• 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.

The post A Brooklyn Brownstone Renovation “Flips” for the Better appeared first on Sweeten.

“Before and After” photos by Kingston Ko Photography for Sweeten

Today, we’re taking a look at the rebirth of a trinity townhouse in the Bella Vista neighborhood of Center City Philadelphia. The house, built in the style of a trinity, a slim structure that became popular during a population boom in the early 18th century, caught Nel’s eye while she was looking to purchase her first home. Two years later, the house was severely damaged by a fire that ravaged the entire street, resulting in a total gut.

The 1,200-square-foot home has three stories—plus a basement and roof deck with amazing city views—and had to be rebuilt from the studs up. Nel decided to keep the original floor plans intact—the first-floor dining room and kitchen, second-floor living room plus full bath, and third-floor master bedroom and bath—and bring them back to life.

With her renovation plans in mind, she came to Sweeten, a free platform connecting homeowners to vetted general contractors, to restore the house to its former glory and find a new tenant who would love it just as much as she did.

Sweeten: What motivated you to purchase this trinity house and what led to the renovation?

Nel: In 2014 I was looking to purchase my first home, and when I saw this house I absolutely fell in love with it. The house is a 100-year-old trinity located in the Bella Vista neighborhood of Center City Philadelphia. I’m not sure if you have seen many trinities, but they are a pretty common home type in Philadelphia where the house is three stories tall and each floor is typically a single room. I met Greg shortly thereafter and the two of us lived in the house up until we got engaged in April 2016. We decided to move out because we were thinking about starting a family and wanted to find a home with a second bedroom.

I was a bit attached to this house and since I work in real estate we decided to try our hand at renting it versus selling it. We found great tenants and everything was going well until the fire last October. The fire destroyed six houses—so basically, the entire block! It was heart-wrenching to watch something I had so many happy memories in be destroyed by fire. But, very fortunately, we have been able to rebuild, which actually has been a funny process because we were able to make some of the upgrades and changes we previously wanted to do when we lived there.

(Above) Example of a trinity floor plan that’s similar in size and layout to Nel’s house

Sweeten: What made you choose the neighborhood back when you were looking to purchase a home?

Nel: The Bella Vista neighborhood is truly one of my favorites in Philadelphia. We have a 100-year-old Italian bakery at the end of our street and so there is always the wonderful smell of something delicious baking in the air. We are also just around the corner from a park with a bocce court, as well as from the 9th Street Italian Market. I love the neighborhood’s vibe and all of the small independent businesses and restaurants that are at our front door.

Sweeten: What’s your favorite part of the house?

Nel: I think one of my favorite parts, aside from the 360-degree views from the roof deck, is the exposed brick wall. It feels like a piece of history which is really neat.

Sweeten: What it was like working with your general contractor?

Nel: This is actually our second renovation in 12 months, but our first time using Sweeten. I can’t tell you how wonderful our Sweeten contractor has been. He took a very stressful situation and guided us through it with ease, and we couldn’t have been happier with how everything has turned out. Greg and I have actually joked about moving back in!

Sweeten: Now that the house is finished, what are your plans for it?

Nel: We are going to keep it as a rental for now and who knows…maybe someday we will live there again!

Now let’s check in with the Sweeten general contractor responsible for this townhouse’s transformation.

Sweeten: What were the challenges you faced while renovating this trinity house?

Sweeten contractor: It was the amount of work that needed to take place in the small footprint of the house. We needed to add new code-compliant systems to a home that was designed to have a small footprint over 100 years ago! Several homes on the same block that were also damaged in the fire were under construction at the same time, so parking was limited. Material deliveries on the small street were very tough, if not impossible. All of the materials for the roof deck and drywall needed to be loaded in by hand. Also, work on the roof deck was held up due to permits.

Sweeten: What was the damage done by the fire?

Sweeten contractor: The entire home was flooded by the water used to extinguish the rooftop fire. The house was dried out and all damaged organic materials were removed prior to us being hired by a restoration company.

Sweeten: What major work did you and your team tackle during the renovation?

Sweeten contractor: We installed all new electric, some plumbing, a new high-efficiency HVAC, insulation, drywall, and new finishes.

Sweeten: Did you encounter any delays during the process?

Sweeten contractor: Yes, the roof deck had to be designed by a licensed architect—we couldn’t replace what was there under the permit for the interior. The drawings for the roof deck also needed to be completed and reviewed.

Sweeten: The results are simply stunning—all of your hard work has definitely paid off!

Sweeten contractor: Overall, it was a great project, Nel was a wonderful client and we couldn’t have done it without Sweeten making the match. We are very proud of the work we did here and how the home turned out.

Thanks to Nel and her Sweeten general contractor for sharing their story, both the good and the bad, and giving us a look inside this reborn trinity!

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Renovating in Philly? Check out our guide on kitchen renovation costs—and where that money goes.

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 Philadelphia Trinity House Restored to New Heights appeared first on Sweeten.

In some ways, nothing has changed at the Jamaica, New York house that sisters Gayle, Merri, and their family have called home for 50 years. But while the bones of the home, like the family that lived there, have remained the same, most of what meets the eye has changed. Calling on Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors, Gayle, a freelance brand strategist, and Merri, a corporate accountant, posted their project and hired a general contractor to bring all 1,200 square feet of the two-story, traditional-style house up to date. And they did it just in time to commemorate its 100th birthday.

Guest blog post by homeowner Gayle

Ripping out the dark brown paneling and the shag carpeting of our family’s detached home in Jamaica, a working-class neighborhood in Queens, New York, couldn’t have come soon enough. Our parents bought the home in 1970 and our family has lived in it continuously since then. I’ve been living in the home since 2012, Merri moved in in 2014, and we purchased the house from our mom, who had downsized to an apartment by then, in 2017.

Most of the house hadn’t been updated since the ’70s. The space was functional, but it was a little worn, outdated, dark, and drafty.

Our main goals for the reno were to dispel the darkness throughout the house and to bring out the home’s original character, which had really been buried. On a purely functional level, we also wanted to make the house more comfortable by upgrading the interior insulation and making sure the electrical and plumbing were up to snuff.

The flooring throughout the house was another element that helped tie everything together. After peeling back the old carpeting, we discovered that all of the original hardwood floors were in great shape for a house built in the 1920s, so we ended up just sanding and staining them dark walnut. Not having to pay for new flooring saved us a ton of money. We then installed walnut wood-look porcelain tile in the kitchen and bathroom to keep the look cohesive.

[we found] a stained glass window behind paneling in the dining room. I wanted to keep it, so the contractor protected it and framed it out without missing a beat.

Between Merri and I, there must be dozens of books in the house. Part what we wanted in making over the house was one central place to keep them. I’ve always loved houses with libraries, so we designated one long wall in the dining room for the library, and bought a six-tier bookshelf to hold everything.

The dining room is located right off of the living room and off of that is an enclosed porch, which we turned into a mudroom. To section off the two spaces, we asked for a glass door, but there was a miscommunication with the contractor and an exterior door was installed instead. What we really wanted was a French door with multiple panes of glass from top to bottom. Our contractor quickly swapped it out for exactly what we wanted, but it was a lesson on how to be specific with requests!

But before we got to decorating, there was some renovating to be done. Our biggest challenge was getting the kitchen exactly right. We moved a corner sink to a new spot under the large window overlooking the backyard. We didn’t want to knock down walls or change the footprint of the kitchen, but we needed more storage. So we got cabinets that go all the way up to the ceiling and added a pantry, which had never been in the house before. We also added a ginormous refrigerator, a dishwasher, and we swapped out the microwave over the range for a freestanding hood. The sizes and layout of the upper and lower cabinets had to be precise to accommodate all of these additions without making the room look overstuffed.

For the bathroom walls, we found 12” x 24” rectangular blocks of gray fabric-look tile. It’s very understated but luxe and looks like suit fabric. We stayed in a hotel that used this kind of tile and managed to track down a lookalike. Everyone thinks it’s wallpaper until they touch it.

As first-time renovators, this was actually one of the biggest lessons we learned: Write your requests down! First, it helps you and whoever you may be renovating with (in this case, my sister) get on the same page. Merri and I have very different tastes and writing down what we wanted forced us to find common ground. The first day we met with our Sweeten contractor matches, we had a list ready for them to react to and this saved so much time. We were able to find out exactly how far our budget would stretch. The list also allowed our contractor to help us prioritize needs and wants. We kept revisiting it throughout the renovation.

Prior to this, I personally hadn’t done more than paint a wall and put up shelves in my apartment, so the thought of a top to bottom house renovation was mildly terrifying. We were most worried about what was lurking behind the walls—the condition of the electrical and the plumbing. The house is almost 100 years old, so you’re never sure what you’re going to find.

We did discover that two support beams were missing under the front entryway floor, which was why it sloped so bad. When our contractor called to tell me, he already had a solution to suggest and pricing ready, so we were able to easily make the correction without impacting the timeline. A good surprise, though, was finding a stained glass window behind paneling in the dining room that was removed. I wanted to keep it, so the contractor protected it and framed it out without missing a beat.

I never felt like I was out of the loop on what was going on with our contractor and his team. Even when our mom became ill one month into construction, we didn’t have a lot of time to talk to him or meet with him, but our back and forth communication had been so great before that he was able to just keep going, handling all of the small decisions and only calling if there was a major decision that needed our input. It was a relief that the work didn’t stop.

Our Sweeten Client Services contacts were also great with checking in weekly to see if everything was proceeding as planned. Three months after we started, the renovation was completed. My favorite part was experiencing how the atmosphere of the rooms transformed; I’d grown up here and everything was very clear in my mind, just the way my parents had it. The renovation actually made it feel like a completely new house. Now, it feels like a calm sanctuary. I just love how relaxed I instantly feel when I walk through the front door.

Thank you, Gayle and Merri, for sharing your family home!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Style Selections black walnut wood-look floor tile, #397692;  Allen + Roth cabinet pulls and knobs, #52356; Anatolia marble wall tile, #758465; Moden Caldwell chrome faucet, #118697;  LG French door refrigerator, #LFC24770ST; LG dishwasher, #LDT7808ST; LG range, #LDG4315ST: Lowe’s. Walnut countertop, #10024193: Lumber Liquidators. IPT Sink Company apron front sink, #IPTFC33PLN: Home Depot.  Lighting: Elements at Home. Paint in Silver Spring, #2120-50: Benjamin Moore.

BATHROOM RESOURCES: Style Selections black walnut wood-look floor tile, #397692; Elida Ceramic marble tile in shower, #775763; Moen Adler shower fixtures, #812943; Scott Living Canterbury sink and vanity, #719530; American Standard toilet, #806369; Kohler recessed medicine cabinet, #1241: Lowe’s. Tektile porcelain wall tile, #MVP2994: Wayfair. Edgemere lighting: Elements at Home. Paint in Stone White, #2120-70: Benjamin Moore.

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: Light fixtures: Elements at Home. Paint in White Water, #2120-60: Benjamin Moore.

DINING ROOM RESOURCES: Ceiling light fixture: Elements at Home. Paint in White Water, #2120-60: Benjamin Moore.

BEDROOM RESOURCES: Popilion flush mount chandelier: Amazon. Paint in White Water, #2120-60: Benjamin Moore.

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Are you renovating a single-family home? Check out Sandra and Nelson’s Tudor-style house in South Slope, Brooklyn.

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 A Childhood House in Queens Grows Up appeared first on Sweeten.

Not wanting to leave their neighborhood of Inwood in Manhattan, Sandra, a designer and entrepreneur, and her husband Michael, a production manager, searched for a larger home. They found one in their own prewar building to move into with their sons, Luke and Eric. Their 1,200-square-foot co-op was well-designed, but the 90-year-old kitchen was narrow and their dining room was cramped, so they posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors. By opening new entryways and using clever and repurposed materials, they found their “happily ever after” home. 

Guest blog post by Sandra in Manhattan

We’ve been living in the same 1927 prewar building co-op for about ten years; we love it here. The apartments are well-designed, with the kind of attention to detail (Good closets! Lots of air!) that is a hallmark of prewar design. The neighbors are friendly, the building has a community garden we helped build, and our kids were born in our first apartment here. We didn’t want to leave, but as the kids got bigger we needed to find more space. With incredible luck, we were able to move to a larger apartment in the same building.

It had the same great bones, but the kitchen had the original layout and cabinets, plus a tiny fridge, no dishwasher, and original hardwood cabinets that were charming, but unfortunately very inefficient. In addition, the kitchen itself was very, very narrow—a definite design challenge.

The dining room was one of the main attractions for us. Meals are the center of our day and family time, and it felt great to have a dedicated space for that—no more having to move the kids’ homework off the table before eating! The room, however, was quite small and almost claustrophobic.

Michael and I work on sustainable design and production at Barnard College and as co-founders of Fixup, a social enterprise repair service, so it was important to us to make thoughtful choices about what we purchased. We met with several contractors and really clicked with a Sweeten general contractor. He was relaxed, responsive, and a great communicator. His bid was clear and fair, and he definitely understood the challenges and opportunities.

We decided to open an archway between the dining room and the living room to create flow between the main living areas. The opening seemed like such a simple thing, but it totally transformed the apartment. Everything felt more open, and the smallish dining room now felt just right—comfortable for our family of four, but big enough to share with guests. We had the ability to close off the dining room by adding a pocket door to the kitchen and a partition made of vintage Japanese panels on the other side. This option was so that, someday, if we needed to use it as a bedroom, we still could.

All of the furnishings were purchased used on Aptdeco.com, from the Restoration Hardware table to the new-looking black upholstered chairs. The Japanese sliding door panels and other decorative items were all found at Big Reuse.

We decided to redo the narrow galley-style kitchen layout entirely, since we often cook together, including the kids. We moved a doorway to add space for a dishwasher and turned the doorway into a pocket (reclaimed) door. Very narrow base cabinets (essentially, wall cabinets) were installed on one side to maximize both floor and counter space and topped with white quartz. Our first choice was to use reclaimed cabinetry from Big Reuse, but with the tight space and the unusual layout, we couldn’t make it work. We decided to go with Ikea because we felt they offered the best sustainable options and price.

We put in a reclaimed floor—oak planks rescued from a Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof (especially fun because of our background in theater!). We sanded and stained them and they look great. For the subway tile backsplash, we used leftover tiles already purchased by a friend. So, not quite reclaimed, but at least saved from the landfill. We did splurge on one beautiful panel of decorative tiles, which we set into the backsplash.

One challenge that we weren’t able to solve perfectly was the refrigerator. With such a narrow kitchen, even a counter-depth refrigerator sticks out too far. Some people in our building actually punched a hole into the dining room to find extra space, but we didn’t want to compromise that space. And we couldn’t punch into the other wall because there were electric panels in it. So we decided to just make the best of the size of the fridge.

There was only one closet in the master bedroom, so we built out from the wall with two floor-to-ceiling closets, plus a small cabinet over the bathroom doorway. Our contractor’s carpenter made the custom doors and we found hardware. It was painted to match the existing treatment so the new closets would feel like part of the space.

Sweeten was really helpful in finding the contractor. We met with several, and at first neither the personalities nor the prices seemed right; we felt stuck and sort of gave up for a while. But Sweeten’s Client Services called me, asked whether we were stalled (and why), and found us another few contractors to talk with—including the one we chose. That type of personalized service was really amazing and helpful.

This was our second kitchen to renovate. The first kitchen we did entirely ourselves, from cabinets to appliances to paint to tiling. It was fun, but that was before kids. This time around, we could barely find time to work on the drawings, much less do the actual work. We knew we needed to work with a great contractor, one who would really collaborate with us, and we got very lucky with ours. Our Sweeten contractor and his team were fantastic. They arrived on time every day, spent time going over every detail on a regular basis, and fixed things as necessary without any problems.

The new kitchen, dining room, and master bedroom closets are wonderful. The dining room is especially a true pleasure. It feels like a real luxury in New York to have a space dedicated to food, family, and friends. The kitchen feels bright and clean, and we were able to design every detail to fit the way we cook, from the special racks for our cast iron pans to a special cabinet (down low) for the kids’ lunch boxes and water bottles. Moving is hard, and it’s wonderful to feel like our new apartment is now truly home!

Thank you, Sandra, Michael, Luke, and Eric for sharing your new home in your old building!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Floor tiles: Reclaimed oak planks. Kitchen cabinets and hardware: Ikea. Backsplash: Reclaimed subway tiles. Refrigerator/dishwasher/stove: Frigidaire. Lighting: Ikea. Sliding door: Big Reuse. Decorative tile: Artistic Tile.

DINING ROOM RESOURCES: Used furnishings: Aptdeco.com. Natura paint color in Nugget #AC-9: Benjamin Moore. Japanese sliding door panels, decorative wall hanging of reclaimed shutters: Big Reuse.

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Check out another home renovation in Inwood, Manhattan.

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 Curtains Up for a 1927 Co-op appeared first on Sweeten.

Located in the heart of downtown Brooklyn, the 808-square-foot apartment’s open layout, high ceilings, and a southeast-facing wall of windows were the main attractions for Sophie, a freelance translator and stay-at-home mom, and Michael, operations manager at Bureau van Dijk. After living there for four years, the couple really wanted to create a defined space for their 2-year-old son, Zacharia, and a baby girl soon to arrive in May, that the siblings could claim as their own. As part of the remodel, they wanted to carve out a peaceful space for themselves to relax as well.

The building, an eight-story concrete structure that was once a toy factory, was converted to 56 condos around 2005. The couple loved the industrial look of the apartment, especially the big concrete column, and high ceilings with exposed HVAC metal vent. However, the divider wall that split the loft layout into what Sophie said was “kinda two bedrooms,” didn’t go up to the ceiling and had no doors, so there was no sound isolation or privacy. Also, she said, “the second bedroom was really tiny and didn’t have much light coming through.”

With clear goals in mind, they posted their project to Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors, and were matched with their contractor.

The new wall would help them shape the modern and industrial look that complemented the building. Since this project was about defining living spaces, it focused on function over style, although, Sophie said, “the resulting look of the space was important to us, and we tried making conscious design choices to match our style.” They chose hardware with linear shapes while traditional base moldings were replaced with straight profiles, along with trim around the door frames.

If asked to prioritize between an entrance hall and a children’s bedroom in NYC, the bedroom wins.

To increase the size of the kids’ bedroom and keep enough space for their own bedroom, Sophie and Michael tested various configurations for every feature they wanted using 3-D renderings from the software program Sketch Up. Their decision-making process was guided by such questions as: “How far should they extend the bedrooms?”, “Would the kids’ room allow them to grow with a bunk bed?”, “How much natural light would reach the space?”, and “How high/big should the transom window be?”

“We had a fair amount of square footage in the hall entrance, which was not well-used,” Sophie said. “If asked to prioritize between an entrance hall and a children’s bedroom in New York City, the bedroom wins. The presence of a sprinkler limited us, but we were able to take two feet [width-wise].” And now, two strollers can still fit in the hallway. “It’s a win-win,” Sophie said. Extending one extra foot lengthwise helped to accommodate more furniture for the kids while leaving sufficient space in the dining area. “For the master, we decided not to extend it by that same one foot because it would have brought the wall to the middle of the windows, reducing our living room too much and affecting the amount of natural light coming through,” she explained.

While they had some initial concerns that the bump-out would break the flow of the apartment, “it actually helped create a better flow and even defined a separation between our living room area and our dining room area since there’s a virtual line where the wall comes forward. And the kids’ bedroom is now a usable and decent-sized room.” Their Sweeten contractor also found a solution to connect the HVAC vent to the rooms and keep them flush with the walls rather than extending outward into the room.

To preserve as much natural light as possible the living space and bedrooms, they designed a transom between the two bedrooms and opted for pocket doors. “We wanted the kids to have a French door,” Sophie said, but they would have swung too widely into the apartment and taken up too much space. The soft-close pocket doors were painted a darker stain to contrast against lighter walls. It was also a departure from the red tone found in their wood floors—which they weren’t fans of. “That will be yet another project,” she noted.

Every renovation comes with a little stress. In this case, since the whole family had no sleeping quarters for a while, they moved to an Airbnb for about two weeks. “That didn’t leave much flexibility in the timeline for unexpected surprises,” Sophie said. “Fortunately, our contractor stuck to the deadline with just a little bit of delay, but it was still manageable.”

They felt it was great to have Sweeten’s assistance from the start, giving them more confidence than just randomly searching the Internet on their own. “The process to schedule appointments with the contractors was fast and efficient,” Sophie said. “Knowing that we could contact one specific person at Sweeten’s client services if an issue arose compared to just having a generic email address is reassuring.”

Before a renovation, “you think you’ve covered your bases, but there are so many details, it’s sometimes hard not to get overwhelmed,” Sophie said. Choosing paint colors was one of the things that became maddening. It’s one thing to see it on paper or in 3-D on the computer, but “you’re not really sure how it feels until you actually see the space in person,” she said. Admittedly obsessed with finding the right shade, she explained, “We ended up picking up all the inspiration books and samples we could find at the hardware store; then I’d compare all the colors to pictures on Pinterest, going back and forth on nearly identical shades.”

The couple is “extremely happy with how the kids’ bedroom turned out,” Sophie said. Now that the renovation is finished, and the nursery has doors to close, Zacharia has a quiet place to rest during nap time and at night. And, said Sophie, “having defined spaces makes it a lot easier to keep our apartment feel put together.”

MASTER BEDROOM RESOURCES: Wall paint in Newburg Green; paint on all other walls in Super White: Benjamin Moore. Horgen 1-Light pendant ceiling light: Maxim.

KIDS’ ROOM RESOURCES: Rullan shade and Gothem cord set for ceiling light fixture: Ikea. French doors and hardware: Johnson Hardware. Pocket door frame with soft-close hanger: Amazon. Wood floor stain in Jacobean finish: Minwax. Solid brass flush pulls and edge pull hardware: Deltana.

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Building a windowed wall in Deeksha and Joe’s apartment allowed them to create an office and guest bedroom without sacrificing the natural light from a nearby window.

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 Condo Divides and Conquers appeared first on Sweeten.

The post A Brooklyn Townhouse Makes a Connection appeared first on Sweeten.

Marsha and Adam searched long and hard for almost two years before they found the townhouse that would become their family home in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. The pair—she, the CFO of a division at Siemens, and he, a manager of software development at Spotify—looked all over the borough, and even ventured into New Jersey before realizing that Brooklyn was where they needed to be. They found a brick two-family home that needed a lot of work, but the couple had a good feeling about it. It was “sunny, just the right size, and of course, within our budget,” says Marsha. Having lived for a while in a 720-square-foot Park Slope apartment with their two daughters, Sophie and Mila, they were excited for all the new space—just over 2,000 square feet on three floors, plus a basement.

While the duo knew that they needed to gut the townhouse, the renovation and total timeline stretched across a year and a half. They moved into the home in the summer of 2015, pre-renovation, and posted their project to Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors. They were matched with this Sweeten architect, who worked with them on the plans for the renovation lasting close to a year. (A possible relocation to North Carolina for work delayed the project for three months, just as construction was about to commence.) Once the demolition began, the family of four moved into the garden apartment and camped out there for about half a year, until the work in the upstairs duplex was completed in December 2016.

The first must-have on the couple’s list was white oak floors. The rest of the design took inspiration from the simplicity of the hardwood. For the kitchen, Marsha and Adam decided on an all-white color palette, an unfussy, modern look inspired while scouring Pinterest.

On the main floor of the duplex (the second floor of the house), the couple knocked down the walls that chopped up the spaces, so that the living room, dining space, and kitchen were all connected as one open room. A hallway, which took up precious space, was removed, while a full bath was converted to a powder room (with a fun patterned tile floor!) all to give more square footage to the kitchen.

Working within a limited amount of space, their Sweeten architect came up with two solutions that would maximize the function and beauty of the kitchen, which faced the back of the house. She suggested that they add another window to the rear wall, and remove a non-functioning fireplace that was causing an awkward flow. The revised layout featured an L-shaped white Caesarstone countertop and white ceiling-height Shaker-style cabinets, as well as a new island. A large kitchen pantry held the recycling and appliances from view. A marble hex-tile backsplash added some variation while furthering the theme of modern simplicity. Three simple wood-clad steps lead to a deck and down to the backyard.

Each of the three bedrooms were skim coated and painted in Benjamin Moore Super White, a perfect backdrop to the pops of color that the girls added to their rooms. The resulting home is modern yet warm and allows the couple’s mid-century modern-inspired furnishings, lighting, and art to take center stage.

On the top floor of the duplex, the floor plan remained mostly the same, with a few minor changes. The hallway was widened for a more spacious feel. The two smaller bedrooms were evened out so that both Sophie and Mila would have similarly-sized rooms, and a washer/dryer closet was created so that they wouldn’t have to “schlep laundry up and down the stairs.” The original staircases were in terrible condition and a priority to be replaced. They now feature clean vertical lines—white posts framed by straight wooden rails that echo the white oak floors.

Now that Marsha and Adam have put away the paint cans, they reflected on what was most difficult about the renovation: “The biggest challenge was living in a construction zone for five months,” the couple agrees. “It was tight, dusty, and messy. But it was a great way to keep track of the progress and make sure everything was being done as we expected. [Another] challenge was keeping our wish list reasonable. It is so easy to spiral out of control and decide you want every square inch renovated.”

They were glad to have a Sweeten architect by their side. “The team was pleasant and easy to work with. I still can’t believe how great our experience was considering we were gutting our house. The key is communication, and we all worked very well together. Our advice is to find people who are easy to communicate with, and who have worked together in the past. When people know each other, they can more easily deal with issues that come up.” What do they love most about their new home? For Marsha, it was the sunny kitchen and backyard. And according to the children: all of it. “I think they truly love the house,” says their mother.

Last, but not least, they also wanted to share this nugget of wisdom: “Paying more for soundproofing the bathroom (so you don’t hear anything from your bedroom) is worth every penny. We really appreciated our Sweeten architect telling us that we ‘needed’ those more expensive items—she was right.”

Thanks to Marsha, Adam, Sophie, and Mila for sharing your beautiful townhouse with us!

LIVING/DINING ROOM RESOURCES: George Nelson Bubble lamps: Design Within Reach.

KITCHEN RESOURCES. White oak 4” plank flooring with matte finish: Custom. StarMark kitchen cabinets: Global Kitchen & Bath. Cabinet hardware: Sugatsune. Pure White countertops: Caesarstone. Marble hex tile backsplash: Tile and Stone Depot. 28” sink and faucet: Kraus. Counter-depth refrigerator and stove: LG. Dishwasher: Bosch. Ventilation hood: Broan. Lighting: Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co. Super White paint: Benjamin Moore.

MASTER BATH RESOURCES: Floor and subway wall tile: Classic Tile and Marble. Shower fixtures and hardware: Hansgrohe. Double sink and vanity: IKEA. Mirror: Kohler.

POWDER BATH RESOURCES: Floor tile: Cement Tile Shop. White subway wall tile: Classic Tile and Marble. Purist hardware: Kohler. Toilet: Toto. Lighting: Crate & Barrel. Mirror: CB2.

HALLWAY RESOURCE: Stackable washer/dryer: LG.

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Want to see the renovation process broken down step by step? Check out our remodeling guides for the kitchen and bath.

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 Sunnier Outlook for a Two-family Townhouse appeared first on Sweeten.

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.

A search for a home to suit their growing family led Marissa and Cody from the West Village to a beautiful spot in northern Manhattan. The apartment, a two-bed, one-bath corner unit, was located on a steep hill in the neighborhood of Hudson Heights. (Fun fact: the building’s foundation sits on a lattice of 40-foot steel stilts!) It came with soaring views of the city, gorgeous light from its north- and east-facing windows, and felt “more like San Francisco than New York City.” The unit’s interior needed some updating, and Cody, an architect, was up to the task. Paired up with a contractor from Sweeten, a free service matching renovating homeowners with vetted general contractors, they knocked down a wall closing in the galley kitchen to connect it to the living room—creating an open kitchen design—removed a nib wall, and made changes to the bath as well as the floors and closets throughout. Read on for how the couple created a warm but modern home for themselves, their daughter Lucia, and a new baby on the way.

Guest post by Hudson Heights homeowners Marissa and Cody

Cody says: We had been renting a one-bedroom apartment in the West Village for seven years. We started looking to buy an apartment when Marissa became pregnant, and homed in on northern Manhattan to give her a reasonable commute to Columbia University (we had ruled out several neighborhoods in Brooklyn for this reason). Our first impression of Hudson Heights was that it felt like a small village tucked away in the city, surrounded by amazing views and parks. We visited on a snowy winter day, and saw a cross-country skier in the middle of the street!

We continued to look more seriously after our daughter, Lucia, was born, and finally closed on an apartment in March 2016: a two-bed, one-bath, 1,000-square-foot apartment in a 1960s co-op building. Though the postwar construction did not have some of the Art Deco, prewar detailing that is typical of the neighborhood, it did lend itself to a simple and logical floor plan and had thru-wall air conditioning units—allowing in even more light than apartments we saw with window units.

Marissa says: Cody is an architect, and we wanted something we could renovate and make our own. While continuing to live in our West Village apartment, we posted our project to Sweeten and went with a Sweeten contractor who was professional, communicative, and direct. The renovation took eight weeks (two weeks under the projected schedule the contractor proposed!), and we moved in just after he finished.

In terms of our overall vision, first and foremost we wanted to join the kitchen to the living space. We hoped to make the apartment feel open, light, and modern, but warm and homey at the same time. We were drawn to a clean and minimal palette, especially in the kitchen. Cody is an avid home cook, and we knew the kitchen would be the heart of the home. We maximized where we could—for example, with the 36-inch wide refrigerator, five-burner range, 23-inch stainless steel undermount sink. The six-foot island is our home base, the place where we naturally gravitate throughout the day or when we have friends over.

On a related note, the IKEA kitchen cabinet system is amazing for the price point. There are an infinite number of modular configurations and we achieved a result that is nearly indistinguishable from a custom kitchen. The upper cabinets are 40 inches tall and extend to the ceiling, allowing for tons of storage (we never thought we would have empty shelves while living in NYC!). It was important for us to use “real” materials like stone and wood to accent specific moments. For example, we selected the white Carrara marble knowing full well it would take a beating. We loved the idea that every scratch, etch, and stain will continue to give it character over time.

Given that an open kitchen design and living area was our primary goal, the first question we asked ourselves when viewing a potential apartment was: “Can we connect the kitchen to the living space?” The existing kitchen in our apartment was a long and narrow galley. Knocking down the wall allowed us to redesign the entire room, maximizing storage and functionality while linking the main living spaces. It also made the room much brighter—the window in the kitchen brings in tons more light to the living and dining room.

In the bedrooms, we refinished the floors with a lighter and more natural oak. We love how they seem to brighten up both spaces now. We also redid the closets in both rooms; in the master bedroom we were able to do the floor-to-ceiling pivot hinges, just like in the living space, but in Lucia’s room a beam prevented us from doing the same. We were still able to reframe her closet and maximize storage with a new shelving system. We also bought very minimal ceiling light fixtures for each room, which blend in while providing extra ambient light. All of that, plus the square-stock baseboards and door casings, really spruced up both rooms.

We also eliminated a small nib wall in the living room that separated the front living space from the bedrooms in the back of the apartment. With the nib wall gone, there is a direct line of sight to the windows in Lucia’s bedroom, which brightens the entire apartment and creates a feeling of spaciousness.

Outside of the kitchen and living room project, we also saw the opportunity to reframe the closets throughout the apartment, remove the existing sliding bypass closet doors, and replace them with floor-to-ceiling pivot hinged doors. This created ample storage, and the verticality of the doors and their accompanying hardware became a design feature consistent in every room. The reconfiguration that resulted in an open kitchen design also allowed us to create a new hallway linen closet.

We made a few changes to the bathroom which made a big difference in the final look. We replaced the pedestal sink for a wall mounted vanity which created a lot more storage, replaced the old shower bypass glass doors with a fixed glass panel, and gave it a fresh coat of gray paint. We kept the tiles, lighting fixtures, and towel racks from the previous design.

The most surprising moment of the whole process was when our contractor sent us some photos after the first day of demolition. There was a huge pile of debris in the middle of the apartment, and a raw opening between the kitchen and living room and around each closet. Beams, columns, electrical conduit, and wiring were totally exposed. It was a shock to realize how much work we were really putting into the renovation. There was no turning back, and we could only hope that all the planning and design preparation going into the project would work out. Eight weeks later, it was a finished project and we could not have been happier.

We can’t recommend our Sweeten contractor enough. Although his bid was slightly higher than the others we received, we immediately got the sense that he would deliver a high-quality product, not exceed his budget, and stick to his schedule. All of this turned out to be accurate. We felt most comfortable with him from day one. He and Cody collaborated extensively throughout the renovation, and had a clear line of communication. He did not disappoint us in any respect.

It’s important to remember that there are many unknowns in the renovation process, and many pieces that are out of your control. Until we knocked down the wall between the living room and kitchen, we did not know for certain what would be behind it. (We had done a small probe to look for pipes, and based on the short span, we assumed that there were not any structural elements.) We couldn’t know for sure the location of the plumbing and gas risers until demolition was complete, which would ultimately dictate where we placed the kitchen sink and oven. It turned out that the gas riser was floating off the perimeter wall by almost 24 inches, and we had initially assumed it would be right along the perimeter wall. As a result, the opening to the kitchen had to be cut short. Although it was initially a disappointment, we used the 24-inch wall as an opportunity to put in a small cabinet and countertop, with wooden shelves above. It ended up being a great addition to the open kitchen design, even though we hadn’t anticipated it!

Our advice to future renovators: make your design choices ahead of time and stick to them. You don’t want to be redesigning in the middle of construction. If there are any surprises during construction (like the location of a gas riser—see above), it is critical to make a thoughtful yet quick decision and keep moving forward.

We are so happy with the apartment. It turned out just as we had envisioned it, and it’s been great to have so much space! We had been living in a 600-square-foot one-bedroom for Lucia’s first year, and by the time we moved out, we were feeling very cramped. Now, we’re expecting our second baby, and it feels like there is plenty of room to grow. But if the day comes when we do need more space and we start looking for our next renovation project, we’ll certainly use Sweeten again!

What a thoughtful and beautiful redesign, Cody! Thanks to you, Marissa, and Lucia for a glimpse into your home.

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Weathered Oak wood floor finish: Minwax. Cabinets: IKEA. Open shelving and brackets: Rejuvenation. Hopewell T-handle 2” (upper cabinets); Hopewell Bar Pull 5” (lower cabinets) cabinet hardware: Top Knobs. 1-1/4” White Carrara marble countertops with eased edge and waterfall sides: NSI Granite (supplier) A&A Marble (fabricator/installer). Matte white 2” hexagon tile backsplash: Complete Tile. Silver Shadow grout: Laticrete. Strive undermount stainless steel sink: Kohler. Matte black faucet: Brizo Solna. Side-by-Side 36” Wide Fridge: KitchenAid. Dishwasher with custom panel: KitchenAid. 5-Burner Gas Convection Slide-In Range, 30” wide: KitchenAid. Microwave drawer: Sharp. Hood: IKEA.

LIVING/DINING ROOM RESOURCES: Credenza: IKEA. Kitchen cabinet with custom white oak slab top. Living room pendants: Cedar and Moss. DIY kit dining room pendant: Lindsey Adelman.

BATH RESOURCES: Jute vanity: Kohler. White Impressions sink: Kohler. July faucet: Kohler. Clear tempered shower glass and hardware: CR Laurence. Round modern door knob with disk rosette: Emtek. Weathered Oak wood floor finish: Minwax. Decorator’s White paint: Benjamin Moore.

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Taking down walls to create an open kitchen design allowed Natalie and Cartier to connect their living room, dining room, and kitchen for a spacious and light-filled home.

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 An Architect’s Blueprint for His Hillside Home appeared first on Sweeten.

Michael and Chenta had been looking for a new place for about six months when they visited a duplex apartment in the former home of the Ridgewood Times, a local newspaper of record in the area. They fell in love with the space and saw a lot of potential in it. The creatives—Michael designs sweaters and Chenta is a director in web design—were drawn to a warm but minimalist look, and knew immediately how they could alter the apartment to achieve their desired surroundings. The prewar industrial building was situated in Ridgewood, Queens, right on the border of Brooklyn, and dated back to 1932. It also briefly housed a school, and then was converted to condos in 2009. The structure’s original industrial elements, including steel beams and wood materials, concrete floors, high ceilings, and great expanses of windows, were preserved in the conversion. The space was everything that Michael and Chenta were looking for, with an interesting history to boot.

While they were in contract on the property, Michael and Chenta began reaching out to general contractors independently, but felt overwhelmed. They would call contractors and hear nothing back. Michael then posted his project to Sweeten’s site, explaining they wanted to reveal the concrete floors under beaten-up hardwood planks, and to create a new closet system for the master suite. The couple was matched with several experts, and ultimately decided on their Sweeten general contractor. The contractor and her team worked with the duo to achieve the right combination of concrete, wood, metal, and paint colors to produce what Michael called a “modern Scandi style, but without the Boho elements.” They wanted “clean and simple lines, but we’re also trying to not make it look too cold or sterile.”

In terms of the biggest changes, the contractor’s team first ripped up the wood flooring to expose the concrete floors underneath on both levels of the duplex. They next applied an Italian product called Wall2Floor, a concrete-based mineral coating that had to be applied by hand to the existing substrate. The application creates a seamless surface and is usually used in luxury spaces. It gave the apartment floor a polished, sleek texture and paired nicely with the wooden banister and kitchen cabinets.

To continue the streamlined effect, Michael and Chenta asked their Sweeten contractor to remove baseboard moldings and door frames. This accentuated the gallery-like feel of the loft space: walls were floated—meaning that the drywall stops short of the floor, and is not covered with base moldings, and when closed, doors were completely flush with the walls that surrounded them. Their choices of warm white paint in the living area and dusty pink in the living room provided a warm contrast against wood, metal, and concrete.

(The new wall behind the TV separates the clothes closets from the bed area creating a “walk-in” closet feel.)

For the master suite, they made layout changes to accommodate a walk-through (rather than walk-in) closet. The existing closets on the left wall were demolished, and a floating wall was created to section off the closet area without closing it completely. “It’s all very open with a lot of natural light,” Michael explained. New custom closets were designed with metal framed interiors and floor-to-ceiling oak doors and placed to face the new wall. They also opted to paint the walls inside the closets dark gray for more depth. All the hardware was finished in a matte black. “We didn’t like any of the standard finishes, so our contractor made the changes to help us achieve the clean lines and simplicity that we were looking for,” said Michael.

Throughout the process, Michael and Chenta worked with their Sweeten team to ensure that each step was smooth. But like many renovations, there were some hiccups: they had to move in before the renovation was finished since they didn’t want to continue paying rent when they had started paying their mortgage. They waited until the concrete floors were finished (and protected with a plastic sheet), and then lived through the rest of the work. “All our moving boxes were stacked in the middle of the living room, and we were sleeping on an airbed in a construction site,” describes Michael. Despite this, the couple felt that their contractor “was great from the beginning. She understood our vision and always had great ideas. She was the kindest person and talked us thoroughly through the process, even when Chenta and I had meltdowns.”

Michael’s advice to would-be renovators? “Stay calm and put some money aside. It will work out in the end, but you will be over budget. It was a system that we weren’t familiar with, and although I understand how to create a product, I didn’t realize just how complex it would be to renovate an apartment. It takes so many steps to even properly paint a wall! And all these little things need to be done to create a great end result, although they seem unnecessary when you are not familiar with the process.”

Thanks to Michael, Chenta, and their cat Taiger for sharing their showcase apartment with us!

RESOURCES. Concrete floors: Wall2Floor. Oak closet doors: custom. Berenson black closet hardware: Berenson.

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One way to stay on budget is to make sure you receive accurate bids from contractors. Here’s what you need to know to do just that!

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 Two Designers Make Upgrades to Their Loft Apartment appeared first on Sweeten.

Guest post by Tina in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Last week in part 1, we visited architect Tina and her husband Fletcher’s duplex in Cobble Hill. She gave us the tour of the kitchen and powder room on the upper parlor level. Now we’re back to view their bedrooms and master bath on the garden level. Here’s how the couple and their contractor transformed a level with lower ceilings and semi-subterranean location into a cozy and very chic space.

Working with our Sweeten contractor, we decided to refinish the dark wood floors throughout our duplex apartment to brighten the living space. It was especially needed in the bedrooms on the lower level. We ran into our first delay after work began on the floors. Initially, we selected a weathered oak finish, but our mistake was not testing it before moving forward. It wasn’t until after the entire lower level had been sanded and re-stained that we learned the red oak floors didn’t take the color as we had expected. To complicate things, we discovered the wood on the stairs was white oak, while the upper level floor was maple. The renovation timeline was delayed a week as we tested combinations of stains to find a neutralizing color that worked on all three wood types. Fletcher made the ultimate selection of Bona Grey, and we could not be happier with how it turned out!

The new floors immediately brightened the lower level of the duplex, which was key in disguising its semi-subterranean status. In addition to a lighter floor stain, we painted the bedroom walls with light colors—a cool gray in the baby’s nursery and a calming off-white in the master bedroom. White bedroom furniture, accents, and linens maintained the bright palette. To give the impression of larger windows, we added floor-to-ceiling sheer curtains.

The lower level had no base molding or traditional casing around the windows, and the interior doors styles were flat with concealed hinges, creating a sterile look. To introduce more character, we added base trim throughout the bedrooms and shaker-style panel doors. Our contractor helped us realize how cost-effective this strategy was. It was a low-cost improvement that made a huge impact. The garden level feels as comfortable and inviting as the upper living area.

We were already very pleased with the layout of the main bath, and found it was efficiently designed. Within a small space, it contained a tub—essential for our growing family—a large walk-in shower, and even a washing machine and dryer that already existed! It may have been more convenient to have them in a room where we could fold laundry, but we were happy to not give up significant apartment real estate. We just avoid running the ventless dryer while taking a shower. The amount of moisture in the room can become overwhelming!

Like the powder room upstairs, we kept the original Duravit fixtures, and were conscious of choosing materials that would make the space feel larger and brighter. This was especially important because we decided to tear out the existing back-lit vanity mirror that spanned the entire length of the main bath wall. And it was actually effective in making the room feel larger but we replaced it with a more traditional vanity mirror and sconce lighting. We continued the marble mosaic into the shower to avoid visually dividing the space, and kept the walls bright with the same Nemo white 2×8 subway tile used for the kitchen backsplash.

Thanks to our Sweeten contractor and his crew, the renovation process was relatively quick and painless. By having the design decisions completed before work began, we eliminated on-the-go decision-making and were able to work with the team and budget effectively. We were happy to have a contractor with a calm disposition, who was extremely sensitive to our schedule and accommodating to hiccups in the process.

Although the work moved quickly, it wasn’t completed on schedule due to minor delays. Working with a tight timeline, there was little room for contingency. Our scheduled move-in landed just a week before our baby’s due date. As luck would have it, I went into labor early, on moving day!  

Because our kitchen cabinets had been delayed a few weeks, we returned from the hospital as they were being installed. We introduced our newborn to a home with appliances stacked in the living room and unpacked boxes occupying the rest of the apartment. We camped out as a family in the nursery (equipped with my college dorm mini-fridge) for a week while major work was being completed.

Two weeks after our move and into parenthood, the renovation was 95% complete. We unpacked boxes while the baby slept. Talk about exhausting! Looking back, transitioning was certainly hectic, but we couldn’t be happier with our new home. It is the perfect environment for our growing family.

Thank you, Tina and Fletcher, for sharing your story. We love seeing your personal stamp on the design of your home.

FULL BATH RESOURCES: Fluid Basketweave Mosaic marble floor tile; white gloss subway 2×8 wall tile: Nemo Tile. Sconce: Dot & Bo. Vintage recessed medicine cabinet/mirror: Pottery Barn. Moen S6320 Velocity showerhead: Amazon.com.  Washer/dryer: Miele.

MASTER BEDROOM: “Gray” wood floor finish: Bona. Bed: San Francisco Design via Gilt. “Grove” dressers in walnut: Room & Board. Wall paint in “Calm”: Benjamin Moore.

NURSERY: Safavieh “Montauk” rug: Overstock. Wall paint in “Gray Cloud”: Benjamin Moore. Brimnes daybed: IKEA. Langley Street “Parocela” dresser: Wayfair.

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In Chelsea, a duplex transforms into a bright and modern space, complete with a magical—yet practical—nursery.

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 Blueprint Comes to Life for a Family Duplex (Part 2) appeared first on Sweeten.

Gall was living in a Hell’s Kitchen one-bedroom with his wife Ingrid, a Brazilian-born speech pathologist. They initially discovered Sweeten when they began thinking about a renovation for that apartment. The makeover wasn’t to be, however, and they switched gears in anticipation of expanding their family. For the better part of a year, the couple shopped for a larger apartment in the competitive market along Broadway on the Upper West Side. It was only after widening their search across Central Park that they stumbled onto an affordable Upper East Side building “right on top of the subway,” he notes.

The high-rise building was originally developed as a rental in the 1980’s, and Gall liked the way its bay windows amplified the view. The 1,280-square-foot unit had received mainly cosmetic renovations since going condo in the early 2000’s, so floors were a deep brown that showed dust and failed to bounce natural light around the space. The original kitchen measured 100 square feet, but felt cramped and closed-off, with a shortage of counter space. Gall, who is the family chef, recalls the well-used beige plastic laminate kitchen cabinets as being very small, and they didn’t go all the way to the ceiling. There was also insufficient storage in the bedrooms. “I don’t know where they fit their clothes,” he says.

This time, it was a real estate broker’s recommendation which reminded Gall of Sweeten. He posted their remodel, along with a wish list of some elements to add and others to subtract. After signing with a Sweeten contractor that offered design and build services in April, demolition began in June. Their contractor worked with the couple for months, strategically updating the apartment while enhancing the expanses of space that had attracted them in the first place.

One early target was a wide bank of awkwardly placed built-in bookcases right at the entrance. “It had tons of little compartments and really felt cluttered right there in the middle of the house,” Gall explains. They removed it and worked with their team to fill the same space with closed storage. A penthouse they saw while apartment shopping served as the couple’s design inspiration for cool mirror doors—on both their new pantry cabinet and the neighboring linen closet—that are decorated with a retro raised-panel design.

One unexpected (and technically challenging) concern was mentioned by the building architect. For the spot where they planned to open up the kitchen by demolishing a wall, the architect asked about a much discussed but often ignored code requirement for a drop soffit to channel smoke dividing the ceiling between the kitchen and living area. A reworked soffit satisfied the requirement and tied into the other new ones around the living room. To unify the apartment throughout, their contractor suggested they see an example of 5-inch-wide white oak floors in another project the team had completed; Gall and Ingrid instantly fell in love. The wood was glued down to the concrete subfloor throughout the living areas, and even in the kitchen. 

The new kitchen has synthetic quartz for the countertops, as well as on the new island where the wall once stood. “By opening up the wall we lost a lot of upper cabinet space,” he explains, which made new full-height cabinets a necessity. The cabinets are white-painted maple, and the backsplash mosaic is a herringbone composed of glass and marble tiles. The couple skipped a range in favor of the flexibility of having a wall oven and separate cooktop. The refrigerator, though not a pricey panel-ready model, is neatly integrated into a tall wall of white cabinetry. The cookspace was one of their favorite spaces. “The craftsmanship was amazing,” said Gall. “The huge countertop makes working in the kitchen a pleasant experience,” including enough space for him and his wife to cook together.

In the master bathroom, a tub was replaced with a new stand-up shower with marble from Porcelanosa. Gall praises the three-dimensional renderings created by his Sweeten contractor, which were a great help for imagining the look of the kitchen. “We’re not visual people, and that made the process much smoother and easier.”

The closet organization in the master bedroom was built to the homeowners’ exact requests, not only providing more than adequate storage, but the cabinet doors matched the rest found in the apartment. For the nursery, the initial placement allowed the rest of the room to be furnished around it. “The closet was planned to accommodate two children at different ages,” says Gall.

In spite of the inconveniences, Sweeten clearly contributed immeasurably to the couple’s renovation. “We had been very nervous about getting the right contractor, one who wouldn’t walk out on us,” he recalls. He advises renovators to expect a longer period of construction than originally quoted, and to spend as much of your own energy on it as possible. Once you find an expert you can count on, he says, “trust your contractor’s opinion.” Mid-construction, they found out they were expecting a child, and the job was finished before the birth. Today, one of those spectacular bay windows in the living room, with its classic New York view, makes an ideal playpen for the luckiest of big-city babies.

Thank you, Gall and Ingrid, for sharing how you organized and made your home work for you.

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Color Strip wood flooring in Natural White Oak: Somerset. Kitchen cabinets: Custom fabricated by Sweeten contractor. Satin Nickel Meis cabinet hardware: Stanley Home Designs. Minuet Countertops: LG Viatera. Monarch Sands of Time Backsplash: TileBar. Stainless steel single basin undermount sink, #VG3019BK1: Vigo. Faucet: Hansgrohe. French door fridge: Fisher Paykel. 30” 5-Burner gas cooktop, #KCGS350ESS. 24” dishwasher: KitchenAid. 27” Electric wall oven, #WOS51EC7AS: Whirlpool.

MASTER BATH RESOURCES: Persian White Classico floor and wall tile, #L112995691-100142837: Porcelanosa. Faucet, #SLS-3610-1.5: Symmons. 30” Wall-hung vanity; 5-Light Bath Bar light fixture: Wayfair. Comfort height toilet #K-5172-RA-0; shower fixtures; medicine cabinet: Kohler.

HALLWAY RESOURCES: Doors: Custom fabricated by Sweeten contractor.

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While you’re in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by our renovation of an apartment that hadn’t been touched in three decades; uncovering a 1929 Upper East Side gem.

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.

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