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• Homeowners: Bellamy, an executive at The GAP, and Zak, a senior environmental scientist, posted their brownstone renovation on Sweeten
• Where: Bed-Stuy in Brooklyn
• Primary renovation: A 2,400-square foot Brooklyn brownstone renovation transformed the owners’ duplex and garden rental
• With: Sweeten general contractor
• Homeowner’s quote: “Aligning our budget was our major obstacle, but consulting with our contractor was great.“

Written in partnership with homeowner Bellamy. “After” photos by Kate Glicksberg.

Finding their circa 1900 Brooklyn brownstone home

After a grueling year-long search, countless open houses, and one house lost in a bidding war, we found our home. Remarkably, it had everything we wanted: it was a two-family home in the heart of “brownstone” Brooklyn, with original hardwood floors. Most of the houses in the neighborhood were built circa 1900. Many we viewed did not stand the test of time, but this home had been in the same family for years and did not show the usual wear-and-tear of a 100-year-old home. We were lucky, but we did need to embark on an old home renovation.

I was thankful to stumble upon Sweeten early in my search for general contractors in Bed-Stuy. While I had owned a home before, this was our first time doing a large-scale Brooklyn brownstone renovation that would require more than our DIY skills could handle.

The layout of the house and our budget did not afford us a ton of options, so the renovation was straightforward. We focused on structural changes to change the flow and use of the house. Thankfully, when we moved in, we were able to live in the garden floor apartment while we renovated the upper two floors where we would eventually live.

Salvaging and repurposing

We removed the original entry doors as you come into the entry foyer, but left the structural wall intact. This allowed the area to feel more open as you continue into the living area; it also gave back more livable space to work with. However, I loved the original details of the doors. Luckily, they just fit the ceiling clearance on the second floor and they found new life as the guest room headboard.

In the living room and through to the kitchen, we tore down two walls and exposed a long expanse of brick wall. The former owner had repointed the brick in the front room with black mortar, which was a real eyesore. When we exposed the whole length of the house, we were left with two walls that didn’t match. Limited by our budget, we repointed the half that was previously covered and experimented with painting techniques to blend the two together.

An overhaul for the kitchen

I wanted the updated kitchen to be the focus of the home. There were three main obstacles: adding a door for backyard access, the ceiling height, and a must-have double oven. I initially wanted to enlarge the back window above the sink to make it a focal point and let in more natural light. Not far along into the kitchen process, I had to abandon that idea since we were concerned with what the enlarged opening would do to the structural integrity of the home, given its age. It was also a huge expense so we chose to use those dollars elsewhere.

In the end, we actually made the window above the sink slightly smaller to allow for a proper backsplash. We replaced the second window with a door and added a small landing and stairs for easy backyard access.

Finding the right appliances

The next question was how to vent the hood with 11-foot-high ceilings and open shelving left nowhere to hide. Ultimately, the ducting was kept exposed and vented directly through the wall outside. I love the industrial element it adds to the newly renovated space.

Lastly, where to fit the double oven? At first, I was concerned I would be giving up valuable pantry space, but the layout worked out perfectly and there was room for everything we wanted, even the custom built-in beverage taps. We are home-brewing enthusiasts and wanted a unique feature in our kitchen to showcase that.

Splurging and saving

We needed to refresh the first-floor bath which was an easy update. The layout was already functional, so we kept it as-is with a direct replacement—aka rip-and-replace—of all the fixtures. We were able to salvage the original door and reuse the existing tub. We later put our DIY skills to the test and added fun wallpaper and wainscoting.

“He worked with us to determine where we could splurge and save.”

The top floor previously served as a separate apartment complete with its own kitchen. We wanted to have a master bedroom, master closet, master bathroom, guest bedroom, and laundry room. The tricky part was figuring out where to put everything. The pre-existing kitchen allowed us to easily add a washer and dryer without a huge expense. Once that was decided, everything else fell into place.

The master bedroom closet is a dream spot that had been a small room that our contractor converted. My favorite splurge on the top floor was adding a heated bathroom floor to the bathroom process—worth every penny in the winter.

Throughout the house, we did some major upgrades that elevate the whole space: we put up fresh drywall throughout the second floor, refinished the original floors in a dark walnut color, and replaced all the windows in the house.

Brooklyn brownstone renovation: budget and process

While I would not necessarily recommend living in a renovation (so much dust), it did allow us to check on the progress and be more involved in day-to-day decisions such as outlet locations and doorknob height. We optimistically thought the renovation would take three months, but we did add on some significant projects that stretched the timeline. Overall, once we chose our contractors, the project took about five months to complete the top two floors with some minor updates in the garden apartment.

Start your renovation with Sweeten

Aligning our budget was our major obstacle, but consulting with our contractor was great. He worked with us to determine where we could splurge and save in each room. Once our Sweeten contractor realized we were quite handy, we were able to figure out what we could do ourselves versus what we should leave to the professionals. For example, we chose to take on all the painting, which was a huge undertaking. I’m talking all ceilings, all walls, all trim, and multiple coats! I don’t think we understood what a huge task it was—and that in certain spaces, the contractor was unable to move forward until we completed painting. I’m glad we did it, but it was a grueling several months and I’m pretty sure I gave myself carpal tunnel.

Switching the brownstone layout

The biggest change in terms of the function of the home was separating the garden floor apartment from the upper two floors. In dividing the two, we were able to gain a coat closet in the apartment and additional storage space for us before the basement level. The ground floor is now available as its own standalone rental unit, while we live on the two floors above. Now that the house is done, I am so thankful we splurged on what we wanted—replacing the windows, skim-coating, and repointing the brick; those are some of my favorite things in the house.

Thanks, Bellamy and Zak, for sharing your Brooklyn brownstone renovation story with us! Here’s how they renovated their new garden rental apartment on a budget. 

Renovation Materials

FOYER RESOURCES:

• Floor tile: Merola

GROUND FLOOR BATH RESOURCES:

• Foundations Collection shower fixtures: Delta
• Hex black floor tile: Merola
• Fresh White wall tile: Jeffrey Court
• Opalhouse Speckled Dot peel-and-stick wallpaper: Target
• Godmorgon/Odensvik vanity and sink; ENSEN faucet: IKEA
• Vanity light from Ainsley Collection, 56552PN: Hinkley Lighting

KITCHEN RESOURCES:

• Kenmore refrigerator and slide-in gas cooktop: Kenmore
• Bosch dishwasher, SHVM78W53N: Bosch
• Whirlpool self-cleaning double electric wall oven, WOD51EC0AS: Whirlpool
• Floor tile, FRC8TWED: Merola
• Kitchen cabinets: Custom by contractor.
• Omnia cabinet knobs, 9153/18.3: Omnia
• Quartz countertops, 1141: Caesarstone
• Fresh White backsplash tile, 96012: Jeffrey Court
• Olde London apron-front farmhouse fireclay sink: Empire Industries

MASTER BATH RESOURCES:

• Porter shower fixtures, 142984C-BN-A: Delta
• Carrara marble hex mosaic floor tile, C33XH: MarbleOnline.com
• Retro Octagon White Dot shower floor tile, 96025; Fresh White wall tile, 96012: Jeffrey Court
• Godmorgon/Odensvik sink and vanity, 291.852.39: IKEA
• Vanity cabinet fronts: Semihandmade
• Vanity light from Ainsley Collection, 56552PN: Hinkley Lighting

PAINT RESOURCES:

• Trim paint in Totally Black, HDC-MD-04; Wall paint in Pure White, PPU18-06: Behr

Updated on June 26, 2023

Popular questions asked

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.

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Lawyer-turn-entrepreneur Cassandre Davilmar, along with her business partner, Isiah Michael, saw something missing in her neighborhood: a place for healthy-minded people to gather for camaraderie and movie nights. She turned to Sweeten, a free service matching business owners with vetted general contractors, to find a general contractor who would work with her and her interior designer. From greenery and bright colors to wicker light fixtures, they created a casual outdoor backyard indoors—an “oasis” between two major subway lines on bustling Utica Avenue. Specialties of the house: The Lakou Delight smoothie, Haitian patties, and PB&G (Haitian peanut butter and ginger jam) sweet crepe.

PROJECT: Lakou Café opens its first location in the Weeksville neighborhood (also part of Crown Heights)

LOCATION: 195 Utica Avenue, Brooklyn, New York

RENOVATION TEAM: Sweeten general contractor and interior designer Elisa Shankle of Simplexity Designs

INTERVIEW WITH: Owner Cassandre Davilmar

(Above) The café hosts community events, such as game and movie nights. (Check out the pull-down screen on the ceiling!)

Sweeten: What is your company and where did the idea come from?

Cassandre: Our company is Lakou Café. I’ve been living in Weeksville, which is a community in Crown Heights that’s actually the first free black community. I noticed there were a lot of people interested in their health with local gyms and parks for exercising, but there wasn’t a good variety of healthy food options. I also felt there weren’t many community spaces in the area. I wanted to create a space where somebody can get something light to eat and at the same time get to know the people in their community.

Sweeten: How did you move from the legal profession to become an entrepreneur?

Cassandre: I’ve always had an interest in business, but from childhood, I had a desire to be a lawyer because I wanted to help advance my community. While in law school, I developed my narrative that would lead me to entrepreneurship. I chose a career in corporate law working on private equity transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and leveraged buyouts. This gave me a deeper look at how CEOs and upper-level management evaluate strategic business decisions. I also got a deeper understanding of business modeling and financial projections.

Check out Cassandre’s video below:

With these tools in my back pocket, I was armed to tackle my next goal of entrepreneurship. I find it rewarding to imagine something, build it, and work on it until it succeeds (a constant challenge!). Also, it’s amazing to provide value to customers and to help employees find gainful employment. It may not be for everyone, but it’s definitely for me. In my specific case, my neighborhood needed a beautiful place for fellowship and I’m glad I’m able to provide an oasis for them.

Sweeten: How does the new space design represent your brand?

Cassandre: My family is from Haiti, and Lakou is a Haitian word that means backyard or courtyard. It’s a place where the community hangs out, where religious ceremonies take place, where herbs are grown, where people play, or just chill. I thought that was a fitting name for the space that I wanted to create.

We really wanted to be on the Utica strip, because it’s between two main train lines, where there are tons of people who walk by every day, but unfortunately, we couldn’t find an actual backyard space. So we brought the outdoors inside with lots of plants and tables that look like tree trunks. We wanted a contemporary feel and added a cool twist like wicker lighting instead of wicker chairs. Bright colors like green or natural stone remind you of the outside. I think we did a good job making it feel a little bit like an escape.

Sweeten: Did your Sweeten contractor help you with any part of the design?

Cassandre: We wanted a really long floating bench that’s probably about 20 feet. Our contractor was concerned that the weight of it might be a bit much, but we didn’t want a block bench. The wall that it was on originally didn’t have the brick exposed yet; we got rid of some it above the bench but not below. It kind of formed a little shelf underneath it so that we could place a bench on top and it would appear to be floating. It was great that he came up with the idea to help us get the aesthetic we wanted and still be able to support a lot of bodies and weight.

Sweeten: How was your experience working with Sweeten?

Cassandre: I originally stumbled on Sweeten when I was just looking for contractors online. The contractor process is a bit more difficult mainly because a lot of people don’t want to refer contractors to you because they might have had a bad experience. Or some people feel even though a contractor had been good with them, they may not be good with me.

Sweeten’s Client Services reached out to us after I filled out their form online. They explained the process to me, asked more about what we were trying to do, and what our budget was. They found five or six contractors they thought would be a good fit for us to reach out to. It also felt a bit like a safety net. If a contractor wasn’t responsive, I could reach out to Sweeten.

We had a lot of delays because of the signing of the lease, but Sweeten checked in on us every now and then to see where we were with that. When we finally did begin the bidding process, Sweeten offered for us to send them all the bids to compare the information. In retrospect, I probably would have utilized that more.

The most valuable thing about the service is it seems like the contractors really appreciate being a part of the Sweeten network and they don’t want to jeopardize that in any way. So their goal is to make me as happy as they can. I didn’t have a strong fear that if the project was done and things weren’t perfect—which they’re never going to be completely perfect—that I’d never hear from this contractor again. That’s probably the biggest pro in my experience with Sweeten.

Stop by Lakou Café for a smoothie, one of their community gatherings, or just a bit of “outdoor” time.

_

Thinking of opening your own eatery? Check out our guide on the cost breakdown to open a restaurant.

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.

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Tara, a former teacher-turned-homemaker, and Ryan, a software developer, had always loved the 1800s cast-iron buildings in the SoHo district of NYC. When the couple, who now have a 19-month-old son, had a chance a few years ago to buy into the neighborhood, they jumped at it. Despite the architectural details within their newly purchased loft, the space was outdated and a partial wall was used to create the only bedroom in the home. Here’s the story of how Tara and Ryan posted their project on Sweeten and worked with their contractor to renovate their 1,200-square-foot co-op apartment.

Tara, a former teacher-turned-homemaker, and Ryan, a software developer, had always loved the 1800s cast-iron buildings in the SoHo district of NYC. When the couple, who now have a 19-month-old son, had a chance a few years ago to buy into the neighborhood, they jumped at it. Despite the architectural details within their newly purchased loft, the space was outdated and a partial wall was used to create the only bedroom in the home. Here’s the story of how Tara and Ryan posted their project on Sweeten and worked with their contractor to renovate their 1,200-square-foot co-op apartment.

Guest blog post by Tara and Ryan

In 2012, we had the opportunity to buy a loft in a former silk importer warehouse and fell in love with the possibilities. The space showcased several classic neighborhood features, such as cast-iron Corinthian columns, 13-foot tin ceilings, oversized windows, and exposed brick walls. However, it also needed a lot of work. The kitchen and bathroom were dated. The bamboo flooring was uneven. There was no storage and the only bedroom had a divider instead of a full wall. We lived in the space for a few years while we considered our options. Then we got pregnant with our son, Wyatt, so we decided to act fast to make room for our new family addition.

Our renovation vision was to embrace the original loft aesthetic with an industrial-meets-modern design. We wanted to re-expose the brick along the entire length of the living room wall. It was a similar case in the master bedroom, where we wanted to add an accent wall. The columns and original tin ceiling would be left untouched; we loved their rustic, industrial character. That raw look would contrast with the clean, modern, and white gloss cabinetry in the kitchen and living room built-ins that we wanted. The brands we chose were based on quality, modern aesthetic, and resale value.

We were unsure of what to expect when the brick in the living room would be exposed. In addition to finding a few more steam, electrical, and drain pipes than expected, we also uncovered a square archway (the brick wall was a firewall running down the center beam of the building and the arch was a former large doorway from its time as a warehouse). During the co-op conversion, these archways were covered by standard framing and wallboard to separate the apartments. However, the feature was aesthetically unpleasing. We solved the problem by covering the drywall and turning it into a “feature wall” with reclaimed barn siding. Finally, we showcased the wall with down-lit recessed lighting—an idea we got from a movie. To keep the décor minimalistic, we made maximum use of our new storage. The built-ins along much of the living room wall are compartmentalized for baby toys, books, media, and our vinyl collection. On the opposite wall sits a desk for paperwork and musical inspiration; Ryan has played the guitar since he was 13 and hopes his son, Wyatt, inherits his passion.

For the kitchen, we essentially kept the same layout. We had looked at several floor plan options that would have potentially altered the kitchen/bathroom layout and location. After exploring those options, we realized moving those “wet” spaces over our downstairs neighbor’s “dry” living room would drastically increase the cost and complexity of our project. We did push the kitchen island out (toward the dining area) about a foot. That improved the ergonomics of the kitchen, particularly when navigating an inconveniently located cast-iron column. We replaced the cabinets, which gave us the flexibility to tweak the functionality, such as replacing the range on the former island with an induction cooktop. That left room in the island for three rows of deep drawers, which was a much better use of space for storing pans, utensils, and cookware than cabinets. We also found room to add an 18” wine fridge in the island.

The wall and speed oven combination moved to the back wall, formerly dead counter space for a microwave and toaster oven. We did consider whether the column would interfere with the kitchen flow, especially with ovens on the other side. But it ended up working out fine. The high-traffic area (sink, refrigerator, cooktop) is together on one side of the column. The sink, dishwasher, and refrigerator were replaced but stayed in exactly the same locations, requiring minimal plumbing. Even though we added appliances, we gained storage space just by reconfiguring and making better use of the space we had.

The existing washer-dryer combo unit had been in a column directly facing the kitchen island, a terrible location for laundry for traffic flow—and hygiene. The water heater was directly above the washer-dryer, making the whole section difficult to move. The simple solution was to rotate the units 180 degrees, so that laundry door was accessed next to the bathroom, which made more sense. The water heater was left as is.

Before: The bedroom sits behind a partial wall.

A big priority was to formally close off the master bedroom. Working with a 100-year-old former warehouse came with some challenges. One was a column near the bedroom. Although it is beautiful, it just happened to get in the way of every floor plan. Working with our architect, we had to be creative in positioning the bedroom walls in a way to maximize their floor space while working around the columns. Using pocket doors helped solved the problem since the column would have left no room for standard hinge doors. Storage was a priority throughout the loft. The master closet is a wall-sized, reach-in, modular custom closet.

For the baby’s room, we took some space from the living room to add the second bedroom. Carving out the space was a challenge when constrained by the column, windows, door placement, and not taking too much square footage out of the master. In the end, we were just barely able to segment an 8-foot x 10-foot room.

The bathroom had a clean, modern makeover with oversized floor-to-ceiling marble tiles. The floor plan stayed the same, but we were able to make substantial improvements with a few minor design adjustments. Once we demo’d, we found that the half-height wet wall behind the pedestal vanity was overbuilt and could be moved inward. This reclaimed a few inches of space needed for the new floating vanity. We also framed out a LED-lit, recessed shelf above this wet wall, giving the area more purpose. The medicine cabinet was set inside the wall, saving some airspace. These little adjustments made the wall feel a few inches deeper and between the shelf, floating vanity, and medicine cabinet, it provided a lot more storage. Above the bathroom’s dropped ceiling, and with a lot of maneuvering, we made space for the blower of the new ducted central air system.

As is common in New York City, our apartment was heated with building-controlled steam heat. Our unit got a disproportionate share of that heat. In frustration, we removed the steam radiator altogether while adding a heating and cooling central air system. We also replaced the worn-down bamboo tiles with new white oak hardwood floors throughout the rest of the apartment, which we painted a designer white. It keeps the whole space feeling open and bright.

Sweeten was great in helping us realize our vision. They understood our scope of work and did a great job at pairing us with excellent contractor options. Then, they walked us through the contractor selection process, helping us make an apples-to-apples comparison of the bids. The Sweeten contractor we ultimately chose to work with turned out to be an excellent pick. They became true partners in our process.

One tip we want to pass on to future renovators is, if possible, rent a place close by so you can check in a few times a week. We did and were able to do weekly (sometimes multiple times per week) walk-throughs with our contractor. That gave us time to plan, troubleshoot, and exchange creative ideas. They also used software to track all aspects of the project, including timelines, material selections, work pictures—all of which was tremendously helpful and well organized, allowing us to complete our project within the planned four months. Sadly, a friend’s renovation that is similar to ours and started at the same time is still going.

The most exciting part of this process is seeing our vision come to life. And getting storage because babies come with so much stuff!

Thank you, Tara and Ryan, for sharing your wonderful apartment with us!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Design No. 2 cabinets: Miralis. Integrated refrigerator, #IT-30CIID: Sub-Zero. 24″ speed oven with trim kit, H6200BM; 30″ convection wall oven, #H6280BP; dishwasher, #G4970US; and induction cooktop, #KM6370: Miele. Trinsic faucet: Delta. Stainless under-mount sink: Just Manufacturing. Cabinetry/media unit: custom flat panel cabinetry by Miralis, designed by Sweeten contractor. 8″ hardware pulls, #BP55279G10: Amerock. Quartz countertop and backsplash in Pure White: Caesarstone. Wainscott bar stools: CB2. Glass Jug pendant lighting (kitchen island): ABC Home & Carpet. Essence Linear pendant overhead lighting: Lumens. Foyer bench: The Line NYC. 24″ compact washer/dryer: Electrolux.

NURSERY RESOURCES: Paint in November Skies, #2128-50: Benjamin Moore. Embroidered Star Burlap pendant light: Restoration Baby & Child. Rug: Pottery Barn.

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: Flooring: 5” Select White Oak, natural color, sealed with a satin finish (no stain). Couch: Room & Board. Highline Industrial chairs in Indigo: ABC Home & Carpet. Dara 8′ x 10′ rug: Restoration Hardware. Tufted round leather storage ottoman: RHTeen. Built-in cabinets: Miralis. Chaise: Design Within Reach. Halifax door levers: Kwikset. Pocket door hardware and locks, #PD006056PRIV: Baldwin.

DINING ROOM RESOURCES: Table, chairs, bench, and bar: Restoration Hardware. Dining chandelier: Timothy Oulton.

MASTER BEDROOM RESOURCES: Lure chandelier in Lure Polished Nickel: Crate & Barrel. Custom modular TCS: The Container Store.

MASTER BATHROOM RESOURCES: Shower fixtures, hardware, and Fleetwood robe hook: Restoration Hardware. Starck tub: Duravit. White 12″ x 24” wall tiles and 4″ x 12″ Carrara marble floor tile: Roca. Durastyle DualFlush toilet: Duravit. Verdera medicine cabinet, #K-99010: Kohler.

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An uptown carriage house that was converted into a loft gets the industrial-meets-modern makeover in Meg and Brett’s renovation.

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 Loft in a Former Silk Warehouse Gets a Redo appeared first on Sweeten.

Some structural elements of a home can offer a peek into its past. Consider the brick wall, a material brimming with warmth and character that’s steeped in history. With Sweeten—a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors—these five homeowners uncovered this long-forgotten detail hiding behind the walls of their homes.

While renovating the downstairs bath, Alicia and Ed’s contractor discovered well-preserved brick along one wall. The revelation encouraged the couple to see if the material in the living room was in just as good condition. After ripping down the sheetrock and finding beautiful brick, the couple fell in love with the feature and said that unearthing it was worth the expense and impact on the timeline.

In a loft apartment that was once a carriage house, exposed brick was the focal point of the living room. Meg and Brett loved it and wanted to see what else lurked behind the walls. Wherever the drywall was hollow, they drilled a hole to see what lay underneath. The process allowed the couple to find brick, beams, and columns, which they worked to expose. Not only did the original architecture reveal the home’s provenance, but some of the beams had initials carved in them, and a horsehair or two caught within the wood!

Fixing electrical components in Miguel’s apartment led his contractor to uncover brick that started in the bedroom and continued through the living room and kitchen. The apartment lacked charm before the discovery, feeling more like a white box than a proper home. Miguel jumped at the chance to show off the brick, leaving it in its natural state in the bedroom, and adding white paint in the living room where the material was of poor quality.

Christine planned on keeping her apartment minimalist in design, but rather than painting the exposed brick white to match her floors, she left them bare. The rough-hewn surfaces add a natural quality, anchoring the sparse decor and color palette. With the brick in the living room, Christine took inspiration from a Moroccan riad—a traditional style of house with an interior garden—and filled the space with greenery.

Looking to swap his high-rise home for something with history, Giovanni found a studio apartment in an old townhouse in Brooklyn. The walls were covered in plaster, but Giovanni remained hopeful that bricks might lay beneath the surface. His contractor was able to uncover structural brick by breaking off the plaster, instantly restoring the lost charm and character of the home.

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Reminders of the past can be a welcome detail in your home, but sometimes those reminders are worn down or outdated features in desperate need of repair. These three homes, untouched for decades, were brought back to the future with timely renovations.

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 The Raw Appeal of Exposed Brick appeared first on Sweeten.

After Roxy, a rescued Rhodesian ridgeback, joined their household, Alicia and Ed realized “a little more space in a laid-back neighborhood” would be a better fit for the family of three than Manhattan, where they were currently living. They set their sights on a 1,400-square-foot garden duplex in a Park Slope brownstone. They fell in love with the building, which had been converted to condos by a developer about a decade ago. Despite the high-end finishes that were chosen at that time, there were issues that had developed in the interim. The couple also wanted to bring the renovations in line with their tastes, and in a style more befitting a building dating from the turn of the last century. As Alicia put it, “We really just wanted to make the place something we loved coming home to at the end of each day. What we had wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t terribly practical either—we had mismatched countertops, cracked tiles in the bathroom, a lack of counter space in the master bath, and most importantly, no space in the fridge to store our wine. The place just lacked the ‘wow’ you would expect from a building this pretty.”

They reached out to Sweeten—a free service matching renovating homeowners with vetted general contractors—for their contractor. For the couple’s custom kitchen renovation, Christina, their Sweeten Planner, was present at regular site visits and contractor meetings, providing detailed progress reports. Initially, the couple intended to focus their time and money on the kitchen. Instead, they also updated the guest and master bathrooms executing an overall vision—“a muted, classic design with a modern twist.”

In the kitchen, this meant replacing the mismatched countertops as well as the cabinet fronts, and creatively finding space for a built-in wine fridge. Ed and Alicia knew that when the kitchen was renovated a decade ago the developer had used top-of-the-line materials, from custom Italian cabinetry to Viking, Miele, and Liebherr appliances; the space didn’t need a gut, simply a refresh. The downside of the custom Italian kitchen, however, was that none of the cabinetry was standard-sized. Refacing was a custom job, pushing out timelines, but it meant they could keep all the existing built-in shelving and customized organization that would have been extremely expensive to replace. Countertops resembling marble from Caesarstone unified the space and were chosen for their hardiness and durability. Ed had always wanted waterfall-edge countertops, which completed the look perfectly.

They had hoped to replace a smaller-than-usual refrigerator, as well as add a wine fridge. But the floor plan wouldn’t afford them the space for a larger unit, so they focused on adding a wine fridge instead. Working with their Sweeten contractor, Ed and Alicia poked exploratory holes in the drywall underneath their stairs. Happily, they discovered that a 36-bottle dual zone wine fridge would fit in the space without making any structural changes. “It’s a luxury you would never think you could have in New York. We painted the surrounding wall with chalkboard paint—it’s a great way to leave notes for each other, plan out our grocery list, and try out some amateur artwork,” they said. “As a bonus, we found the current kitchen fridge is more than large enough for our needs.”

The downstairs bathroom was next on the list—it already had a great soaking tub, but the vanity and medicine cabinet were outdated. The tiles, too, were showing their age. Alicia had always loved the feel of a traditional New York City bathroom—penny tile floors, subway tile, and a classic black-and-white color palette. They replaced the sink with a trough style: “There was debate whether the sink would be too large, but after lots of measuring and imagining how close it would be to someone using the shower or toilet, we decided to do it. We are so glad we did. It is a perfect fit. We also went for the matching faucets and soap dish.” Having forgone storage under the new sink, they added a small shelf and a 1940s American Red Cross medicine cabinet (found online in Bulgaria!). The large closet just outside of the bathroom made up for the limited storage. Lastly, a wall-hung toilet was a lot of trouble to install, but ultimately worth the effort, since it’s incredibly easy to keep clean and makes the room feel larger.

During the renovation of the downstairs bath, the contractor discovered that there was preserved exposed brick along one wall. They hoped that the brick was in the same condition a few feet away in the living room, and asked the contractor to rip down the sheetrock where their dining table would sit. “It turns out we were in luck. The brick looked wonderful, and though we had to unexpectedly reroute some electrical cables and find matching oak to patch up the flooring, it was worth all of the expense and impact on the timeline.”

Finally, the couple also decided to renovate the master bathroom upstairs. (One of the pluses of living through your renovation is that you can figure out what else needs work while the contractor is on-site!) Since Alicia and Ed moved in while the renovation was still ongoing, they lived with the space for a while and found the bath to be unsuitable in many ways. “The overhead lighting was terrible, and the illuminated mirror died the day after we closed on the apartment. There was the complete lack of shelf space for us to set things down while getting ready, and the leaking pipework rendered the vanity useless for storage. The space really felt unloved.” To give the room a facelift without breaking the budget, they kept the large soaking tub (same as the one downstairs), the flooring, and toilet. A new white shaker vanity with a marble countertop provided ample storage while an illuminated medicine cabinet and built-in LED lights lit up the room. Adding a glass panel in place of the old shower curtain opened the space up. Lastly, a herringbone wallpaper from Ferm Living took the master bath to the next level.

They made the home “smarter,” by adding outlets in convenient locations for their Sonos sound system, converting regular to USB outlets where appropriate, adding a video intercom, and installing a full Nest thermostat and smoke detector system. Now, they can control the temperature via Amazon Echo (thanks, Alexa!) and ensure that the apartment is a comfortable temperature for Roxy while they are away.

Although they’d hoped to finish the renovations prior to their move-in date, they ended up living through the entire renovation, which lasted four weeks from beginning to end. The toughest part, according to Alicia and Ed, was keeping Roxy out of trouble. (See above.) Their advice to future renovators? “Find a contractor you trust, and take their advice on what things would work well and what to avoid. We used tools like Pinterest, the Sweeten blog, and other online tools to get ideas. Also, if you have space, try to keep some spare materials once you have completed your renovation. We spent a long time trying to find a flooring that matched our current style to patch in around the exposed brick wall. We decided to buy an extra pack this time and store it in our basement in case of emergency. The same thing with all the tile. You never know what could happen in the future—for a few hundred dollars, it is worth the investment and peace of mind!”

Thanks, Alicia and Ed, for sharing your gorgeous new garden duplex apartment! We hope you and Roxy enjoying living there for many years to come.

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Flooring: original. Cabinet fronts: custom. Statuario Nuvo Countertops: Caesarstone. Marble herringbone backsplash tile: Home Depot. Art: Ryan Duggan.

GUEST BATH RESOURCES: Glossy white penny tile flooring: Home Depot. White subway wall tile: Home Depot. Shower fixtures: Kohler. Brockway sink/vanity: Kohler. Cannock faucet: Kohler. Wall-hung toilet: Toto. WWII Red Cross cabinet: Etsy. Mirror: Houzz. Art: Ryan Duggan. Shower curtain: Pottery Barn.

MASTER BATH RESOURCES: Vanity: Home Depot. Verdana lighted medicine cabinet: Kohler. Glass panel: Houzz. Herringbone wallpaper: Ferm Living.

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Tina, an architect, drew up plans to renovate a Cobble Hill garden duplex for her family—focusing on each and every room from the kitchen to the bedrooms.

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 Retro-Modern Update for a Brooklyn Duplex appeared first on Sweeten.

After living in the gritty and creative city of Berlin for several years, Miguel, a native New Yorker who works in the music industry, decided to move home. He searched for about nine months for an apartment with character, but in the end, settled for a one-bedroom in a 1950s co-op that he described as bland, cookie cutter, and a white box. At least the location was good—by the water in Cobble Hill. He posted his profile and turned to a Sweeten contractor banking on transforming the 700-square-foot apartment—this is his third renovation—into a unique home with custom closets. What he didn’t bet on was uncovering beautiful details the apartment had all along.

Sweeten: Did you renovate your apartment soon after the purchase or were you living in the space for a while?

Miguel: I had it for about nine months. I lived on a mattress on the floor because I just moved back from ten years in Berlin, so I was really starting from scratch. Part of living in the apartment beforehand was to figure out what to do with it. You need to live in the space so you can see how it is going to function in different seasons.

Sweeten: Where is the apartment and when was it built?

Miguel: It is by the water in Cobble Hill. The neighborhood is tree-lined and historically protected. The apartment is about 700 square feet and in a 1950s co-op. It looked like a cardboard box. It had absolutely no character, so one of the hardest things was to incorporate character. It was boxy with a kitchen, living room, and bedroom with no flow between the rooms. I opened up another part of the wall between the living room and bedroom, like a doorway, and now light from the bedroom window can spill out.

Sweeten: Did you know about the ceiling beams and exposed brick wall before you started the renovation?

Miguel: They were not planned at all. My contractor was fixing some electrical stuff and we found this beautiful brick wall behind there and then we found the beams. The beams and the brick walls were a game-changer.

Sweeten: How did you incorporate them into the renovation?

Miguel: The brick wall in the living room was not so pretty so I painted it all white, but left the bedroom original. In this way, the texture continues from the living room to the bedroom in two different colors. The ceilings were not very high so I wanted to paint the beams. There was a lot of discussion with my Sweeten contractor about that. He didn’t want me to paint the beams, but we did in the end. It comes down to a personal taste thing.

Sweeten: What did you do with the floors?

Miguel: The floors were the original thin pine floorboards, but there was almost nothing underneath so they creaked. We put in a layer of soundproofing with an engineered wood floor on top. The heat gets pretty hot here in NYC and wood expands and contracts which engineered wood handles better than solid wood.

Sweeten: Was there anything else you did to add character?

Miguel: We added crown molding. The walls were literally just sheet rock and the window. Adding crown molding made the windows look bigger and gave them texture. Now, it is almost like a picture frame.

Sweeten: What did you do about storage?

Miguel: I got rid of a wall of storage closets as you walk in. I made up for it by building two small, custom closets on either side of the entrance. This also created a small “entryway” which was missing, but I still needed more storage.

Around the same time, I had also wanted a door for the new opening between the bedroom and living room. I thought about a glass door, but that didn’t feel right. I contacted a local millworker in Brooklyn and asked if a wardrobe could be put on rollers. They said the railings that it would roll on needed to be tight against the wall to stop it from toppling. It is kinda amazing. You never know if it is going to work out right, but it worked out perfectly. So now I have a way to close off the room AND a place to store my clothes and shoes.

Sweeten: The kitchen counter has a nice mix of materials. How did that come about?

Miguel: Another challenge was trying to find a dining table. I didn’t have room for one, but I had room for a kitchen counter. I decided to make a table out of a slab of walnut with hairpin steel legs as an extension of the counter. When guests come over, I can move it anywhere in the apartment as a standalone table. It also adds a nice segue to the living room. Above the other counter and range, I decided to keep open shelving. It makes the kitchen feel big as opposed to having a wall of cabinets.

Sweeten: How did your Sweeten help you?

Miguel: My contractor was really smooth. I loved that he was fair. There are always going to be mistakes on the contractor’s end and on mine. I changed my mind a bunch of times—sometimes things in my head didn’t translate into reality. He was really patient with me and open to my crazy ideas.

RESOURCES: Wood floor: Madera Trade. Paint: Benjamin Moore in Gray Cloud and Super White. Kitchen cabinets: StarMark Cabinetry. Cabinet hardware: Restoration Hardware. Countertops: Pental Quartz. Backsplash: Nemo Tiles. Dishwasher: Bosch. Stove: KitchenAid. Fridge: Fisher & Paykel. Custom sliding closet: Wishbone Woodworking. Custom dining table: Reco Brooklyn.

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A large kitchen island with an extended countertop provides the perfect combo of prep space and dining table in Katharine and John’s renovation.

 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 Bland Apartment Reveals Surprise Gems appeared first on Sweeten.

When a job necessitated a move from a Westchester suburb to New York City, Jessica and her husband, David, hoped for a move-in-ready apartment. Relocating is never simple, and undertaking a renovation was not in the plan. But when the search turned up an outdated (but otherwise perfect) Hudson Heights apartment with a show-stopping view of the George Washington Bridge, they knew it was time to find a contractor. See how the couple used artful ideas to maximize storage space, make room for guests, and enlarge a common living area.

Despite the beautiful bridge view, a renovation was in order: the 875-square-foot apartment was in a co-op building that had been built in 1917, and while parts of the unit had been updated since, Jessica and David had very specific ideas about how to make it work for their family. Some friends, wishing they had used Sweeten themselves, suggested that the duo try out the service. After consulting Sweeten’s Renovation 101 series and perusing the Before & Afters to get a sense of the possibilities, Jessica posted their project while the property went into contract. The plans called for the conversion of the dining room into a second bedroom, a completely reworked kitchen, refinished floors and moldings, as well as minor updates in the bathroom. Jessica set up site visits with her Sweeten matches, and ultimately decided on this general contractor, who, coincidentally, lived in the sister building next door. (Apparently, his own floor plan was so similar to Jessica and David’s, he told them that working on their place was “like what he always wanted to do to his own apartment!”) They liked that his was a design-build firm, which provides both interior design and general contracting services. As a “design-conscious builder,” he could assist them in making design decisions to achieve the bright and modern look they imagined.

First, they worked together to address the issues in the kitchen. Since the room faced another part of their building, it did not receive much natural light. An earlier attempt (by previous owners) at brightening the space had resulted in an “awful fluorescent yellow” paint on the walls, which clashed with the light tone of the existing wood cabinets and the orange tile on the floor. Aesthetics aside, the kitchen also did not provide enough functional storage: the only wall of cabinets also housed all the appliances. Inside one cabinet, an unmovable gas meter obstructed any usable space, and a steam riser in a corner wasted valuable square footage. The placement of the extra-wide doorway between the kitchen and the old dining room prevented the addition of a parallel wall of cabinets on the other side. And although the existing stove was in good shape, Jessica and David wanted to switch out the other appliances for energy-efficient alternatives.

To create better flow and maximize function, the doorway to the living area was narrowed and moved to the side, making way for a full galley kitchen. A dropped ceiling was also raised to maximize vertical storage. All the appliances remained on the original bank of cabinets, so the (newly built) opposite side could be dedicated entirely to storage in the form of drawers, open shelving, a custom niche for spices, as well as a full-height pantry. In the corner where the steam riser stood, the contractor fabricated cabinet panels with a perforated insert to create a more uniform look. Now, the riser is hidden from view, but the narrow vertical space also serves as extra storage for cleaning supplies. Their Sweeten contractor created a similar solution for the gas meter, wrapping custom shelves around the meter so that the inside of the cabinet was not completely wasted. The couple’s desire for a “bright, clean look” was achieved with pure white shaker cabinets, recycled glass countertops in a light beige, and a white farmhouse sink. Jessica was especially excited about adding a scatter of color in the backsplash with Mexican tiles she sourced from Etsy. For the floor, cork tiles were chosen as a sustainable and renewable material that’s both soundproof and mildew-proof.

Next, there came a change in plans. Although the intention was to create a guest bedroom out of the original dining room, Jessica and David quickly realized that they preferred to keep the space open for their own daily use. As a compromise, they built a closet against the new wall separating the dining room and kitchen. This way, a bedroom could be added down the line and it would already have its own closet. For now, they came up with a simple but genius solution for a flexible guest room: their contractor installed a pocket door between the living area and the kitchen, allowing visitors the option of transforming the entire living/dining room into a private suite.

Their general contractor went to work replacing the crumbly moldings and refinishing the worn floors in the new living area, made newly spacious by the removal of original walls that bracketed the formal dining room. Door moldings in the dining room were salvaged as replacement window trim for the living area. While making these repairs, he realized that there was empty space under each window ledge, which could be repurposed as built-in shelving. He also suggested painting the black window frames white to further brighten the space–a suggestion that Jessica loved. In addition, the couple requested new wooden beams on the ceiling for character—but it turns out they serve a dual purpose. There was a “step” in the ceiling, and the beams placed there helped to conceal the awkward transition where one part of the ceiling was higher than the other. Interestingly, numerous pieces of plywood were joined to fabricate the beam, which is actually hollow. This was both a greener and more affordable solution than procuring a solid piece of wood.

Although the renovation went smoothly for the most part, Jessica and David did run into a few challenges. First—and this is something we at Team Sweeten hear time and time again—they were held up by permits and approvals. To remove the dining room walls, they needed co-op board approval, which took about a month longer than they had anticipated. On another occasion, they were ordered to stop work for a day because of a misunderstanding about some wiring. The super had given the okay to cut old fabric-wrapped wires that were part of an obsolete intercom system, but it turned out that they connected a neighbor’s functioning phone lines! Thankfully, they were able to repair the lines and continue working the next day.

Jessica and David had never renovated in New York City before, and had dozens of questions when they started out. Now that they’ve lived to tell the tale, they have a couple pieces of advice to share with aspiring renovators: “Build in some extra time—everything takes longer than it should!” (That’s why renovators should always build in at least two to six months for permits and approvals.) Despite the lengthier-than-anticipated renovation, they are so happy to have a custom-built home that not only suits their every need, but is environmentally friendly and energy efficient to boot!

Thanks so much, Jessica and David, for sharing your beautiful new apartment with us!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Kitchen cabinets: custom. Cabinet hardware, #P3380-SS: Build.com. Eco by Cosentino Countertops: Silestone. Baldwin Fireclay Farmhouse Sink: Signature Hardware. Hansgrohe faucet, #04215800: Hansgrohe. Backsplash: Cera Tile Chelsea Craquelle White, Mexican tile: Etsy. Fisher & Paykel Refrigerator: Amazon. Bosch dishwasher, #SHP68TL5UC: AJ Madison. AFX Lighting, #NLLP32: AFX. Azores cork floor tiles, #30621: Green Building Supply.

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: Live edge walnut shelves: custom. Brackets: House of Antique Hardware. Dining room light: Pier 1. Living room fan, #IR3H-BK-WA-52: Build.com.

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Do disaster-to-dream-home transformations energize you for your own renovation? Then check out Henry’s story to tip the scale.

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 Washington Heights Co-op Remodel Gives A New Look & Layout appeared first on Sweeten.

Guest post by Samina, Manhattan homeowner

After twelve years of living in a Union Square loft with unsealed and stained windows that wouldn’t open (and following a year-long process of dealing with Landmarks Commission permits for work in a 19th century building), we were finally at installation week for new windows in our apartment!

To prepare, we had to have some interior shelving removed and a bit of wall board was damaged in the process. I made a split-second decision to remove the wall surrounding the windows because there had been some troubling leaks in the past, and I wanted to make sure that the quality of the wall matched the quality of the new windows. Little did I know that what I would discover in the next few hours would kick off a nearly three-year exterior building wall remediation project, for which we had no more than a thin sheet of copper separating us from the outside. Needless to say, those were some cold winters…

After this huge setback in 2012, we managed to get our new windows up in 2014 and we were given the go-ahead by the building to finally rebuild our interior wall in 2015. As a licensed architect, I understood the technical side of the work, but I still needed a contractor who would be detail-oriented enough to follow my drawings and work with me on issues that arose during the construction. I reached out to my professional network but the demand for high-quality contractors made it difficult for me to engage someone on my small project. In my web searching, I came upon Sweeten. I was reassured by conversations with Sweeten’s team, who, after listening to the particularities of my project, suggested a couple of matches. My husband was the first to meet Sweeten Expert Nick while I out was out of town, and he was impressed with Nick’s positive reaction to my detailed drawings. When I then met Nick, it was immediately clear that we had a great rapport. He quickly identified the most critical elements of the project. I was surprised at how Nick appreciated my drawings and welcomed that level of detail. Many contractors want to change how drawings are done to suit their own needs, but Nick ensured that the details were covered.

I wanted to achieve a clean and refined but also warm aesthetic that would complement and add to the exposed brick of our loft walls. I was also determined to insulate the wall properly and create a continuous air barrier that would reduce thermal transmission. In addition, we needed to repair a broken radiator and pipes that had exploded during the previous winter when the wall had been exposed and un-insulated, and we needed to incorporate new electric wiring and re-mount automated shades that we’d installed before but were now disconnected.

Architecturally, there were many different “planes” to resolve: the wall’s center bay extended beyond the side windows and the sills of the side bays were higher than the center bay. Plus, the old wood windows had dictated the placement of our new aluminum windows, so we had some issues with straight lines, and the center window has a “tilt and turn” feature with a very slim frame – not a lot of wiggle room.

While work was underway, Nick alerted me whenever there was a tricky issue to resolve. For example, he discovered that one of the side windows was actually an inch and a half higher than the other window and he also pointed out a spot where my drawings of how to bury a pipe were a little optimistic. We were able to work together through a cycle of conversations and quick sketches, and he also was able to reach out to his network within the same day when my own plumbing contractor fell through. He and his team were extremely meticulous in their workmanship as well as in their maintenance of the work site day to day.

The new wall is nothing short of amazing to me. It looks like it was always meant to be that way. The radiator installation fits so nicely, and the windows are finished off with red oak trim and sills that are seamless and beautiful. The shades are hidden nicely behind matching red oak valances. The wall’s performance is even more incredible than the aesthetics. It is now so quiet in the apartment that you would never know that there is a busy New York street of shops, restaurants, and bars below. We were very happy in the end to create a warm, modern facade that highlights the views offered by our new nine-foot windows.

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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 Samina’s Sweetened Union Square Loft appeared first on Sweeten.