kitchen Cabinets.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Semihandmade Cabinets Up the Design Ante Without the Price Tag appeared first on Sweeten.

The post Comparing Cabinets: IKEA, Home Depot, Lowe’s & Cabinets To Go appeared first on Sweeten.

Why IKEA kitchen wall cabinets are a go-to resource

Kitchen cabinets make up a large portion of a kitchen remodel budget. The question we hear often is, “Are IKEA kitchen cabinets good?” Happily, IKEA offers popular cabinet options that are less expensive than many traditional alternatives. Their wall cabinets are based on a flexible system that allows you to add components as needed.

Below, we outline key features of IKEA cabinets, to help you decide if recreating your kitchen with their cabinets is right for you. You will also see examples of how Sweeten homeowners used the product in their own remodels.

How the SEKTION cabinet system works

Base cabinets

Base cabinets are mounted on the floor. They hold the countertop and the sink. IKEA base cabinets are 30 inches high and 24.75 inches deep. After adding legs and a countertop, they reach 36 inches, which is the standard countertop height for U.S. Kitchens.

A complete IKEA base cabinet consists of the cabinet box, drawers and drawer fronts, and inner drawers and fronts. Drawer organizers are optional.

Wall cabinets

Wall cabinets are mounted on the wall and are attached to the studs. They hold plates and food items. Wall cabinets are usually mounted 20 inches above the base cabinets. Most IKEA wall cabinets are 15 inches deep with a few measuring 24 inches deep. These wall cabinets are typically mounted over refrigerators.

A complete IKEA wall cabinet consists of the cabinet box, doors, hinges, and shelves. Shelf inserts are optional.

(Above) Jena’s Sweeten renovation with IKEA wall cabinets

High cabinets

High cabinets are mounted on the floor. They are intended for pantry items or small appliances. They are narrow—15 to 30 inches wide, with 24 inches being most common. High cabinets are either 80 inches or 90 inches tall. 

A complete IKEA high cabinet consists of the cabinet, fronts, and shelves. Doors and drawers are often included.

Drawers, shelves, and dividers

MAXIMERA and FORVARA soft-closing drawers and dividers come with the cabinets.

UTRUSTA shelves made either of fiberboard or glass. Shelves are included. The UTRUSTA line comes with pegs that fit into the sides of SEKTION cabinets to hold up the shelves.

(Above) Allison and Tim’s two-toned kitchen

What are IKEA wall cabinets made of?

IKEA cabinet boxes are made of fiberboard and melamine foil. Cabinet doors and drawer fronts are made of fiberboard. They are covered in melamine foil, paint, wood, or glass.

IKEA cabinet boxes

Fiberboard (or MDF, for medium-density fiberboard) is an engineered wood made from wood chips and resins. Wood chips are pressed together with heat and high pressure to form boards.

IKEA cabinet and drawer fronts

Currently, more than 15 cabinet and drawer front styles are offered. The cabinet front profile options include slab, beveled, beadboard, and Shaker. 

IKEA has one natural wood veneer cabinet front: the TORHAMN fronts are covered in real ash wood veneer.

Most fronts are either a solid color, simulated wood, or real wood grain. Except for white, the solid colors veer toward darker or earthen tones: gray, brown, black, or green. The style and texture of the fronts affect the price. 

Quality: Are IKEA cabinets good?

The Swedish products are well-designed and built to be precise and long-lasting. All fasteners that hold the cabinets together are internal and invisible. Euro-style hinges on the doors are soft-closing and hidden. The drawers are also silently self-closing. Through efficient mass production and by using engineered wood materials that cost much less than solid natural wood, prices are affordable. 

SEKTION kitchen cabinets have a 25-year limited warranty. This warranty covers all components of a SEKTION cabinet system. The policy warrants against defects in materials and workmanship. However, any defective part of the SEKTION system will be repaired or replaced.

Take note: IKEA states that its natural wood and light lacquered (painted) surfaces may yellow with age. As a result, exposure to light will contribute to this aging.

Maintenance tips

One key to maintaining the IKEA SEKTION system is regular maintenance. Specifically, you’ll need to protect your SEKTION cabinets from excessive humidity. Fiberboard can swell when it absorbs moisture. You should avoid letting coffee makers or dishwashers steam under or against SEKTION cabinets. Also, quickly wiping up any spills is a great way to ensure cabinet quality. 

(Above) Sally and Ross’ Sweeten kitchen renovation

Kitchen cabinet installation

DIY

Fortunately, IKEA cabinets are easy to install. The cabinets come flat-packed in cardboard boxes. Then, homeowners can either pick up the boxes at the store or arrange for at-home delivery. 

The installation comes with a clear, picture-oriented instructions guide. To complete installation, you’ll need simple tools, like a hammer and power drill/driver. The process to install IKEA wall cabinets is streamlined, but it is still a large-scale project. You’ll also need to set time aside—often, many hours—for assembly. For example, even just unboxing the cabinets and disposing of the cardboard will add to your time commitment.

Professional installation

Some IKEA stores offer professional installation services to assemble and install the cabinets, doors, drawers, fittings, and handles. When you’re ready to get started on your kitchen or home remodel, post your project to work with a Sweeten contractor who can also assemble and install them for you.

How much do IKEA kitchen cabinets cost?

Individual cabinet costs

IKEA base cabinets generally cost between $200 and $1,100. Wall cabinets cost between $200 and $750. High cabinets cost between $200 and $1,300.

Full IKEA kitchen cabinet costs

The design industry uses a 10’ x 10’ kitchen as a standard for measuring cabinet costs. This hypothetical kitchen includes cabinets, door and drawer fronts, drawers, shelves, hinges, cover panels, toe-kicks, and legs. The cost does not include countertops, handles, sinks, lighting, or appliances.

IKEA kitchen cabinets fit most kitchen remodeling budgets. For example, a full 10’ x 10’ kitchen ranges from about $1,600 to about $3,500. The average cost is about $2,500. This cost does not include taxes, delivery, or installation. So whether your kitchen is showing its age or the style just isn’t your taste, IKEA cabinets can help stretch your budget.

Sweeten remodels with Ikea kitchen cabinets

(Above) Sweeten homeowners Janet and Jerry installed the VOXTORP kitchen cabinets in a dark wood that matched their budget and design style. It also complemented the surrounding soapstone countertop.

(Above) Cabinet drawers are a big feature in Anita’s kitchen including a drawer-in-a-drawer design. She worked with the Ikea kitchen planner and chose VOXTORP in high gloss white and walnut effect as dual finishes.

(Above) Sweeten homeowner Lee expanded his kitchen and outfitted both upper and lower cabinets in high-gloss lacquer with IKEA’s SEKTION.

(Above) Roxana and Gabrielle used the IKEA kitchen planner to layout their single-wall kitchen with SEKTION and walnut-effect VOXTORP. Even their 36″ refrigerator features integrated paneling thanks to their Sweeten contractor who custom-cut them out of IKEA panels. 

Connect with Sweeten contractors

(Above) Fabio and Malina’s kitchen was outfitted with IKEA cabinets complete with a coffee bar and a pullout pantry.

Updated 7/27/2023

Popular questions asked

What are IKEA cabinets made of?

Fiberboard and melamine foil are the main components of IKEA cabinet boxes. IKEA cabinet doors and drawer fronts are made of fiberboard, covered in melamine foil, paint, wood, or glass.

Are IKEA cabinets good?

With some basic maintenance, IKEA cabinets can be quite durable. The key to maintaining IKEA’s fiberboard-based cabinets is to reduce excessive humidity. This can cause swelling in the fiberboard. Avoid letting moisture-making appliances steam under or against SEKTION cabinets, and quickly wipe up any spills.

Are IKEA cabinets hard to install?

IKEA kitchen cabinets are easy to install and can be a DIY project. The product comes packaged in flat-packed boxes and can be picked up at the retail store or delivered. Instructions are outlined step-by-step with clear illustrations. Tools required include a hammer and power drill. Even though it can be a DIY project, assembling and installing the cabinets is considered a large-scale project. Set aside many hours for assembly as well as unboxing and disposing of the packaging. Speak with your general contractor managing your kitchen remodel on whether they can provide installation services. 

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Sweeten homeowners customize their Ikea kitchens with Semihandmade door style.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.

The post IKEA Kitchen Cabinets: Costs, Value & Examples appeared first on Sweeten.

Clever ideas for a Colonial home kitchen remodel and a newly-created bathroom

• Homeowners: Amanda, a former chef, and her partner Cory, a tech executive, posted their 1919 Colonial house renovation
• Where: Bronxville, New York
• Primary renovation: Remodeling the kitchen to make it larger and creating a new powder room
• Sweeten general contractor in Westchester County, NY
• Homeowner quote: “Sweeten helped us find a group of tried-and-true general contractors to vet. In the past, we’d tried a few [contractors] recommended by neighbors, but this time that didn’t work. And this project was too big an investment to just pick somebody out of a hat.”
• Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovators with vetted general contractors, offering input, support, and secure payments—for free.

Written in partnership with homeowner Amanda. “After” photos by Miao Jiaxin.

A charming (but not functional) Colonial house

We had been dividing our time between a farmhouse in Dutchess County and a walk-up apartment in Brooklyn. When our son was born, neither of these homes was quite suited to us. We decided to find a place in between with a shorter commute for my husband, more social opportunities for me, and easy access to the home.

When we first saw the house, we were charmed by the time-capsule of a kitchen—salmon Formica, dark-wood cabinets, and a dishwasher that predated the other elements. That said, we knew we would eventually update the kitchen. Having a lavatory on the ground floor and not having to run upstairs was also on the wishlist.

Their Colonial renovation adds heated floors

The existing kitchen had one radiator, which was buried in the back of a custom cabinet. It was a clever solution at the time, but ate up a lot of cabinet space and wasn’t heat-efficient. We decided to install a radiant floor heating system that we could run off of our existing hot-water heating system. A more formal, fully-functional island would offer storage, outlets, and a bigger counter area.

We wanted to create a better flow of traffic and light. The main entrance to the kitchen from the dining room was a narrow 28-inch-wide doorway. It made the kitchen feel isolated from the rest of the house. Bringing down the wall would not have respected the house’s character. Instead, the opening was widened and centered between the two rooms to bring more natural light into the north-facing kitchen. 

Balancing the kitchen structures

Some infrastructural elements dictated a lot of the design. One was that the major waste line for the three upstairs bathrooms lays along the kitchen’s exterior wall. It had been boxed out previously, and the existing cabinets had been customized around it. We didn’t want to relocate that line, so we decided to figure out how to incorporate it.

The second element was a sheetrock box beam of sorts. We didn’t know what was in it, but since it was asymmetrically placed and not detailed like the house’s other box beams, we assumed it was hiding something expensive to move. Our thought was, let’s give this weird beam and column matching mates to create symmetry.

Odd-ball elements

These design decisions hid the two odd-ball elements by making it look like they’d always been there. Bonus: We made that second column a sneaky little cabinet right between the sink/dishwasher and our espresso machine. It’s the perfect spot for drinking glasses and cups. We love it!

I wanted to bring the warmth and softness of natural wood into the kitchen, so I chose a darker wood for the cabinets that echoes our furniture. A built-in pantry was replaced with custom open shelving. The adjustable shelves look like they might have been there when the house was built. It enhances the room’s original feel and provides a display for our brown-drip dishware collection.

Turning closets into a powder room

There was no bathroom on the first floor. We combined two closets—approximately 4’ x 4’—and some square footage where we used to hang coats by the back door. The sacrifice was worth it for what would become the most frequented bathroom in the house. A pocket door with frosted glass saved space and allowed light to flow through. We installed Art Deco wallpaper, wainscoting, a picture rail, and paint in neutral tones.

Though manufacturers say that you can install wood flooring over radiant heat systems, it made me leery, and wood is not an efficient conductor of heat. I was certain I wanted tile, but one that wouldn’t appear cold or hard.

The right contractor for our Colonial house renovation

Sweeten helped us find a group of tried-and-true general contractors to vet. In the past, we’d tried a few recommended by neighbors, but this time that didn’t work. And this project was too big an investment to just pick somebody out of a hat. It was great to be able to talk through everything with a Sweeten professional and get a curated list. I doubt we’d have found our contractor on our own, and I’m so glad we did.

They were much more organized than contractors we’d worked with previously. Our contractor seemed to have experience and know-how beyond his years. When we ran into uncertainties, he was great at suggesting possible solutions. There was a structural issue discovered during demolition that required changes to the design layout. He was quick to help us with potential resolutions, down to providing revised elevations so we could visualize the new design. And he always discussed costs with us before we signed off. They also provided spreadsheets to help me keep track of all the elements I needed to order and have on-site.

The sacrifice was worth it for what would become the most frequented bathroom in the house.

Veteran renovators share advice

The biggest challenge with our renovation was waiting for it to be finished! Time moves slowly when you’re living on the second floor of your home, feeding a family from a makeshift kitchen in your bedroom. This was no fault of our contractors. Our city building department took three months to issue our permits.

If you can, live with your space for a while before renovating. You’ll end up with a much clearer picture of how to make your new space work best for you.

Also, always budget for 10-20% more than your original estimate, especially for kitchens and baths in old houses. This is our fourth renovation experience, and there has always been a major structural or plumbing issue (or both!) that have come up. It’s never pleasant, but if you plan for it, it’s way less painful.

Our new space makes us feel happy! We really love all of the new millwork in the home remodel, it feels so harmonious with the rest of our beautiful old Colonial home.

Thank you, Amanda and Cory, for sharing your Colonial home remodel story with us!

Renovation materials

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Textile 24″x24″ floor tile in Sand: Cancos Tile. Metro style (slab with full overlay) cabinets in oak with Prairie stain: Vista. Riverwood knobs and Edgecliff pulls in Matte Bronze finish: Schoolhouse Electric. Taj Royale countertop and backsplash in honed: Caesarstone. 32” single-bowl undermount Kraus sink: Signature Hardware. Single-hole pull-down faucet in oil rubbed bronze by Bocard: Signature Hardware. Bertazzoni fridge / Dishwasher / Stove: Bertazzoni. Oswego 9” pendant light in burnished antique: Rejuvenation. Lucia flush mounts in white: Cedar & Moss. Wildwood sconce in white: Cedar & Moss. Wall paint in Pale Oak; trim paint in Cloud White: Benjamin Moore.

POWDER ROOM RESOURCES: Textile Deco floor tile in Dark: Cancos Tile. Deco Paradiso wallpaper by Anaglypta: Wallpaper Direct. Ringo faucet in oil-rubbed bronze: Signature Hardware. Skime wall-mount sink and vanity: Magnus Home Products. Storjorm mirror: IKEA. Toto toilet: Toto. Sculptural Glass Pebble small flush-mount: West Elm. Towel hook: Sugar Tools. Wainscoting paint in Quietude; ceiling paint in Pale Oak: Benjamin Moore.

A note on fixture and appliance deliveries: If you’re on a tight timeline, Appliances Connection has over 50,000 items in stock and ready to ship nationally. If you’re in the NY/NJ metro area, in-stock items typically deliver within 2-3 days.

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready, work with Sweeten to renovate with the best contractors.

The post A 1919 Colonial House Finds Renewal in Soft Tones appeared first on Sweeten.

Aside from closets, kitchen cabinets represent one of the larger concentrations of millwork and storage designed to keep spaces organized and clutter out of sight. Whether modern or traditional or navy blue or natural wood, the cabinets you choose will have an impact on the look and feel you want your kitchen to portray. 

Some homeowners choose to go fully custom, some opt for stock cabinets, and sometimes it’s a mix. To assist in your research, Sweeten, a free renovation platform that matches homeowners with licensed general contractors and tracks their projects, has rounded up a few of our renovators’ kitchens. Here, the thinking behind their decision to incorporate Ikea cabinets into their cook spaces with the help of their Sweeten contractors.

For High Gloss Glamour

Lavanya and Regis’s gallery-style kitchen got a major style overhaul during their railroad-style apartment renovation. To make the main rooms bright and airy, they chose glossy white Ikea kitchen cabinets to complement their high-gloss, white-painted wood floors.

Go Low on Cost, High on Style

Full disclosure: Sally’s kitchen is a mix of Ikea Sektion bases and custom door fronts from Scherr’s. It’s a great example of how to get a bespoke look for less—and saved the renovator (she has four under her belt!) $25,000.

For Euro-Industrial

Uldis and Serge, Europeans-turned-New Yorkers, mixed contrasting colors and finishes with their styled Ikea kitchen cabinets to create a Euro-Industrial feel. Their upper kitchen upper cabinets, which were a high gloss white, integrated smoothly with the stainless steel cabinets on the bottom. The end result? A sleek kitchen that doesn’t sacrifice fashion for function.

To Go Scandinavian Sleek

Jen loves the Scandi-look, so when it came to renovating her kitchen, Ikea kitchen cabinets were a must. She chose the Veddinge cabinet front doors and minimalistic tab pulls to create an unfussy and practical cook space with major hygge vibes. 

For Expanded Pantry Space

We never thought pantry storage would become the crown jewel of a kitchen…but then we saw this Brooklyn kitchen. With wraparound, floor-to-ceiling shelving, including full-height 15″ upper Ikea kitchen cabinets, their multi-generational home has enough kitchen storage for all the family members.

To Complement Hero Pieces

In a Manhattan loft this awe-inspiring with high ceilings and windows, it’s best to pick one or two show-stopping features. For this renovator, that meant the home’s original bones and a standout Carrara marble countertop and backsplash. So, when it came to styling his kitchen cabinets, he chose gray-blue Ikea to complement the rest of the apartment.

To Be Sustainable

Sandra and Michael chose their Bodbyn style Ikea kitchen cabinets for a few reasons. They had originally planned to use reclaimed cabinetry, but given the kitchen’s tight layout, they needed a narrower option. “We decided to go with Ikea because we felt they offered the best sustainable options and price,” Sandra shared. 

Ready to start your own Ikea kitchen renovation? Share your project with Sweeten today!

P.S. Do you have an Ikea kitchen? We’d love to get your thoughts for an upcoming article. Leave a comment below addressing the following questions, and you could be featured! 1. How long have you had the cabinets? How have they held up? 2. Why did you choose Ikea kitchen cabinets? 3. Share any other comments/feedback you have.

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Want more inspiration? Check out these kitchens before and afters.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post 7 Ways Renovators Style Ikea Kitchen Cabinets to Work for Them appeared first on Sweeten.

• Homeowners: Aftering buying a apartment Roxana and Gabriel posted their kitchen renovation on Sweeten.
• Where: Long Island, Queens, New York
• Primary renovation: Updating and expanding the kitchen to fit a most minimalist aesthetic
• Sweeten general contractor
• Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free.

A style fix

Roxana and Gabriel’s Long Island City, Queens, loft boasts 15-foot ceilings and loads of natural light. The apartment’s kitchen, however, didn’t suit the couple’s Scandinavian, minimalist style. It lacked counter space, the sink was smaller than standard, and the to-be renovators just weren’t vibing with the finishes. They wanted integrated appliances with all clean lines and everything stowed away in cabinets or drawers. The rest of their home has walnut and matte finishes throughout, so they knew they wanted a similar aesthetic in the cooking space, too. The couple, a creative director and software engineer, who also has a three-year-old son, posted their project to Sweeten and were matched with a general contractor.

New cabinetry

Armed with a clear perspective, the couple got to work with their contractor to reimagine their kitchen. Gabriel used the Ikea kitchen planner tool to lay out the space, exploring its customization offerings to suit their needs. The cabinetry is all Ikea but modified to cover the appliances.

The wall cabinet containing the range hood is shorter and wider than the surrounding units but is still covered by the same door size. The refrigerator, which moved from the main kitchen area into what was formerly a coat closet proved to be one of the biggest challenges. They had to find the right size to not only fit into the existing space, but also align with Ikea panels. “The fridge hunt was probably the single largest use of our time. Ask my wife about chasing our son through AJ Madison,” Gabriel said. Their contractor ended up cutting a 36 inch Ikea panel into three pieces to integrate the refrigerator with the walnut cabinets. They also fit in a cabinet right next to it. All of the drawers and wall cabinets are equipped with LED lighting, adding to the custom feel.

Patience from their general contractor

The sleek aesthetic carried throughout their material choices, from the matte black faucet, lack of cabinet hardware, and a single slab counter and backsplash without any seams. “Our contractor was very patient with all my crazy ideas and helped me make them actually work,” Roxana said. “He helped brainstorm a lot of the Ikea ‘hacking’ and was very patient with us,” she continued.

A modern finish

Sweeten Client Services helped from the get-go to find a general contractor who would be on board for such a custom project, setting the stage for a successful renovation.

As for their new kitchen? “It feels modern, calm, and welcoming. It fits our needs and it feels like home,” the couple shared.

Bonus: Gabriel used an app called Sketch Up to mock up the kitchen and ensure everything would fit with the existing plumbing fixtures.

Renovation materials

Sektion kitchen cabinets; Voxtorp walnut effect pieces; Omlopp LED light strip in drawers; Irsta LED countertop light: Ikea. London Gray, #5000 backsplash and countertops: Caesarstone. Houzz Miseno sink, #MGR2217: Houzz. Delta Faucet Trinsic single-handle faucet in matte black: Amazon.com. Reno Appliance Sub Zero refrigerator, #IT-36CI-RH: Reno Appliance. Miele Dishwasher, #G 6885 SCVi K2O AM: Appliance Connection.

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This kitchen is a mix of Ikea base cabinets and custom cabinet fronts.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Ikea Brings It Home for a Long Island City Loft appeared first on Sweeten.

Seeing your home’s main supporting beam replaced by a massive steel plank elevates you in the home-renovation hierarchy—and that’s exactly how Jerry and Janet honed their reno chops. In this blog post, we visit the couple in the second phase of the project. To recap: They’d purchased a historic brownstone with “good bones” on a quiet street in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. They were aware that the circa 1910 building was in need of a total interior gutting and posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted contractors.

What they didn’t expect to learn was that the wooden beam that had brought essential stability to their brownstone for 100-plus years suffered from rot. They’d hired both a Sweeten architect and a Sweeten general contractor to drive the overhaul. Once the couple had installed the integral metal beam running through their long-sought brownstone, they were initiated. Moving walls, installing a kitchen, and replacing splintered floorboards were achievable tasks. They were pros.

After completing the renovation’s core work, which also included bringing the four-family building’s heating, electrical, and plumbing systems up to date, Jerry and Janet jumped into renovating the building’s first two residential units. Click to see phase one of their renovation. Now they were ready to begin the overhaul of the building’s ground-floor unit, a garden apartment with good rental prospects with the same Sweeten architect and contractor.

We kept and restored moldings, and employed skilled woodworkers to make new lookalike moldings and panels where they were missing.

Janet, the president of the New York School of Design, and Jerry, a doctor, had embarked on the townhouse renovation with some serious objectives in mind. They would have, once finished, three units to rent as well as their own top-floor studio pied-a-terre, which they planned to use as a second home. A key goal was to preserve the building’s prewar details while streamlining and modernizing the interior spaces. They also wanted to create bigger, brighter apartments and therefore planned to convert the building’s traditional two-bedroom configurations to one-bedroom layouts. The project also included opening up the kitchens and enlarging the bathrooms. All applied to the ground-floor garden apartment.

The plans called for essentially gutting the whole ground floor, as they had with the others. “We wanted to keep as many of the old architectural elements as possible,” Jerry said. “To that end, we kept and restored moldings, and employed skilled woodworkers to make new lookalike moldings and panels where they were missing.”

The initial plan for the fireplace was to remove it—although the mirrors were original and in good shape, it’s doors were damaged and the pillars didn’t suit their aesthetic. Their architect suggested they “repaint it and open it up to the brick in the bottom area, “Jerry said. “We really like how it turned out.”

They also preserved as much original wood flooring as possible which were stained and discolored, including the inlaid mahogany borders. “We were surprised when both our Sweeten architect and contractor said that the living room floors were salvageable,” he said. The width of the boards was no longer made but “the contractor went out of his way to find a warehouse with a supply of vintage floorboards to fill in gaps and match to the existing flooring,” Jerry said. 

(Above) Previously a closet, now the kitchen, with the original bathroom behind the closet. Original built-in cabinets seen on left.

Janet had input on the entire project, from layouts to surfaces. In this apartment, she and the architects decided to move things around, shifting the kitchen forward and the bath back. By reshuffling the spaces and putting the kitchen adjacent to the living room, they were able to create a kitchen island that floats on the edge of the living space. The quartz-topped island has counter seating, making it great for quick breakfasts and weekend gatherings; it incorporates an under-counter sink and is lit by a pair of modern pendant fixtures. The shiny stainless-steel hood and dishwasher are from IKEA, as is the gray cabinetry. “We really like the geometric tiles we chose for the kitchen backsplash,” Jerry said.  They add unique character and dimension to what is now a highly visible wall.

Putting the kitchen here opened up what had formerly been a hallway, lined with inset wall cabinets. The doors of these units had been painted a bright chartreuse green—not the couple’s color, but there was a character to them that they wanted to preserve. The contractor stripped the paint, resurfaced, and repainted the doors to look almost new. “We are very happy with the restoration of the cabinets,” Jerry said. “It’s a great feature for the apartment—it adds so much storage space.”

Janet loves how the original doors, now bright white, add a historic touch and some concealed storage to the wall facing the kitchen. The contractor installed new shelving and additional drawers, too, to increase the cupboards’ sleek functionality.

Going for a more open layout really worked in other ways, too, with their old-new aesthetic. The revamped kitchen’s modern appliances are a great contrast to the fantastic old fireplace that is the living room’s most notable feature. They kept it, had the contractor replace the broken display door and window with a very close match, and repainted its mirrored mantel.

The kitchen’s relocation also did wonders for the bedroom, which is at the apartment’s rear. Having opened up the space, they expanded it further by eliminating the rear portion of the apartment’s narrow floor-through hallway and a tiny water closet next to the garden door. When all those walls came down, they had a large, sunny bedroom, flooded with light but completely private. There was room as well to build a large, sliding-door closet with built-in shelving.

(Above) Formerly the hallway and kitchen, now the bedroom

The bathroom is next to the bedroom, and it is a bit modern, a bit old-school. The fixtures and hardware, including the faucet and an open train-rack shelf, nod to the traditional. The couple stuck with the elongated shower tile they had chosen for the other rental units—like subway tiles, but stretched—and went with a large rain shower head to add modern luxury to the large stand-up shower. The hexagonal floor tiles are repeats from upstairs as well.

From the front door to back, the apartment came together beautifully, and Janet and Jerry have their Sweeten team to thank. Jerry recalls that the general contractor, who managed the timeline and the subcontractors from one phase into the next, did an excellent job communicating and keeping the project on schedule. “We found the company honest and responsible for the quality of all work,” he said. “At one point, when we felt like some of the workmanship was sub-par—some newly installed tiles in the bathroom were cracked—the contractor acknowledged our complaint and worked to fix the issue.”

Sweeten also matched them with an architect. Prior to tapping the service, they were about to hire an architect they found on a chat forum only to discover the architect had a less than stellar reputation.

Jerry said that the fact that this has so far been such a smooth project is almost unbelievable, given that on closing day he’d had no idea where to start looking for a good, honest contractor. “Without Sweeten, I would have randomly chosen a company I found on my own,” he confesses—and may or may not have had success.

They had the peace of mind of having the service “be the middleman,” he said. “With Sweeten, the contractors are more accountable. Suddenly, my experience and satisfaction matter much more which is great.”

Now, with the end nearly in sight, they feel successful indeed. The apartment is gorgeous, livable, and comfortable. “Soon it will be rented out to a lucky tenant,” Jerry said, “and we’ll move to the top floor.” Check back to see how Janet and Jerry make the upstairs apartment their own.

Thank you for sharing, Janet and Jerry, and we look forward to the next phase!

KITCHEN AND LIVING AREA RESOURCES: Wood flooring: Original oak hardwood mixed with replacement planks. Cabinetry, hardware, dishwasher, and sink: IKEA. Refrigerator: Bosch. Range: Whirlpool. Lighting: Schoolhouse. Tex backsplash: Mutina. Faucet: Delta Faucet. Wall paint in Balboa Mist, #OC-27CK and Classic GrayCK, #OC-23CK: Benjamin Moore. Quartz countertops in Pure White, #1141:Caesarstone. 

BATHROOM RESOURCES: Hexagon Floors and Metro wall tile in white high gloss: Nemo Tile. Sink and toilet: Duravit. Faucet and shower fixtures: Kohler. Lugarno Trank Rack wall racks: Restoration Hardware. Lighting: Schoolhouse. Heartland medicine cabinet, #HEOC1724: FOREMOST. Knobs: IKEA. Wall paint in Intense White, #OC-51: Benjamin Moore.

OTHER RESOURCES: Doorknobs: Omnia.

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Find out what you should know about purchasing a townhouse and planning for a renovation.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Brooklyn Brownstone Rental Nears Move-In Day appeared first on Sweeten.

• Homeowners: Sally and Ross posted their project on Sweeten for a white kitchen renovation with character
• Where: Jackson Heights, Queens in NYC
• Primary renovation: Open up a galley kitchen to make it more functional and integrated with the rest of the home
• With: Sweeten general contractor
• Homeowner’s quote: “[Our contractor] was able to explain differences in his proposal and showed where his bid foresaw issues the others hadn’t.”

Written in partnership with homeowner Sally. “After” photos by Pixy Interiors.

Sally, a writer, editor, and digital media executive, and Ross, a certified financial planner, bought their two-bedroom apartment in Jackson Heights, Queens in a 1946 Art Deco building. Sally had already been through three renovations in other homes. She typically looked for spaces in fixer-upper condition (and at an “unrenovated” price) versus buying a recently remodeled home that was not her style. ”I know that I can invest in my renovation, get the look and functionality that I want, build equity in my home—and be satisfied with the aesthetic because it’s my design,” she shared.

An inconvenient kitchen

The 1,100-square-foot home was definitely in need of a renovation. Luckily, it had good bones: hardwood floors, thick plaster walls, and high-coved ceilings.

They decided to wait to renovate and see if they should keep the existing galley footprint. It became clear that as a two-cook household, Sally and Ross needed more open space, as they could never fit in the kitchen simultaneously. When the dishwasher was open, it blocked the fridge. Plus, the storage situation wasn’t working. Case in point? To find small appliances in the lower cabinets, Sally had to get on her hands and knees with a flashlight, pulling everything out and back in again.

High marks for contractor communication

After five years of envisioning the kitchen transformation, Sally posted her project to Sweeten, received matches to Queens contracting firms, and interviewed candidates. The Sweeten general contractor she chose “stood out as the best communicator” and really understood the aesthetic she was looking to achieve. “He was able to explain differences in his proposal and showed where his bid foresaw issues the others hadn’t. These were things that were going to come up, and we were going to have to pay for; he was just calling them out ahead of time. I appreciated that,” Sally shared.

As the kitchen plans took shape, she had two design plans: one with the kitchen totally open to the living area, and, Plan B, a galley style with a partial wall. During a walkthrough with her contractor and building manager, they discovered water supply, disposal, and gas lines that couldn’t be moved without disrupting service to the building. That meant Plan B, which (spoiler alert!) Sally ended up loving.

The vision without the price tag

Sally wanted all-paneled and integrated appliances that felt more like furniture. “I found myself gravitating toward kitchens that banked all the tall pantries with the fridges to one side, like Poggenpohl. Henrybuilt has a sleekness I coveted, with its signature absence of wall cabinets and a ubiquitous shelf running along the tops of the slab stone backsplashes. I fell in love with the shaker cabinetry of Plain English, their wonderfully functional sink islands, and use of slab marble,” she said.

“If I’d had any challenges with my contractor, which I didn’t, I knew [Sweeten was] there to advise and help me out.”

The marble backsplash, which Sally referred to as “the star of the show,” consists of two consecutive slabs. A fabricator book-matched them to create the dramatic arc just above the center of the cooktop.

To achieve the kitchen design on budget, they designed the kitchen using the IKEA planner tool and sent a PDF of the design to a cabinet manufacturer who outfitted the IKEA cabinet boxes with all custom doors. Opting for stock bases saved the couple $25,000.

The overall flow improved greatly, thanks to the separate wall ovens and cooktop. Plus, with the refrigerator outside of the main cooking area, it’s easy for guests to grab drinks. The refrigerator is also flanked by tall pantries and cabinets that hold cleaning supplies. Similarly, a narrow unit stores brooms and mops, and all of the base cabinets have deep drawers with organizers. There’s also a unit of freezer drawers, ideal for Sally who batch cooks on the weekends.

Researching contractors with Sweeten

Sally had a strong perspective and sense of what she wanted for her kitchen renovation, and she found a contractor who brought her vision to life. “The number one thing I did right was to hire the right contractor,” she said. Before she chose her contractor, Sweeten shared advice with her on how to compare contractors, which she used to great effect. “During the job, they reached out several times to see how it was going. If I’d had any challenges with my contractor, which I didn’t, I knew they were there to advise and help me out.”

Tips from a veteran renovator

Now, a four-time renovator, Sally has a lot of advice to share with fellow renovators. “You’re going to be making so many choices it will make your head spin. Resist the urge to choose the trendiest or fanciest option at every single decision point. You want one thing, like a marble backsplash, to stand out as the focal point, then maybe a few smaller things, like brass cabinet hardware that picks up the brass in the faucets or in the light fixtures. Let the rest of your choices be the plain backdrop that lets these few gems shine,” she said.

All-in-all, the renovation finished without a hitch. Sally and Ross love their kitchen. “It is extremely gratifying to have a design in your head and see it become a reality. This kitchen is everything that I dreamed it could be. Ross and I cook meals together, clean up together, and everything we need is at our fingertips. And at the reveal party for our floor neighbors, the open kitchen made entertaining so easy and enjoyable.”

Thank you, Sally and Ross, for sharing your renovation with us!

Renovation Materials

• Flooring: Contractor restored and integrated new planks where needed.
• Sektion cabinet boxes, Variera internal organizers, and Nutid integrated wall microwave: IKEA
• Solid maple doors: Scherr’s
• Cabinet paint in Extra White, SW #7006: Sherwin Williams
• White edge cabinet pulls, #9898: Richelieu
• Integrated refrigerator, HC #2080: Liebherr
• Masterpiece gas cooktop, #SGSX365FS: Thermador
• Pull-out range hood, #CRIS36SS600: Faber
• Riverby 27” sink: Kohler
• Trinsic kitchen faucet: Delta
• Continental water filtration faucet, #KS8198CTL: Kingston Brass
• 30” electric wall oven, #VEBIEM301SS: Verona
• Undercounter freezer drawers, #SCFF532D: Summit Appliance
• Quartz countertops in Pure White, #1141: Caesarstone
• Italian Poannazzo marble backsplash: BAS Stone NYC
• Backsplash fabricator: ABF Marble
• Wall paint in Blackened, #2011: Farrow and Ball
• Boldmfg brass picture shelf; LongMadeCo cylinder drop spot mid-century minimal wall light: Etsy

Originally published on April 10, 2019

Updated on July 19, 2023

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Looking for more white kitchen ideas? Check out this Scandinavian-inspired cook space.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

The post An Experienced Renovator Takes on Her Integrated Kitchen Remodel with Sweeten appeared first on Sweeten.

The post A Scandi-Style Kitchen with Mid-Century & Italian Cues in Brooklyn appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: Give a functional kitchen a small facelift in the Upper West Side

Before: Melissa bought her Upper West Side 650-square-feet condo in 2015 from a family of four, who utilized the space differently than she does as a single homeowner. A big plus of the purchase was that the space only needed some “finishing touches rather than a major reconfiguration.”

While the kitchen was serviceable, she felt some of the cost-cutting measures made in a prior renovation just didn’t measure up. “I loved the open-concept of my kitchen and how it flowed out to the rest of the space,” she said, “but it was clear they skimped on the details.”

Melissa hated the existing countertops (“the counter was cheap dark wood with many seams!”), and the cabinets without a toe-kick accumulated a ton of food debris, creating a cleaning nightmare. The bar needed tweaking; it was two different pieces with different depths. The space was much darker than she wanted, getting only morning sunlight, and the wood countertops didn’t help. “They swallowed the room whole!” she noted.

To make it her own, she posted her project to Sweeten, a free service that connects homeowners with vetted general contractors, and selected this Sweeten contractor.

After: Smart, small changes transformed Melissa’s blah kitchen into a place she’s proud to call home. She replaced the dark wood countertops with quartz (“so easy to clean and visually opened up my space!”). The bar was not standard height, and so it required custom carpentry to finish it off properly. Adding a white subway tile backsplash and switching out the existing hardware for a larger size instantly improved the space. “I selected modern handles and knobs that accented the tall cabinets and gave the space more function as well as a polished look,” she explained. “I saw many examples on Sweeten’s blog, which gave me the confidence to go for it!”

But her favorite swap? Her single huge basin sink, that came with various add-ons, has been the game-changer. “It has a removable dish rack that inserts into the sink, which I use every day because it frees up counter space; perfect for small spaces!”

Melissa said, “I used Sweeten’s Client Services to vet unfamiliar questions that popped up, such as buying a counter through a wholesaler so I could resolve my questions quickly.” Her contractor completed the project on time and on budget. Now, she’s thrilled with the final result. “I love the new bright look and functionality!”

Bonus: Melissa finished her renovation on a tight budget and armed with her helpful dad. They painted the space to make it brighter and replaced the floors themselves, which saved money. “Let’s just say it was an adventure and I’m glad I didn’t get evicted,” she said, “but a little paint and nicer floors went a long way!”

Thanks for sharing your kitchen renovation story with us, Melissa!

Style finds: Kitchen cabinets: Ikea. Cabinet hardware: My Knobs. Countertops: Home Depot. Backsplash: Tile Bar. Prolific sink: Kohler. Lighting: Home Depot.

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An Upper West Side kitchen turned up the brightness with glossy finishes and under-cabinet LED lighting.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Kitchen Shines with Some TLC appeared first on Sweeten.

Sarah and her husband bought their first apartment last year in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn. It was originally a one-bedroom co-op, but they benefitted from some renovations the previous owners had done, including cordoning off space for a second bedroom. Architectural details such as an ornate archway were also intact, giving it the perfect amount of charm. On the other hand, the bathroom needed some work, as did the hodgepodge of cabinets in the kitchen. With two small kids, Sarah also saw a peace-giving opportunity to swap out flimsy doors on the second bedroom for something with a little more soundproofing.

On replicating a kitchen archway design: We weren’t sure that was possible, but [the contractor] did an amazing job!

Even though they closed on the apartment in November, Sarah and her husband rented the apartment back to the former owners during the planning stages of the renovation. By the time the building’s board approved the plans, “we ended up with just five weeks to get the work done, including over Christmas and New Years,” said Sarah. They were moving in February 1. With the holiday season in full swing, they had trouble finding a contractor up for the tight timeframe challenge. Sarah came to Sweeten, a free service that connects homeowners with vetted general contractors, to find someone for the job. “It came down to the wire,” said Sarah. “Our Sweeten contractor and team were still painting as we were moving in.”

As far as kitchens go, the kitchen in the apartment wasn’t half bad. It had an open plan that fed into the living room, wooden countertops, and a farmhouse-style sink. However, cream backsplash tiles that culminated in a heavy printed pattern above the sink weighed the whole thing down. “The real goal in all of this was to make everything as clean and minimalistic as possible,” said Sarah. The mismatch of cabinets also needed to have one cohesive look. The couple went for open shelving to make the kitchen feel bigger. They also loved the idea of showing off their dishes. “They are really beautiful and we don’t mind looking at them all the time,” said Sarah. The cabinets below the counter were from Ikea and were perfectly fine, but they had wanted to replace them with flat fronts for a minimalist aesthetic. However, for new homeowners, that was a few steps over the budget line. Instead, the hardware was swapped out for a bold gold. “It completely changed their look,” said Sarah. “We’re very happy with the result.”

One archway in the kitchen was in the original Art Deco style (the building was built in 1938), so Sarah’s Sweeten contractor was asked to mirror the design on an adjacent archway—previously a doorframe. “We weren’t sure that was possible, but he did an amazing job!”

The bathroom received the most extensive makeover of the project. The floors needed to be re-tiled with a new shower fixture and vanity added. “It never felt very clean,” said Sarah, of the existing bathroom, which had black floor tiles. “It’s a small space so we went with all white to make it feel as open as possible.”

Like the archways in the kitchen, Sarah wanted to keep some of the old detail. In the bathroom, that meant keeping the bathtub. Its light salmon pink gives the bathroom an understated drop of color. It was also easier to let it remain where it was. “That’s a cast iron tub and it weighs a ton! We thought, just keep it and make everything else white.”

The bathroom provided the couple a chance to add a nod to a favorite style, Shaker architecture. Instead of using typical towel rails, Sarah had a peg rail made by a Shaker workshop in Massachusetts. “It turns out to be really handy to have a lot of pegs,” she said. “We use them for towels and drying clothes for the baby.”

The simplest part of the renovation turned out to be not so. It turned out that the new doors for the nursery weren’t made to be as soundproof as they used to be. The couple’s Sweeten contractor suggested a solid core door rather than one with MDF (medium-density fiberboard) cores, which can be pushovers when it comes to noise. However, “it turns out solid core is incredibly difficult to find these days,” said Sarah. She only found one option in an extensive search. It turned out to be the perfect fit. Well, almost. The floors were uneven. That meant the new doors needed to be sanded down for a snug fit. The couple also handmade some leather pulls instead of using door knobs. Now, Sarah and her husband are enjoying the fruits of their efforts. “Our girls snooze away while we watch movies or entertain right outside their door,” she said.

The priority was using paint that was as non-toxic as possible, a subject Sarah is very serious about, in light of research linking volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from certain objects and liquids, like paint, to cancer. While some fancier brands had whites the couple liked, they decided to keep their budget in mind and went with something more economical that was also VOC-free. That turned out to be a smart decision. “Our plaster walls drank up the paint,” said Sarah, “and we ended up having to buy 25 gallons when we originally budgeted for ten.”

On this project, the five-week timeline wasn’t the only thing that was tight. Sarah and her husband were focused on sticking to their budget. The couple worked closely with their Sweeten contractor to keep costs low in other areas, such as picking up some materials and supplies themselves. It turned out to be a lot of work, including a run out to New Jersey to get tiles, paint, and grout. However, the strategy had a valuable fringe benefit. “It made us very involved in the project,” said Sarah. “We made every decision along the way.”

Sarah and family, thank you for sharing your newly renovated apartment with us!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Kitchen backsplash: Floor & Decor. Shelving: Cut by the local lumber yard. Shelving brackets: Ikea. Muuto “Grain” light pendant: Finnish Design Shop. Nelson “Saucer” pendant: Design Within Reach. Kitchen hardware, knobs and pulls: Etsy.

NURSERY RESOURCES: Doors, #738791: Lowe’s. Door pulls: handmade from leather and brass bolts.

BATHROOM RESOURCES: Pine Shaker pegboard: Shaker Workshops. Wall and floor tile: Floor & Decor. Vanity and sink: Ikea. Danze shower faucet: Amazon. Sink faucet, #902.994.25: Ikea. Medicine cabinet: Ikea. Premium Plus paint: Behr. Toilet paper holder: Finnish Design Shop.

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We talked to the experts on soundproofing to come up with a plan of attack for homeowners seeking peace and quiet.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Original Details Make Their Mark appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: Bringing a dilapidated bath into the 21st century in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn

Before: Last week, we saw how Natalie and Cartier transformed the kitchen and living room of their one-bedroom apartment in the Clinton Hill Co-ops. Their bathroom was in a similar state of disrepair from a rust-stained bathtub and matching sink to the peeling, flowery wallpaper and lavender tiles that were not to the couple’s taste at all. With the help of their Sweeten contractor, they implemented a set of bathroom renovation ideas that contrasted white tiles with dark grout for a look that’s thoroughly modern.

After: As in the rest of the apartment, Natalie and Cartier created a clean, streamlined look by combining white tile, flat-front cabinetry in a dark wood finish, and chrome Grohe fixtures. The choice of a 4” x 12” subway tile for the walls gave the bath a more contemporary look than the traditional 3” x 6” subway tile. The couple chose a dark grout for contrast and paired it with charcoal flooring in porcelain tile. Sleek bar lighting and recessed lights maintained the unfussy look. The space was a typical NYC bathroom, which meant that they had to maximize storage space without it feeling too cramped. Another one of their bathroom renovation ideas involved two niches built into the wall of the shower to provide a convenient area for storing bath products. An IKEA sink and vanity helped to keep the cost down while the pair splurged on a thermostatic shower system that includes a rain shower, a handheld showerhead, as well as a faucet. They decided on the thermostatic shower valves because of bad experiences in past apartments with drastic changes in shower temperature, and this technology addressed that problem.

Bonus: Cartier hated the way that shower curtains got dingy over time (no matter how diligent you were about airing them out!). As a result, he was particularly excited about the glass partition between the tub and the sink which simplifies the task of cleaning.

Style finds: Porcelain floor tile, PT 12″ x 24″ Basaltina Linosa (cut into squares): Arizona Tile. White 4” x 12” Glossy Subway wall tile: South Cypress. Starlight Chrome fixtures, Essentials Collection; Thermostatic Europlus Starlight Chrome shower fixtures, Cosmopolitan Collection: Grohe. Godmorgon sink and vanity: IKEA. Modern Ceramic Dual Flush toilet: Eago. Saber LED Bath Bar lighting, #WS-3127-CH: Modern Forms.

Thanks to Natalie and Cartier for sharing their sleek new bath! If you missed it, don’t forget to check out their kitchen and living room!

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Contrasting light tile with dark grout, as seen in Lia and Chris’ bath, is a simple way to make a bold style statement.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A New Bath Takes Its Cue From Contrasts appeared first on Sweeten.

Planning your new kitchen design is an exciting time. It’s fun to walk through a big-box store like IKEA, Home Depot, or Lowe’s and start brainstorming the look and feel of your space. These types of stores offer pretty much everything you need to build your kitchen, from cabinets and countertops to appliances, faucets, sinks, and more. Even if you’re choosing to design and sketch out your own kitchen renovation ideas from scratch, it’s good to know what’s out there. Below are five examples of Sweeten kitchens that feature IKEA products.

Jerry and Janet’s IKEA Finds: Cabinets, pantry cabinet, countertop, sink, and oven range

Looking to create a contemporary design that would mesh well with the original molding and hardwood flooring in their new home, Jerry and Janet chose base cabinetry—and a tall pantry cabinet—with molding from IKEA. To give them a modern edge, they had them painted in Balboa Mist and Classic Gray by Benjamin Moore. The gray tones were then incorporated into the design of their geometric backsplash tile and contrasted by a white countertop.

Ursula’s IKEA Finds: Cabinets, island, and hood

Ursula transformed a dark kitchen that lacked windows into a lighter and brighter space by incorporating white cabinets with a high-gloss finish. Since the kitchen didn’t offer much in the way of prep space, she implemented a few clever kitchen renovation ideas with an island from IKEA that resembles a dresser and went for a dusky shade of gray to add some contrast. Stainless steel appliances completed the look, including a super sleek hood that reflects the light.

Fabio and Melina’s IKEA Finds: Cabinets, sink, and faucet

With a narrow galley kitchen that hadn’t been touched in 40 years, Fabio and Melina set out to design a whole new space that matched their personal tastes. They chose black cabinets to cement their strong point of view and included a few glass-fronted doors. A white countertop adds the perfect amount of contrast while a patterned floor tile helps tie the look together.

Laura and Matthew’s IKEA Finds: Cabinets, countertops, sink, faucet, and microwave

Laura and Matthew realized that the original cabinets in their new home had been painted several times over and couldn’t be salvaged, so they purchased all new cabinets in a soft shade of gray. They also found a stainless steel microwave at IKEA that matched the look of their new range for a crisp, uniform appearance.

Gregg and Kelly’s IKEA Finds: Cabinets, sink, and faucet

With two windows nestled in shadowy nooks and dark cabinets in the existing kitchen, Gregg and Kelly knew that they wanted it to feel as light and airy as possible. Knocking down walls filled the space with natural light, and white, high-gloss cabinets with flat front doors brightened up the kitchen even more. Honed black granite countertops provide a pop of contrast against the white backdrop.

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Learn about the costs that go into renovating a kitchen.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post 5 Kitchens Prove Affordable Style is Here to Stay appeared first on Sweeten.

When designing your new bathroom, storage and organization is key to creating a clutter-free, soothing environment. The bath vanity you choose will have a big impact on the amount of storage you can fit. Choose a stock or pre-fab unit from stores like IKEA, Home Depot, and Lowe’s—or you can have one custom built. Unless you have an unusual layout or are looking to do something dramatic with your design, a custom vanity isn’t always necessary. Stock vanities can offer plenty of storage, work with any style, and are budget-friendly. Here are 5 examples of Sweeten homeowners who chose an IKEA vanity for their space.

A stained oak IKEA vanity offsets a “denim” palette

Mario and Joe designed their bathroom around a striated gray porcelain tile that had the appearance of coarse denim. To balance out the cool gray tile, they chose a stained oak IKEA vanity for their bath and worked with their Sweeten contractor to build a custom countertop to fit a Kraus sink on top for a more unique look.

An IKEA vanity keeps a stunning bathroom clutter-free

Janet & Jerry credited Sweeten with helping them achieve a “stunning redesign” of their bathroom. The upgrades include an in-wall toilet, a vertical-space shower with skylight, and striking stone floor tiles. A double-drawer IKEA vanity keeps toiletries and bathroom supplies out of sight, allowing the bathrooms’ striking design to stand out. 

A dark walnut IKEA bathroom vanity stands out

Focusing on making their small bathroom feel less cluttered, Fabio and Melina supersized their storage with an IKEA vanity in a walnut wood finish, pairing it with marble and brass shelves from CB2. Bronze fixtures and hardware plus a handmade, cement and granite Moroccan floor tile add warmth and character.

An IKEA bathroom vanity makes sense for a growing family

Although the bathroom in their new home had been recently updated, the finishes felt cheap and bland. Lindsay and Matt set out to increase storage to accommodate their growing family. The pedestal sink was replaced with a sleek square sink and two-drawer IKEA bathroom vanity, while new lighting made the space feel brighter.

A Brooklyn brownstone adds a double-wide IKEA vanity

Homeowners Bellamy and Zak knew their newly-purchased 1900s brownstone needed a “serious facelift”. The renovation list was extensive: a master bedroom, master closet, master bathroom, guest bedroom, and laundry room. The master bathroom has a mix of luxe details (a heated bathroom floor!) and budget-friendly features, like this double-wide IKEA vanity with custom fronts by Semihandmade.

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The IKEA inspiration continues: 7 Ways to Style IKEA Kitchen Cabinets

Sweeten’s guide to Choosing a New Toilet walks homeowners through potential styles, shapes, and add-ons.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post 5 Bathrooms Give IKEA Vanities the Spotlight appeared first on Sweeten.

Guest post by Lindsay, Ditmas Park homeowner

Like many New Yorkers, after Matt and I had a baby we started yearning for more (or at least a different kind of) space. We lived in a Park Slope brownstone walk-up, and while our apartment was full of charm, we realized it was going to become more and more difficult to live there as our daughter grew older with its stairs, open fireplaces, jagged floors, and somewhat awkward layout. So, we jumped on the real estate bandwagon, setting our sites on convertible one-bedroom apartments since two-bedroom co-ops were mostly out of our price range.

After being outbid several times in Prospect Heights and Windsor Terrace, we eventually ended up in Ditmas Park, where Matt had previously lived and where we first met. There, we found a one-bedroom in a building constructed in 1941 with a ton of charm, including pointed arch doorways and an inset bookcase. Our future building was a co-op, and ours was a sponsor unit that had recently undergone a renovation including a new kitchen and bathroom. 

Since the place was in pretty good shape, the major component of our renovation was to separate the single bedroom into a master bedroom and nursery. We debated over a few layouts and decided to demolish the closets, build a partition, and create a new door opening from the living room.

As an architectural historian and frequent reader of design blogs, I was familiar with Sweeten and the service they offered. With the baby, work, a long unfinished doctoral dissertation, and the seemingly unending closing process, I didn’t have much time to do the legwork to find contractors or figure out how to schedule things. When the contractor we selected dropped out for a bigger Manhattan project right before closing, we decided to post our project with Sweeten–who were great in helping us find someone else in a pinch. In the end, they matched us with a Sweeten general contractor who was incredibly competent and quickly helped reduce my anxiety about the whole project. We had decided most of the big things, but he was great in helping us think through the smaller issues, such as where to put outlets and what kind of paint to choose.

By this time, our scope had also expanded a bit. In addition to some (unexpected) electrical work, we decided on a few aesthetic upgrades in the kitchen and bathroom, where the finishes were somewhat “cheap” and bland. We weren’t going for total transformations here. Just a handful of subtle upgrades to the existing decor that also aligned with our overall budget.  

Since our budget was pretty small, we aimed to get the most bang for our buck. In the kitchen, we replaced the laminate countertop with a quartz Caesarstone counter and installed a new stainless undermount sink and chrome faucet, white subway tile backsplash, and new ceiling lights.

In the bathroom, we replaced the pedestal sink with a more modern sink and vanity cabinet, added metal shelves, and installed new lights. These changes were small, but they made a huge difference in how the space looked and functioned.

Overall, construction went very smoothly. We were staying in sublets, so Paul knew that the work needed to be done as soon as possible. Paul wrapped things up right on schedule and before we knew it, we lived there! It was a great first-time renovating experience and I’m definitely itching to take on the next project.

Kitchen selects >> countertop: Quartz Caesarstone / sink: Kohler / faucet: Kohler / lighting: IKEA

Bathroom selects >> vanity sink: IKEA / metal rack: Schoolhouse Electric / lighting: IKEA   

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Lindsay and Matt’s Sweetened Brooklyn Co-op Renovation – Homeowner Guest Post! appeared first on Sweeten.

“Courtney was fantastic! Her process for learning about the project, the space potential, and understanding who I am is her true talent. I always felt that I had a voice and control over the design, which was important to me, but Courtney effortlessly brought it to life.”

-Kelly, Brooklyn Heights homeowner

Kelly had come to realize that living in a studio apartment meant that the kitchen would forever be the focal point—it “needed to rock”, as she put it. With old appliances and “cheap” cabinets and counters, the kitchen lacked a ton of functionality. An earlier attempt at open shelving left all sorts of things exposed, the cabinets extended just halfway to the ceiling, bar seating offered zero storage topped with a thin strip of counter prep space, and the stove and fridge were both miniature-sized. Kelly wanted to find an interior designer whose imagination wasn’t limited by tight spaces. She posted her project on Sweeten and we matched her with Sweeten Expert Courtney, a pro at bringing ambitious texture and color to spaces large and small.

Since Kelly wasn’t yet set on any specific style choices for her kitchen, Courtney was able to provide plenty of inspiration to get the renovation process started. The plans called for a few big fixes: Kelly’s team would extend the kitchen cabinets to ceiling height for more storage and finish the cabinetry with a variety of classic doors and transparent glass panes. The bar counter was significantly enlarged, granting more prep and dining space and doubling the kitchen’s drawer storage. And to accommodate a full-sized stove and fridge, Kelly moved the fridge out of the galley altogether.

Kelly appreciated Courtney’s talent for mixing affordable items with the right amount of higher-end items for a polished look. The previous flooring consisted of brick-colored tiles that dragged the room into darkness. Kelly chose eye-catching cement tiles in a white and soft black mosaic, evoking a sense of Moroccan-inspired decor. Kelly bid adieu to the old, sagging cabinets and selected a dove gray IKEA set for the bottom base with a matte white finish for the uppers, plus elegant chrome hardware for all.

For her newly-enlarged bar counter, Courtney helped Kelly pick butcher block for its warmth and price point, offsetting that material with a natural stone for the opposite counter. Ready to pack a lot of texture into the small space, Kelly added another pop of personality with a subway-style backsplash of luminous blue hand-glazed ceramic tiles. This detail, along with new undercabinet lighting was the key to unlocking all of that brightness.

The rickety oven range was replaced with a sleek stainless stove and Kelly scored a matching microwave stationed directly above it. A new dishwasher now resides where the old fridge once stood, and Kelly had new storage and pantry cabinets constructed along the opposite wall, framing the fridge perfectly. Kelly did away with the harsh ceiling light and opted for low-profile recessed lighting instead, complementing her new space gorgeously.  

The renovation plan grew to include the bathroom as well as the secret to the success of any great NYC studio: a highly organized walk-in closet! Without changing the footprint of the bath, Kelly carried several of the design choices from the kitchen over for continuity and coherence.

She went with the same marbled stone look for the floors and shower walls while replacing the tub with a new white porcelain upgrade. In other splash-prone areas surrounding the sink and shower, Kelly decided on a pale gray glass tile stacked in clean, contemporary lines. The old vanity was replaced with a dark wood cabinet boasting deep storage drawers and a large rectangular sink basin, crowned with a simple mirror and a soft-glow lighting strip. Two chrome shower heads were installed, one flexible and the other stationary, creating an elegant spa oasis.

The last perk of this smart renovation came in the form of customizing the studio’s remaining closet, including shelving, section dividers, and a full-length mirror.

Kelly’s lovely, revamped studio is proof that no space is too small for showcasing personal taste and imagination. We’re thrilled to hear that Courtney’s eye for design and hustle helped Kelly re-create this beautiful space!

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Brand-New Brooklyn Kitchen, Bath, and Walk-In Closet appeared first on Sweeten.

Guest post by Gregg, Brooklyn homeowner

For about one year, Kelly and I searched all over Brooklyn to not only find the perfect apartment, but also the perfect neighborhood. The more we saw, the more our search started to narrow to Clinton Hill and the Clinton Hill Co-ops in particular. Located on what I think is one of the most beautiful streets in Brooklyn, the Clinton Hill Co-op campus had everything we were looking for: a sensible layout, sturdy prewar structure, and great value for the money.

We zero’d in on a two-bedroom unit that was in need of a lot of work. Many of the apartments in the Co-ops have been renovated before; this one never had and it was a mess. In fact, it was so untouched that even the light switches were still push button rather than actual switches. But, having seen numerous posts on Sweeten, we knew the potential of the space and had a vision for what it could be. The first and most important thing for us to get to was the kitchen and dining room area. We posted our project on Sweeten and found Sweeten Expert Mick to help us with the project.

There were a few things we really wanted. First, we wanted something light and airy. Our old apartment only had two windows and both were in constant shadow, so we wanted something that really allowed the light to filter into the living space. We also wanted a place that we could host people in and have a couple of different gathering spots. And finally, I wanted a place that would be easy to cook in and easy for storage.

Mick guided us through all that needed to be done, had suggestions along the way about how to make the space work even better, and let us know what to expect as things went on. We were lucky to have someone who was so honest and upfront as the apartment was in such bad shape. For instance, after knocking down some of the walls, we really got to see how bad some of the wiring was. Mick walked us through the options and took care of everything.

With walls down and new wiring installed, we were ready for the fun stuff. We wanted finishes that were clean and bright, again to allow the sunlight to come in and to make it feel fresh and open. We decided to go with modern white IKEA cabinets because of the solid quality and affordable pricing. Mick, as someone who normally creates custom cabinetry, was able to really help us design a plan that would make the cabinets not feel so cookie-cutter. For the countertops, we went with honed black granite because we wanted the look of a soapstone or black marble, but with a little more durability. The stone looks fantastic and is really a great contrast to the high-gloss cabinets. It was Mick who recommended we get a counter-depth fridge in order to keep things more open with clean lines. It turned out to be a great recommendation.

We put in new wood floors ourselves that I think bring some much needed warmth to the space. They are engineered floors and we really liked that they felt lived-in but not in a way that seemed artificial. We wanted something that was matte, had character, but would also be durable. This flooring ticked off all of those boxes.

Overall, we couldn’t be more thrilled with the results. The before and after photos really tell the tale. Mick was able to do a fantastic job–and on budget. Not only that, he has an attention to detail that is very hard to find in many NYC contractors. Most contractors are concerned with getting the job done and that is it – Mick is concerned with getting the job done and getting it done right.

It has been several months since the renovation and we both still say “we can’t believe this is actually our apartment”.

Kitchen selects >> floors: Bella Cera / cabinets: IKEA / counters: honed black granite / backsplash: white subway tiles / sink & faucet: IKEA  / fridge: Fisher & Paykel / pendants: Cedar and Moss

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Broadening A Crowded Clinton Hill Co-op Kitchen appeared first on Sweeten.

The kitchen in Hari and Kaity’s new place was cheery but filled with dated tile, attempts to overcompensate with bad lighting, and appliance placement that seriously cut into counter space. The windowed bathroom had great potential and had been carefully kept up, but Hari and Kaity saw opportunity for smarter storage and a chance to customize the tile with chicer selections. As first-time renovators, the couple decided to post their renovation project on Sweeten and we matched them with Sweeten Expert Jamal, who was ready to help the couple settle into a home complete with major updates in every room.

Like most residents with NYC-style galley kitchens, Hari really wanted theirs to feel more open and emit more light—especially since this kitchen did not come with a window, as many do. The previous owner overcompensated by adding lighting strips to the tops and bottoms of the cabinets, but the kitchen’s layout was the real issue. Jamal got to work, designing a plan that would expose more of the room to the home’s entry and living area, relocate a key appliance, and expand storage and counter space.

Jamal’s team cut into the kitchen’s entry door frame and brought the fridge a few feet outside of the kitchen’s walls, which in return allotted for more counter and cabinet space. They yanked old floor tiles and installed large, textured stone-like tiles in their place. New dove gray IKEA cabinetry with silver hardware plus a taller line of upper cabinetry, some with glass paneling, replaced the shorter set of originals. Hari and Kaity chose smooth white Caesarstone for the countertop and decided on white subway tile for the backsplash in a herringbone pattern, incorporating the classic yet modern aesthetic they were after. Under-cabinet and interior-cabinet lighting now brings a warm, inviting glow and stainless steel appliances (plus room for a brand new paneled dishwasher!) completed the turnaround.

In the bathroom, Jamal set his sights on revamping fixtures and finishes for a more stylish and functional retreat. Hari and Kaity hoped to gain a little extra storage space, but otherwise, the upgrade would be fairly straightforward and relatively cosmetic.

They chose a classic basketweave floor with marbled tiles and expanded the chic black and white look up the walls with white, undulated subway tile lined with a glossy black border. Jamal introduced a shower niche for subtle storage and replaced the old pedestal sink with a modern version that offered more room for soaps and daily necessities. Hari and Kaity kept the same mirrored medicine cabinet and pendant lighting, added a simpler set of glass shelves, and opted for a new Toto toilet.

Hari and Kaity love the new kitchen and bath, and we can’t help but be psyched to showcase the innovative work in the rest of this home next week. Get ready for stunningly lovely refinished floors, picture frame molding, and envy-inducing closets!

Kitchen selects >> kitchen back wall: Benjamin Moore in Huntington White / cabinets: IKEA / countertop: white Caesarstone / faucet: Hansgrohe via Utica Avenue Plumbing Supply / dishwasher: Miele / range: Blomberg / fridge: Blomberg

Bathroom selects >> bathroom walls: Benjamin Moore in Coventry Gray / faucet: Hansgrohe / sink: Duravit via Utica Avenue Plumbing Supply / toilet: Toto 

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Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Kitchen and Bathroom Refresh in Brooklyn Heights appeared first on Sweeten.

Guest post by Evelyn, Manhattan homeowner

After living in NYC for nearly 10 years, I realized it might be time to put on my grown-up girl shoes, build some solid roots, and pay a mortgage rather than just renting. I remember asking my real estate agent how people usually knew which place to buy. He simply said you just know. He was right. It took a few months of looking and just as I was feeling my most disheartened, I stepped into what would be my converted studio and I KNEW this was going to be my home. And we lived happily ever after.

Except, while I did love my new home on sight, it was not without its imperfections. For a co-op building that has been around for over 90 years, it was in wonderful shape, well-maintained and in a fantastic Upper West Side neighborhood. I can’t say I had much to complain about… and yet, when I first searched for an apartment, I had two basic requirements. I wanted a workable kitchen that was hopefully separated from the rest of the living space, and I wanted a decent bathroom. Luckily, both requirements were fulfilled, but there was room for improvement.

The kitchen, while adorable and full of storage, wasn’t conducive to major cooking spurts. The dishwasher had leaking issues—temperamental is a good way to describe it. The floor had cracks. The counter space was limited and only one person could move at a time in there. There were these wonderful glass cabinets that were attached to each end of the galley kitchen. While I appreciated the storage and display possibilities, the awkward height and width just ended up making my kitchen seem smaller. As for my bathroom, it just needed some updating.

I loathe cleaning and wanted a home that was easy to care for but tailored to my particular needs. I wanted to bring my kitchen up to the modern age but maintain a bit of that retro vibe. For me, after months of aspirational pinning on Pinterest, that meant a black and white kitchen (stark black and stark white) with pops of color.

I had a false start with my renovation a few years ago. I talked with some contractors referred to me by friends, but I wasn’t in the right space financially or mentally to deal with a renovation. Fast forward two to three years later, and it was now or never. Once again, I had no idea how to begin. But hurrah for the internet! I googled various NY contractor sites and found Sweeten.

What appealed to me most about Sweeten was the matching system. I posted what I wanted and contractors found me. I could read up on them and see their previous work. It made a daunting task less so. In my case, Sweeten Expert Jon wasn’t one that was matched with me. I was browsing the site, noticed his work, and emailed Sweeten to see if they could match us. When I first met Jon, I felt at ease. He was smart, had great ideas, and understood the type of vibe I was going for.

My budget was decent but nothing too crazy. I spent a weekend at IKEA figuring out my game plan. One of the biggest decisions for any kitchen are the cabinets. I chose the whitest, glossiest cabinets at IKEA. Even on the sunniest of days, my apartment doesn’t have a lot of natural light. I figured making my kitchen as white as possible would help to make at least part of my home bright—I was right. The glossy finish was practical; it’s easier to clean. When it comes to the interiors, I was quite captivated by drawers. In all the places I’ve lived, drawers had never been much of an option, other than the utensil drawer. Seeing the various ways in which I could get my mixing bowls out by pulling out a drawer instead of digging into the back of a cabinet was revolutionary! I wanted as many drawers as possible, and definitely a pull-out trash bin.

While I had many ideas, the actual execution (measurements, what would actually work versus what I wanted) was a bit out of my realm. Luckily Jon was great with all of that. He would shoot me ideas or measurements of what I needed to look for. I would send him the appliances, etc., and he would assess if it was the correct size or not (yay for teamwork!). Because I do have a NYC kitchen, full-size appliances were not in the cards. I opted for a taller refrigerator (European-sized if you will, with freezer drawers on the bottom), compact dishwasher, and a much deeper sink (got that from Amazon, 10” deep). With the measurements in mind, I was also able to find a really good-sized but still compact-ish oven. 

I tried to stay sensible with my appliances. I went for solid brands but didn’t go big on the pricing. My splurges were contained to unexpected accessories. The favorite splurge is my Kartell light blue lamp (which was actually recommended by Jon—excellent taste). I also went a little lavish for my floor. I knew I wanted larger-scale black and white tiles set in a diamond pattern, but nearly every tile store insisted the white tile could never be the pure white I wanted. I was considering options I could settle for when I luckily stumbled upon a really knowledgeable salesperson. He explained that pure white tile would be an issue if I went with porcelain or ceramic—but he did have one other option: glass. To achieve my desired look, he recommended glass for the white and granite for the black. My previous floor was prone to damage if anything fell; this dream floor would not have that issue, plus the tile is super glossy to boot. Perfect. 

To complete the stark black and white effect, I decided on white subway tiles and a black countertop. With my aversion to cleaning, a black quartz countertop would hide messes a bit easier. Initially I thought I would do granite, as everyone is wont to do, but I like that quartz is more low maintenance and also more uniform in color and tone (since it’s not a natural stone). 

One of the biggest transformations was the addition of my window seat, one of Jon’s ideas from our initial meeting. Previously, there was a radiator in that space, but, in all the years in my apartment, I never used it. With the window seat complete with open shelving below, wasted space became not only a place to sit but I could have more storage. While Jon suggested paneling to disguise the shelving, I opted to keep it open. I prefer the open shelving as a great way to display some of my colorful kitchen accessories, cookbooks, and other knickknacks. I was excited by the idea of a window seat, but I did not expect the vibrancy, coziness, and warmth it brings to my new kitchen. I absolutely adore it!

My bathroom was less of a dramatic change but the tweaks made were very much needed. Initially, I had wanted a super blue floor. After discovering that was an impossible ask, I left it to Jon’s discretion. He sent me some options and I went for a less crazy but still lovely blue-gray slate. The tiles were huge (love that) and it’s easy to clean.

Besides the tile, I knew I needed to upgrade the shelving above my toilet. When I first moved in, I installed a cheap cabinet from Bed Bath and Beyond. Very functional, as I had very little space, but it was just…there. After exploring some ideas, I went for open shelving. I found this great wooden shelf from West Elm that we cut in half. The brackets holding up the shelving were not exactly my favorite. I wanted something unobtrusive more in-line with my aesthetic. I had shown Jon a picture of an idea but didn’t really think much about getting that exact look. But to my surprise, he found a perfect facsimile, if not something better. Basically, they were just old pipes that were upcycled as shelving brackets. And they look fantastic.

Overall, I am wildly happy with the results. The renovation itself was LOTS of work but suffice to say, what I learned was immense. Having had no idea where to even begin, Sweeten really made a very scary, life-changing task seem less daunting. With so much information and helpful service, I was to find the perfect contractor for me to execute my dream. And were I ever to embark on such a venture again, Sweeten is definitely where I would go to first.

Kitchen Selects >> Cabinets and hardware: IKEA / microwave: 2.1 cu cu. ft. Over-the-Range in Stainless Steel from Samsung / refrigerator and range: Summit 9.85 cu bottom freezer refrigerator and 30 in. 5.8 cu. ft. Gas Range with Self-Cleaning Oven and 5 Burner Cooktop with Griddle in Stainless Steel from Home Depot / faucet: Kohler from Home Depot / sink: Kraus KHU101-23 23 inch Undermount Single Bowl 16 gauge Stainless Steel Kitchen Sink from Amazon / pendant light: FL/Y Suspension in light blue from Kartell / yellow stools: Tabouret 24-inch Lemon Metal Counter Stools from Overstock.com / dishwasher: 18” dishwasher from Bosch / dining table: custom Portica from Room & Board / bench seat: custom / paint: Behr

Bathroom Selects >> Wall shelving: West Elm

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Sweeten handpicks contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your project on Sweeten.

The post Evelyn’s Sweetened Manhattan Co-op — Homeowner Guest Post appeared first on Sweeten.