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A designer transforms her dank downstairs into a gleaming creative zone with renovation help from Sweeten

• Homeowners: Interior designer Danielle Fennoy posted her modern basement remodel on Sweeten
• Where: Stuyvesant Heights, Brooklyn, New York
• Primary renovation: A basement turns into a designer’s home office (including laundry and storage) with gallery looks
• Sweeten general contractor
• Homeowner’s quote: “Through Sweeten, I met some experienced general contractors. We chose a contractor who seemed most capable and most excited about the job. The cherry on top: He was insanely easy to work with.”
• Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free.

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

An unwelcoming basement

Proud. Calm. Organized. It was hard to imagine a trip down to our cellar—a dark, dank space that I never wanted to set foot in—summoning these feelings. But renovating this space into a fully functioning basement gave us a dedicated workspace for my business while adding an entire floor of living space to our home. It also satisfied some serious storage needs and gave us an occasional guest room for family visits.

We live in a three-family Brooklyn brownstone built in the early 1900s. We’ve owned it for three-and-a-half years. I am Danielle, owner of Revamp Interior Design; Jevaun is my husband and a design director; Zidane is our son and Katara is our dog. We occupy the parlor, garden, and cellar levels of the building, and the top floors are rental units. 

Since we bought the place, we have been redoing it one section at a time, and this was the last of the major projects. We wanted to do a renovation in the basement, which the previous owner had never refinished after a flood years ago. It wasn’t in great shape: the drywall had been ripped out to prevent mold, and the room had no ventilation or natural light. Junk was accumulating down there. The laundry area was way in the back, and we (I) had to walk through hell to do a load. It was sad.

Organization for a basement remodel

The space needed to become a beautiful workhorse of an office. But it had to function, too, as a standard basement and store our family’s things in an organized way. We needed places for coats, tools, luggage, and linens. I came up with this gallery idea with a modern, open look, and we posted our basement remodel project on Sweeten. I wanted one wall to retain the exposed masonry, for texture and grit. For the floors, I planned to pour an epoxy layer over the existing concrete. My running joke: If I could walk through the basement barefoot, mission accomplished! 

Finding new general contractors

I work in the renovation business, so I initially bid out the job with contractors I’ve worked with. But they were all tied up with projects. I didn’t want to have competing deadlines. Through Sweeten, I met some experienced general contractors. We chose a contractor who seemed most capable and most excited about the job. The cherry on top: He was insanely easy to work with. 

My running joke: If I could walk through the basement barefoot, mission accomplished! 

Lighting takes centerstage

The goal was to make it bright and spacious. When we moved in, our vision included a den and guest bedroom in the basement. Then I started having this recurring (and prescient!) dream in which I was working from home, and the conversion plan shifted: I wanted to turn it into a design gallery and studio. I needed a workspace with a big, open surface to work with materials and review large drawings. Because of this, lighting would be key. Color is a big part of what I do and it felt critical to have a bright, blank canvas as the backdrop for my work.

I knew that lighting was the aspect of the redo that would have the most impact. We put in 18 recessed LED ceiling lights; there was not a dark corner in the room. Susan Chan, a specialist at Feng Shui Creative and a friend, recommended I add “uplighting”—fixtures that direct the light upwards—to lift the room’s energy. I thought she was crazy and couldn’t think how to make that work—the ceilings are barely eight feet high. But boy, was she right! The gorgeous pendant fixture I chose made a huge difference in the space, adding both diversity to the light and focus over the island.

Epoxy floors for a chic basement remodel

After we cleared out the stuff, the team sheetrocked the walls and poured the epoxy floor. The exposed masonry wall didn’t turn out as naturally beautiful as we’d hoped it would, but we went with it. The contractors built out closets under the stairs, installed a storage island for a work surface, and hung lots of open shelving. We painted the walls, floors, and stairs in a perfect white—not too cool, not too warm. The furniture plan was the toughest part. I find a “bonus room”—an everything space with 10,000 functions—the hardest to get right for my clients, and it was no different for me. I created a wide-open room and didn’t want the things I put in it to make it feel cramped.

Getting to the finish line

As the room came together, our contractor stopped by often, checking on progress and clarifying details. He gave me a six-week project schedule. The basement remodel was finished the day he promised. The usual setbacks occurred—construction delays, order lags—and our project had surprises, but the crew kept pace and we didn’t go over budget. Sweeten also offered support throughout the project, if needed. 

Looking at the finished project, I have so many favorite bits, beginning with the added space. Each floor of the building is about 900 square feet, so we increased usable space by 50 percent—we now have 2,700 square feet. The very best reward downstairs: the perfect lighting. I can work around the clock and never know what time it is. I jokingly call it Vegas!

Thank you for sharing your modern basement renovation story with us, Danielle, Jevaun, and Zidane!  

Resource Materials:

BASEMENT RESOURCES: Simply White paint: Benjamin Moore. Epoxy flooring: Sourced by general contractor. Recessed Lights: WAC Lighting. Tracer Loop pendant: Luke Light Co. BL Pole shelving system: Rakks.

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

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

The post A Modern Basement Remodel Becomes a Sleek Office and More appeared first on Sweeten.

“After” photos by Pixy Interiors for Sweeten

• Homeowners: Nadia and Stephen posted their 1901 three-story rowhouse renovation on Sweeten
• Where: Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY
• Primary renovation: Converting a two-unit house into a single-unit home for a multigenerational family
• Sweeten general contractor
• Sweeten’s role: Sweeten matches homeowners with vetted general contractors for residential renovation projects, offering knowledge, support, and up to $50,000 in job-related financial protection—for free.

Guest blog post by Sweeten homeowner Nadia

Keeping it together but separate

The truth is we had a long list of desires when it came to buying our first home together. We wanted a house that was true to the time it was built, but clean and crisp and modernized. We bought it knowing that it needed a renovation, and as such lined up our contractor as we were finalizing the purchase. We wanted to start our renovation within a week of the closing and pay both mortgage and rent for no more than eight weeks. 

Because Stephen’s mother was moving in with us, and she is unable to manage stairs, we needed a first-floor space for her. The house was a two-family home, with an upstairs apartment that was separate from the garden-level duplex. We decided to create a single-family house using the parlor level as entertaining space, allowing us to live separately, but together.

I have a background in interior design and Stephen has renovation experience, but this was for both of us our first construction project in New York City. Our vision was of a house that would feel contiguous but not too chopped up and not sterile. To that end, we drew lines with a well-curated mix of surfaces, and the outcome is fantastic. 

Real hardwood floors

The house most needed a revamp on the garden and top floors along with proper bedrooms and a full-house fire/CO2 monitoring system. Our plan was to tear out the existing fake-wood flooring on both levels and replace it with hardwood, and save the original floors on the parlor level. We chose a dark-wood flooring with a hand-scraped finish that was not ridiculously expensive. We needed it to hold up to kids, dogs, a walker, and it really has. 

On the garden level where my mother-in-law has her own apartment, the foyer was updated with full marble slabs on the walls and floor. In the back,the laundry room got a better egress to the backyard. Additionally, it functions as a mudroom with custom cabinetry and a pull-down drying rack where we can hang wet clothes. The bathroom received a simple replacement of fixtures and a coat of paint which changed it completely.

Storage in the kitchen

It’s amazing how much the wrap-around pantry holds.

The existing kitchen was L-shaped with very little counter space and a mobile dishwasher. As a big cooking family, we are very heavy users of the kitchen. By shifting the main kitchen to one wall—including a dishwasher, wall oven, and a larger sink—it provided space for an island, a wrap-around pantry, and dining table.

It’s amazing how much the wrap-around pantry holds. Since it’s the other main kitchen wall, we could only fit 12″-15″ deep cabinets. Instead of upper and lowers, we installed full-height 15″ upper cabinets and are able to store an enormous amount of pantry and serving items. The cabinet finishes are white and acacia and topped with a highly durable quartz surface including a big, walk-around island.

Heading up to the parlor floor, we removed the stair runner and painted the stair treads, risers, balusters, and spindles in one color. We used the black paint in a flat finish on the stair boards, and a pearl finish on the railings for extra luster.

Specific bathroom features

The bathroom gut reno on the top floor focused on creating a stand-up shower. Stephen and I travel a lot for work and have huge pet peeves. We wanted to turn on the water without getting wet and have a shelf or bench to put a foot upon or sit on. We chose a glass surround with a frameless structure to make the room feel as open as possible. The custom vanity is made of walnut, with four drawers that maximize countertop and storage space. It all fits nicely in a tiny-but-functional 5’ x 8’ bathroom space. 

We ended up skim coating almost the entire house, and our Sweeten contractor worked miracles on the original plaster that was uneven and had an unappealing, thick texture. It gave us a lot more understanding of how hard it really is to properly repair plaster so that it looks like new!

The most difficult part of the renovation was the last six weeks, when we were living in the house, still under construction, with a three-year-old. Living in a space being renovated is challenging and exhausting, but our contractor staged the work so we could move in, and the crew became like family! It’s doable if you have fully functioning bathrooms and kitchen. Sweeten assisted throughout, from matching us with a contractor to providing a full bid review, and checking in about issues or concerns.

In the end, we increased the scope of what we wanted to do significantly and our costs grew—but we got it all done in the range of $100 to $150 per square foot. Doing it simultaneously means that now we can enjoy our home and our time together as a multigenerational family.

Thank you, Nadia and Stephen, for sharing your new home with us!

Renovation Materials

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Wall paint in OC20 Pale Oak; trim paint in Oxford White 869 in pearl: Benjamin Moore. Ceiling paint in ProMar 400 Interior Latex: Sherwin Williams. Wooden floors in 5″ pearl finish Baroque White Oak:Vintage Flooring. Cabinets & cabinet hardware: Ikea. Countertops in Calacatta Miel Quartz: Quartz Master. Backsplash in Sicis Vetrite Tela Grey 8×24: Tile Depot NY.  Undermount 24x18x10” sink: Kohler. Faucet in Arctic Stainless: Delta Faucet. French door fridge: LG. 800 Series dishwasher, range & speed oven: Bosch. Lighting track: WAC Lighting.

BATHROOM RESOURCES: Calacatta floor tile; Azuma DG 2×2 shower floor tile; 3×12 wall tile: Tile Depot NY. Hardware, shower fixtures, sink, and vanity: Kohler. Toilet: Toto. Bova 3 vanity light; Aero Pure Low CFM Energy Star ceiling fan; Paloma faucet: Wayfair. Vanity mirror/medicine cabinet; mirror: Ikea. Wall paint in OC20 Pale Oak in matte; trim paint: Oxford White 869 in pearl: Benjamin Moore.  Ceiling paint in ProMar 400 Extra White in matte: Sherwin Williams.

BEDROOM RESOURCES: 52″ Cedarton 5 Blade LED ceiling fan with remote: Wayfair. Wooden floors in 5″ pearl finish Baroque White Oak: Vintage Flooring. Wall paint in OC20 Pale Oak in matte; trim paint in Oxford White 869 in pearl: Benjamin Moore. Ceiling paint in ProMar 400 Extra White in matte: Sherwin Williams.

LAUNDRY AREA RESOURCES: Washer/dryer Combo: LG. Contemporary 2 floor tile in silver: Tile Depot NY. Reider 1-Light LED Flush Mount light: Wayfair.

LIVING ROOM & DINING ROOM RESOURCES: Wall paint in Revere Pewter: Benjamin Moore. Ceiling paint in ProMar 400 Extra White in matte: Sherwin Williams. 

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Sweeten founder and CEO weighs in on what to know before renovating a brownstone.

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

The post A Rowhouse Prepares as a Multigenerational Home appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: Expand a bathroom to add a washer and dryer 

Before: Ashleigh and Jonathan were renting an apartment in the Financial District of Manhattan while leasing out their own house in New Jersey, when they decided they’d rather own their everyday home. The couple sold their place across the river with the intention of buying an apartment in New York City. 

They found a 953-square-foot studio loft in DUMBO, Brooklyn, which was originally built as a soap factory in 1904. Since the place didn’t come equipped with a laundry hook up, they’d planned to have one installed to add a washer and dryer to their bathroom. Unfortunately, the couple didn’t realize what that upgrade would involve. “We had no idea that this next step would necessarily require renovation, however, we fell in love with the apartment, and figured out a way to make it work,” Ashleigh shared. 

After: The couple posted their renovation project to Sweeten, with the plan to increase the bathroom’s square footage by taking space from a nearby alcove.  Stylistically, the duo decided to keep it pretty simple, but also honor the industrial vibes of the building and the apartment. They were matched with a general contractor, who Sweeten shared was already working on another project in the same building. “That was a large factor in us deciding to go with him for the renovation,” Ashleigh said. 

From the onset, the contractor knew timing was tight—since the couple had to be out of their rental in the Financial District by a non-negotiable deadline. “Right off the bat, he told us to only consider items that were in stock and not special order so that we could avoid unnecessary delays, which definitely guided us down a somewhat limited path when selecting tile, fixtures, etc. He was also very helpful in making design suggestions, such as what direction the herringbone tile should be installed, how many recessed lights we needed, door/molding choices, etc,” Ashleigh shared. 

The homeowner’s first decision? The unfinished wood vanity with a Carrara marble top. From there, they chose the aged brass and gunmetal fixtures, classic white subway tiles, and navy paint for the walls. 

Once their contractor filed the necessary plumbing and electrical permits, all they could do, construction-wise, was wait. “He assured us that he was doing everything he could to make this happen and stayed in constant communication, keeping us informed on how things were progressing with our permits, as well as letting us know when he needed certain items for installation,” Ashleigh said. Once they came through, he had a month less than planned to complete the project—but all-in-all the renovation wrapped up just two days behind schedule. 

This wasn’t exactly Ashleigh and Jonathan’s first renovation—but their first with a licensed general contractor. “His experience and expertise helped guide us through the process,” Ashleigh said. Sweeten reached out during the process and offered assistance, but the couple noted they actually didn’t need any further help and that everything was moving along.

“We absolutely love our new bathroom. Given the limited space, it suits our needs and style perfectly. We’ve lived with and without a washer/dryer and much prefer life with one, so the fact that we could solve that problem with the apartment makes it infinitely more livable for us.” Ashleigh said.

WATCH VIDEO:

Bonus: Their Sweeten contractor also built a walk-in closet out of the remaining alcove space. 

Style finds: Floor in herringbone basalt mosaic; walls and shower in Nori Gloss 3×6” white ceramic subway tile: Complete Tile. Spray jet showerhead; vintage cross-handle balanced pressure bathtub and shower valve; trim set with bath spout in aged brass; early 20th century mercantile powder washstand with Carrara marble vanity top; vintage cross-handle 8” widespread faucet in aged brass; Edison glass inline double sconce in gunmetal bronze, early 20th century mercantile 84” cabinet: Restoration Hardware. Wall paint in Hale Navy, #HC-154: Benjamin Moore. Two-piece elongated chair, dual-flush toilet, #MW4463056CUMFGA#01: Toto. Frontloading W1 washing machine and T1 heat-pump tumble dryer: Appliances Connection.

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Check out another renovation where adding laundry was a main priority.

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 Washer and Dryer Prompts a Bathroom Remodel appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: Open up a small kitchen in a one-bedroom Brooklyn co-op

Before: Marissa, who has had a “varied career” in theater and finance, purchased the 630-square-foot Prospect Heights co-op in 2012 and renovated the bathroom in 2014 (with Sweeten!). The photo of her bathroom has been saved 7,614 times on Pinterest to date and is Sweeten’s most saved pin.

Marissa planned on renovating the kitchen in the spring of 2016, but got married to her then-boyfriend, Jeremy, instead. If they had tried to plan a wedding and do a remodel simultaneously, “we would probably run out of money and, someone—me—was going to have a nervous breakdown coordinating both,” she recounts. So they put the renovation on hold until well after the wedding. They considered renovating based on choices made purely for resale reasons but decided to follow their particular vision instead. “It was going to be way more expensive than a traditional kitchen flip,” she said. “But, in my defense, design is an important part of my life and how often will I get a chance to design a gut-renovated kitchen?”

The apartment hadn’t been renovated since the 100-year-old building became a co-op in the early ‘80s. The kitchen worked, but was dated, lacked storage, and only had 24 square inches of usable counter space. The couple are avid cooks and the kitchen was so cramped, Marissa said, “that we had to instill a rule of only one person allowed in the kitchen at a time—for marital harmony and personal safety.” A raised bar on the peninsula further blocked the kitchen from the living room. “That was a bit isolating for both the cook and the non-cook when all you want to do is reconnect with your spouse after work while prepping dinner,” she explained.

Since the living room and bedroom walls were dark, the new kitchen needed to be lighter to balance out the space. “I wouldn’t have gone with a white kitchen if I didn’t have the lighting decisions correct, though,” said Marissa, who drew from her background as a theater lighting designer.

After: With a plan in mind, Marissa and Jeremy posted their project to Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors, and chose a “wonderfully communicative” contractor. He helped them get the layered lighting she envisioned, “where I needed it, at color temperatures that I liked, and that I could mix to be flattering so we could pull off a white kitchen. If we should age-in-place and need crazy bright lights one day, we have the ability to turn the kitchen into an airport runway. But for now, a mix of one-half to one-quarter intensity feels just right in our space.”

“I sourced, purchased, and refinished the pendants on the peninsula and our contractor allowed me to measure the exact height I wanted them, texting me photos during the installation. He even installed dimmable, under-the-peninsula LED lighting for the cabinets facing the living room so that we can see what’s inside them in spite of the countertop overhang’s shadow!” Marissa loves the ability to control the lighting with such variability and said, “I can match any mood or task I require from it.”

Admittedly a bad duster—and one with pets—Marissa knew that open shelves instead of upper cabinets, “while super trendy and spacious feeling, just didn’t fit our lifestyle.” With all that open space, she might end up feeling annoyed by not having matching bowls on display. “And I certainly don’t need more things,” Marissa said. “I wanted it to straddle contemporary and traditional style and I feel my design was successful in that regard.”

Metal finishes were mixed to keep them from looking the same. “I went wild with the cabinet hardware. If I have a change of heart later, or a future buyer decides that they don’t like them, it’s an inexpensive and easy swap.” She was careful to use “classic” metals for the more complicated to replace items like the stainless steel appliances and sink, polished nickel faucet, sprayer, and soap dispenser.

While the antique mirror backsplash, white marble-look quartz peninsula, and white cabinets were part of Marissa’s original plan, she admits the backsplash was a bit of a leap. “While mirrors are best for bouncing light in a space with few windows and making a room appear larger, I wanted an antiqued mirror so as to soften the reflections in it,” she said. For the countertops, there was a discussion about Calacatta Borghini marble, but Jeremy was concerned about upkeep. “I was less concerned because I think lived-in, scuffed up, and even stained marble is beautiful,” Marissa said. The quartz version of the marble look-alike ended up being the same price, easier to source, and less delicate. “We both love how gorgeous and low maintenance the countertops are,”  she said.

To gain counter space, they got a washer/dryer combo unit. Previously, there was a stacked washer/dryer and a gas dryer vent. “While a gas dryer dries clothes much faster than a ventless dryer, I wanted the extra counter space more than I wanted clothes dried in 20 minutes,” Marissa said. They capped off the gas vent and went long with the back counter. “Now we put in our laundry at night and in the morning it’s dry and we have a nice clear counter above it to fold our clothes before we put them away. It fits our lifestyle.”

The biggest challenge they faced was what Marissa calls “‘The Night of a Thousand Terrors, aka Emergency Plumbing Night,’ which ended up doubling our budget overages. We planned for a 20 percent budget overrun but spent closer to 50 percent more, because of that single night.” The demo exposed an unforeseen problem in the walls—pipes running through the middle of the newly expanded kitchen. As planned, it took a plumber three hours to retrofit the pipes into the space they needed to retain the kitchen’s orientation. But once the gas pipe was retrofitted, it was unable to be sealed: the condensation from nearby water pipes prevented the sealing materials from working.

After a 16-hour emergency job with three plumbers, they had to shut down the entire apartment stack’s waterline and install drain valves in the basement for every apartment above them just to seal that one gas line (under newer building codes, these would have already been in place). The emergency work ended at 3:00 am and it wasn’t until the next morning that everyone’s water and gas was turned back on. “We sat on the front steps of the building, apologizing in person to all our neighbors who passed by during that horrific evening. We handmade apology cards and sent bottles of wine to all the affected neighbors and found a fun educational game to give to our toddler neighbor. People should build these apology gifts in as line items into their budget,” Marissa said. “But in the bigger scheme—our stack of apartments now has drains installed where they should be.”

Despite the challenges, Marissa and Jeremy are thrilled with their new kitchen. “I am excited about so many parts of our kitchen that I don’t know if I can pick a favorite!” she said. “I love that we quintupled (or more) our counter space, I love that I can independently control the intensity of all of the lighting in the kitchen, and I love that I can have a conversation with my husband while one of us is in the kitchen and the other is on the couch.” Working with her Sweeten general contractor was one of the highlights of the project. “He was wonderful about checking in with me. His communication skills were top notch. I cannot stress enough how pleased I am with his finished work. He wanted things done the right way and not just the easiest way.”

Bonus: Marissa knew she needed an eye-catching piece for the wall above the peninsula. “It’s the first thing you will see, walking into the apartment,” she said. “I found a knife rack made out of dark walnut wood fairly easily (Amazon for the win!), but for the life of me, I couldn’t find a small interesting shelf.” She ended up coming across an octagonal shelf on Wayfair that “charmed” her with its shape but was the wrong color so she painted the black metal gold and stained the wood with a darker shade before assembling it.

Style finds: Glazed porcelain floor tile: MSI Stone. Kitchen cabinets: Select Kitchen. Southern Hills Satin Gold cabinet hardware: Amazon. Sink: Dowell. Randolph Morris Bridge faucet: Vintage Tub & Bath. Refrigerator: Samsung. 800 Series dishwasher: Bosch. Stove: Samsung. Combo washer/dryer unit: LG. Kersey mini pendant: Elk. Wevet paint color: Farrow & Ball. Oak hardwood floor stain and Traffic HD finish: Bona.

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Sarah renovated her “closet-like” kitchen in Prospect Heights and doubled her storage by taking advantage of every available inch.

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

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

The post A Kitchen Fit for the Lights on Broadway appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: Add a shower and update a half-bath/laundry room in Manhattan’s Financial District

Before: Back in 1996, Elizabeth purchased a loft in a circa 1908 building in the Financial District. She gutted and renovated the 3-bedroom, 1.5-bathroom apartment except for the half-bath, which included a full-size washer and dryer. The layout worked well enough, but eventually, Elizabeth wanted the half-bath upgraded and updated to a full bath/utility room that included shelving and cabinetry—and the décor needed to flow seamlessly with that of the nearby kitchen. The trickiest part was figuring out how to fit everything she wanted into this room. She did the demo herself, and partway through, with design ideas in mind, Elizabeth posted her project on Sweeten, a free service that connects renovators with vetted general contractors.

After: Elizabeth’s Sweeten contractor discovered a space behind a wall—about a linear foot and a half—making it possible to have a larger shower base and sink. Yay! They also found space by stacking the washer and dryer. And while she was worried that all the bits and pieces would fit in the room, her contractor was able to build lots of custom details like slide-out shelves and cabinetry for storage so the room would be functional yet not overcrowded. She was especially pleased with the “beautiful job he did on the floor and with the matching Cambria surfaces.”

Thank you, Elizabeth, for sharing your half bath remodel success story with us!

Bonus: Despite a slightly irregularly-shaped footprint, the homeowner and her contractor maximized the space without compromising the narrow walk-through in the form of freestanding and built-in cabinets.

Style finds: Countertops: Cambria. Floor tile: Floor & Décor. Shower Door: GlassCrafters Inc.

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To create room for a washer and dryer in the bathroom, Lindsay and Nicholas tore out their single shower stall, relocated the shower fixtures to the bathtub, and built a laundry closet in its place.

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 Half Bath Remodel in FiDi Fixes a Puzzling Layout appeared first on Sweeten.

In our month-long Organizational Blitz, see how Sweeten homeowners have whipped their homes into shape.

Looking for even more tips and advice on organizing your home? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve tackled some of the most lived-in parts of your home, from the kitchen to the bathroom, and the home office to the home bar. Now, we’re taking it a step further, exploring small spaces, cabinets, closets, and washer and dryer storage. Ready to hit redo on your home’s organization? Get into it!

Don’t let square footage limit your home’s potential. These 7 ideas will empower you to live large in a small apartment.

Cabinets work in any space, not just the kitchen. Whether they’re arranged as a media center in the living room or provide extra storage in the bathroom, make the most of your cabinets with these 4 tips.

What do closets and doughnuts have in common? One is never enough. Your closets are the last line of defense against a messy home, so take inspiration from these 5 clutter-busting closets.

So you’re ready to add a washer and dryer to your home. Congrats! Now, all you have to do is find the perfect location for these appliances. Perhaps one of these 6 spots will do the trick.

Don’t miss our previous posts in the Organizational Blitz series; 21 Ways to Organize Your Home, 39 Ways to Organize Your Kitchen, 27 Ways to Organize Your Bathroom, Budget Basics: Kitchen Renovation Costs, and Budget Basics: Bath Renovation Costs.

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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 22 More Ways to Organize Your Home appeared first on Sweeten.

(Above) A washing machine tucked under the counter in Davison and Bernice’s kitchen.

Doing laundry is unavoidable, but happily, washing machines are doing more of the heavy lifting for you. Digital controls, cycles tailored for everything from delicates to lycra to bath towels, vibration reduction, and childproof locks make wash day safer and less of a chore. While innovation breakthroughs have not gone so far as to make washing machines touchless, like some other appliances, there are more than a few new features that further reduce the time spent while increasing efficiency. Here’s a rundown:

The pros of front-loading

The washing machine with the door that opens from the front, as opposed to the top, is not brand new; Europeans have enjoyed this feature for decades. However, it is becoming more widely available from manufacturers. The advantages: Front-loading machines require less water, can take more clothes, and tend to clean more gently and thoroughly than their top-loading counterparts. Top-loaders wash with the help of an agitator. Versions without the agitator are high-efficiency (HE) washers. Like front-loaders, they use less water, have larger capacities, require more time to wash, and spin faster, too, wringing out more water to save drying time later. They also cost more than the agitator version.

Automatic dispensers

This receptacle releases detergent, bleach, and fabric softener, each at the appropriate time, so you don’t have to hang around waiting for just the right moment. Every minute saved is a minute you get back to do something else.

Self-cleaning and low maintenance

Water will collect in the machine, particularly front-loading models, without evaporating if you wash frequently, creating a risk of mildew and bacteria. New technology now keeps washers fresh, without introducing chemicals, through a combination of soaking, pulsating, and high-speed spinning. And you thought self-clean was just for ovens!

(Above) Tim and Lindsay’s two-in-one washer and dryer.

Load capacity

Capacities for front- and top-loading machines can range from about 3.8 cubic feet up to 6 cubic feet. Your habits for doing laundry—weekly loads of towels or sports clothes versus say, small loads separated by color—will guide your decision. Larger capacity machines help cut down the number of washes you run. Expect to pay more for these models.

Steam wash

Released from inside the washer, steam helps remove stains without pretreatment.

Secondary access door

If you have a top loader and you stumble upon that missing dirty sock, no problem. But what if your machine is a front loader? Now you’re in luck: Last year saw the introduction of a front-loading model with a secondary access door that lets you add small items mid-wash from Samsung.

(Above) A front-loading washer and dryer in Cristiana’s laundry room located in the basement of her home.

Integrated sink

If you’ve ever soaked clothing with a pesky stain, you’ve probably had the experience of rushing with the drippy item from the sink to the washing machine, then going back to wipe up soapy water on the floor. No more. Samsung makes a top-loading machine with a hinged sink on top of the wash drum. A water jet aids the soaking or scrubbing; when the item is ready for the wash, lift the sink to drop the clothing through a slot at the back and into the machine, then begin the cycle.

Two-in-one machine

If you like to wash small loads of a particular color, or can’t wait to launder those sweaty gym clothes; the two-in-one machine is for you. In addition to a central or primary drum, there’s another smaller drum at the base or top of the machine. You can run both washers simultaneously or independently, as needed. LG also offers a compact washer that can be retro-fitted to an existing machine.

Black stainless steel finish

Less industrial looking than its silvery-colored older sibling, black stainless steel makes a stylish statement in the laundry room, joining the ranks of ever-classic white, and some colors, too, which you may find on the market for a few seasons.

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Thinking about getting a washing machine for your home but not sure where to put it? These ideas for adding a washer and dryer will help you find the best spot.

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, 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 The Washing Machine is More Than Spin appeared first on Sweeten.

A utility sink like this one from American Standard can be functional and commercial-chic.

When planning a laundry room, most of the thought goes into the washer and dryer. They do most of the hard work, right? And they are big purchase items. Nevertheless, there is one feature that, while it plays a supporting role, is indispensable: the utility room sink or laundry sink. Manufacturers are designing these basins specifically for the laundry room, offering many features with benefits.

What distinguishes a utility sink from other sinks? They are extra deep to allow vigorous scrubbing or spraying of water with minimum splashing outside the basin. These sinks typically start at 10 inches and go up to as much as 25 inches deep versus a bathroom sink of six to eight inches deep. They come in a square or rectangular in shape, putting every inch of the basin to work. However, not all utility sinks are made alike. To determine the right choice, you’ll want to look at style and materials, taking into account what tasks will take place there and what sorts of cleansers or liquids the sink will be exposed to.

Placement plays a factor in your decision, too. Keep the wet zone intact. The sink should be near the washer—right next to it, if possible. This allows you to keep the plumbing lines together. It also means you can transfer soaked or pretreated items with a minimum of a drippy mess. The location may lock you into a particular size, and prevent you from getting that vintage double basin you had your eye on. That’s okay. Since a utility sink can come super deep, your choice will have the capacity to soak a grass-stained soccer uniform or a gravy-smeared tablecloth.

With the extra features available in some versions, such as a drainboard, or a second basin, you really can get a lot of use from it. Here’s what to consider before committing.

Choose your utility sink style

As with bathroom sinks, the laundry sink comes in a variety of styles for installation. What you choose from the list below has to do with personal taste, as well as any extras you may like.

Wall-mount utility sink

This is a good option if you want to keep the floor area clear, as there is no need for a structure, such as a cabinet or legs attached to the bowl, to hold up the sink. You’ll find vintage designs, like white enamel-covered cast iron, from manufacturers like American Standard. Cast iron is strong and it won’t dent, and the enameled finish resists scratches and chipping. Kohler offers a double basin that almost looks like a trough. Elkay makes an institutional model out of stainless steel with a built-in drainboard.

Freestanding utility sink

As the name indicates, this style stands on its own, supported by integrated or bolted-on legs or held in a washstand-style support of a stainless-steel frame with legs. You can find models with built-in drainboards as well. The advantage of this type of sink is its portability. You can move the entire unit wherever you want, even the garage, as long as you have a hookup to water. Like the wall mount style, the pipes are concealed, and you don’t have to replace a cabinet for support below.

Self-rimming or drop-in utility sink

Probably the simplest and thriftiest choice, this sink drops into a countertop and the sink is complete once the plumbing and faucet are hooked up. There’s no seam around the sink’s perimeter to catch grime.

Undermount utility sink

A good choice when you want a seamless, smooth appearance for your countertop. The sink rests below the counter surface and almost disappears.

Apron-front utility sink

This style was popularized in country-style or vintage-style kitchens and the look carries over well to the laundry room. The apron front is nice for deflecting water splashes when you’re standing before the sink—much like an apron.

Agitator utility sink

Some personal items may be too small for the delicate cycle of your washer or require just a quick swish with detergent. MTI makes a laundry sink with a micro-jet (like a whirlpool tub) that gently agitates the items for you.

What is the best material for a utility room sink?

As with style, the selection here is informed by personal taste. However, each material offers its own pluses.

Stainless steel

This material won’t stain. It also won’t chip or fade and has a little give, so anything you drop inside it—like a vase—is less likely to break than it will on enameled cast iron. All in all, a smart choice if you like the look of steel.

Enameled cast iron

The enamel—a baked, powder-coated finish—coats cast iron, making it one of the strongest sinks available. This type of sink resists scratching, chipping, and staining. The enamel gives the super-rugged cast-iron surface a warmer-looking finish. Though impervious to water and resistant to stain, prolonged exposure to harsh bleach could blemish the surface. If you drop something hard on it, the enamel will chip or crack. It’s also the heaviest sink, so make sure it has sufficient support before you install it.

Solid surfacing

Stain-resistant, durable, and warm in appearance, solid surfacing can stand up to a wide variety of tasks. Dings and scratches can be gently sanded out, but enlist a professional to do this, or the abraded surface will show. It can stain, too, despite some manufacturers’ claims, so best to use it for washing only.

Adding a utility room sink to your home

There are many benefits to a dedicated utility sink in the laundry room of your home. That said, washing machines come with gentle and delicate cycles, so despite all the conveniences, is a utility sink truly necessary? That’s why it’s called a utility sink; there are a lot of uses besides laundry. To name a few: handling cut flowers; potting plants; bathing a pet; washing dirty hands (or shoes) after garden or garage work; rinsing a mop; running water for crafts projects. You get the idea.

IKEA, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Cabinets To Go…which is the best for cabinets? Sweeten’s guide can help you decide.

Short on space, but still want a laundry room? Here are 5 ways to add a washer & dryer to an apartment.

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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 Utility Sink Gets You Organized appeared first on Sweeten.

Meg and Brett had grown comfortable with their rental—despite its tiny shower, inadequate climate control, and chronic water problems—but dreamed of something to call their own. Having searched for years without success, they finally landed on just the thing: a spacious loft apartment in Hamilton Heights with a history. They went to work restoring some of the industrial charm that previous owners had plastered over with drywall, and the result is a stunning combination of original wooden beams, salvage finds, and touches of warmth that make an apartment a home. Read on for Brett’s take on how he worked with Sweeten to create the ideal space for his growing family.

Guest post by Hamilton Heights homeowner Brett

We had been renting in NYC in different neighborhoods for many years, including most recently, our rental of eight years at the corner of 63rd Street and 2nd Ave. We loved our rental, but it had its share of problems…it would heat up like an oven in the summer, and in winter, it was so cold we could see our breath in the living room. It flooded every other year, and we could hear honking almost 24/7. It was imperfect but it was comfortable, and we loved it. We thought about purchasing a place for many years, but every apartment we looked at was a step down from where we were. Then we found it…the perfect place in the perfect neighborhood.

…after spending eight years with floods, water bugs, no air conditioning, warped floors, peeling paint, a fridge from the ’80s, an oven from the ‘70s, and one tiny bath you didn’t want to set foot into…we wanted our dream apartment! 

The apartment we found was an 1,800-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bath condo loft in the historic district of Hamilton Heights. In an old carriage house that had been converted to residential lofts, the building was one of the few remaining carriage houses left in the city. We can track its existence back to 1903 from old ads in the Tammany Times, but I am sure it was built before then.

The place had been renovated not too long ago and was finished nicely. It had everything we ever wanted, and had we moved in as is, it would have been a huge step up from our current place. Most people would have moved in and not changed a thing. Our friends, our parents, and our brokers all thought we were crazy to even touch it. But after spending eight years with floods, water bugs, no air conditioning, warped floors, peeling paint, a fridge from the ’80s, an oven from the ‘70s, and one tiny bath you didn’t want to set foot into…we wanted our dream apartment!

As far as our vision was concerned, we wanted our loft apartment to feel high-end, but not stuffy or fancy. It should have a modern and clean feel to it, while still being classic and forever. We wanted to feel like we were on vacation when we were at home.

This place had a lot of history and interest to it, but we felt that the previous owner covered up a lot of the historical aspects, and aimed to expose them literally and figuratively. We describe it as smashing-a-modern-apartment-into-a-barn because that is kind of what we did. Attention wasn’t paid to trends, design rules, or motifs. We picked what we liked, and things that would be forever.

We love watching “Open House” NYC, our normal weekend activity, and saw an ad for Sweeten come on. Knowing that work needed to be done on the place, we thought of this as a good sign and signed up on the site. Looking through their bios and past work, we found a few contractors who we were matched with that we liked. After speaking to three on the phone, there was a good feeling with one Sweeten design/build firm. His pictures showed he could do nice work, and he seemed like a straight shooter. We met with him at his office and got a quote on the scope of work. My wife and I liked the Sweeten contractor and felt him to be honest. We never got another quote or met with another contractor. His price wasn’t cheap but I didn’t want cheap work. I wanted someone I knew would do the job right.

I discovered during this renovation that developers will often square things off and use preset sizes for things to make the job easier and cheaper. After we did some demo, we found a ton of extra storage space just behind the sheetrock in the kitchen—and built an 8-foot-tall pantry into the wall to the left of the fridge. Don’t be afraid to knock a few holes in walls. It’s all going to be painted anyway. After all, ours ended up being floor-to-ceiling in the kitchen which rivals most suburban pantries. Lastly, we recessed all the lighting except pendants over the peninsula, which we replaced with classic handblown Simon Pierce light fixtures.

We loved the exposed brick in the living room—which had 11-foot-high ceilings—and looked to continue the theme. We walked around and knocked on the drywall—if it felt hollow, we put a hole through to see what was underneath. This method allowed us to find original beams and columns all over the apartment and expose them. The wooden beams were original to the carriage house, whereas the iron beams were installed to support the original structure at some point in the building’s history. Some of the beams had initials in them, and we even found a horsehair or two caught in the wood!

The wood-burning fireplace was originally wrapped in an ugly stone, so we wrapped it in black steel and replaced the mantle with a natural soapstone. Behind the fireplace, we built a niche for all the electronics and hung a TV above the mantel. We stripped the yellow varnish off the wide-plank oak floors throughout the loft apartment and refinished them with an eco-friendly, non-toxic, two-stage fuming process. The ceiling was painted the color of the sky—Benjamin Moore Grey Sky—and recessed LED lighting was added. A large custom table was built for the space by RE-CO Brooklyn from a single tree that fell during Hurricane Sandy.

I found the tall ladder in the boiler room of an old factory in the Bronx. I work for a company that owns a few buildings in Hunts Point, and there are generations of industries and companies that have come and gone in those buildings. In my downtime, I like to explore the old abandoned spaces. Sometimes you can find the coolest stuff if you aren’t afraid to get a little dirty. The ladder was blackened from the fumes and probably at least 40 years old. I sanded it down and now use it to reach for items and to add some vertical interest. For the plant hangers, I used various industrial parts I found at a supply store to create a way to attach and hang plants to the beam.

In the kitchen, we went for a classic look: white cabinets with Carrara marble countertops and backsplash, with pulls and knobs in silver. The original kitchen cabinets had a shiny yellow wood finish that was not our style, so they were stripped down and painted in a nice white. Various sections were distressed to better fit the style of the loft apartment. The counters and backsplash are 3.5-inch-thick Carrara marble—the distributor said it was too hard to deliver and install such a thick piece in one slab because of the weight. But we insisted and they had to use 10 men to bring it in and install it! We also enlarged the sink with a Kohler stainless steel model. The range is a Bertazzoni Pro. Next to the sink is a mini-fridge that is stocked with the same items you would find in a hotel mini-fridge—even things I don’t like!

Next, in the master bath, we went with a large 4-inch hex tile in Carrara marble, with a simple white subway tile on the walls to match. I found our sink at an old steel warehouse in the South Bronx—it was filled with debris and pigeon poop at the time but was in surprisingly good shape. It’s a 48-inch Kohler slop sink circa 1948, and our Sweeten contractor was able to create a custom vanity underneath to fit the unusual shape of the sink. Our contractor also custom-made the mirror above to match.

Like the kitchen, we found space behind walls in the bathroom and created three linen closets. This room also holds the thing that I’m most excited about in the whole renovation: the shower. It’s spacious and comfortable—I had to duck down to get into our old shower and I’m only 5’8” on a good day. My wife’s favorite thing about the entire renovation is the washer/dryer! I didn’t even have to ask what it was…at our old building, the washing machines looked so old, I swear they ran on steam power. Clothes would come out dirtier than when they went in.

In the master bedroom, we redid the floor-to-ceiling closets with custom wooden doors and hid a TV inside. We also added custom wood shutters to the windows, which accentuate the unique shape of the windows. They are super deep, tall and arched. Without many good options, we concluded this was the best way to address the arch without ruining the architectural interest of the windows. As for the rest of the bedroom, it feels very serene and relaxing. Sleep is important to my wife and me, and we wanted it to feel like a retreat from the city. We didn’t want any industrial elements in here. We wanted it to feel refined.

Throughout the entire process, our Sweeten contractor stayed on budget, which was very important to us. He completed the project within the time frame we discussed, even though I kept adding more and more work. He was pleasant to work with and fixed every concern or problem I brought up. Even after the project was complete, he repeatedly checked in and fixed a problem or two that was missed during the renovation. Now that we’re done, I’d say that the hardest part was staying on budget with a project of this scope. We kept finding more things that we wanted to do. My advice to future renovators is to anticipate this and to make a list of things that need to be perfect. Don’t be afraid to move backwards or sideways. Better to take your time, and get what you want than rush and end up with something subpar.

Thank you, Meg and Brett, for sharing your incredible loft apartment transformation with us!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Cabinets: original (repainted white). Emtek cabinet hardware and crystal door knobs: Security Lock Distributors. Carrara marble countertops and backsplash: Amazon.com. Stainless steel Kohler sink: eFaucets. GE Monogram Double Wide refrigerator: GE. Dishwasher: Miele. Bertazzoni Pro 4 Burner Stainless Steel Oven: Hampton Appliance. Mini-fridge: Hampton Appliance. Chantilly Lace paint: Benjamin Moore.  

MASTER BATH RESOURCES: 4” Hexagonal Carrara marble floor tile: Marble Online. White subway wall tile: Nemo Tile. Kohler showerheads and jets: Faucets Direct. Towel bar: Kohler. 48” Kohler slop sink: vintage. Faucet: Chicago Faucets. Vanity and mirrors: custom. Emtek crystal vanity knobs: Security Lock Distributors. Toto Carlyle toilet: Build.com. Grey Sky paint: Benjamin Moore.

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: Chantilly Lace paint: Benjamin Moore. Custom wood table: RE-CO Brooklyn.

MASTER BEDROOM RESOURCES: Wood window shutters: Metropolitan Window Fashions. Wood closet doors: custom. Grey Sky paint: Benjamin Moore.

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Love the look and feel of a loft apartment but don’t currently live in one? Romuald combined rooms on the first floor of his house—the kitchen, dining room, and a sitting room—to create his own loft style 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 Going Uptown for a Carriage-House-Turned-Loft Upgrade appeared first on Sweeten.

Guest post by Upper West Side homeowner Tim Laurie

After purchasing our first apartment together in June of 2016, my wife, Lindsay, and I decided to take on a co-op renovation in order to make it our perfect living space. We were attracted to the location and design of the 1929 Art Deco building on Central Park West, but the interior of the apartment left a lot to be desired. The 1,500-square-foot home offered a very spacious feel, with nine-foot ceilings and light coming through windows on three sides of the apartment. The layout, however, was dated and not very efficient. The “before” layout consisted of a cramped corner kitchen, large but divided living and dining spaces both of which had duplicate doorways on both sides, old en-suite bathrooms, and a dark walk-in closet converted to a cavernous office space.

When planning the new layout, first and foremost, our renovation needed to address the practical features that were lacking. Specifically, we wanted: 1) a toilet that didn’t require guests to venture on an embarrassing trek through a bedroom in order to get to an en-suite bathroom; 2) more usable space, such as a den or optional third bedroom; 3) a washer and dryer in the apartment; and 4) a larger, but not galley-like, kitchen. With the help of Sweeten, we posted our project and went with the contractor that stood out as most reliable, reassuring, and within our cost estimate. We initially interviewed five contractors for our project, and received three quotes. Our contractor was not the least nor the most expensive, but he offered to include the finishing touches on our apartment to ensure we got the most out of our renovation.

The biggest change in the kitchen was changing the entrance from a narrow doorway to a wide foyer and pass-through, allowing us to add a bar area, more counter space, and plenty of light. Our contractor helped us with the kitchen layout and where to place the washer/dryer so it connected to our water lines. We went with stainless steel Frigidaire appliances, adding a separate bar fridge under the counter to make up for a shallower built-in refrigerator that we chose. A stainless backsplash tile with white grout and slate gray floor tiles contrasts well with the white custom cabinets and brushed nickel handles throughout. We love the custom wine rack, glass cupboard, and bar shelf on one side of what used to be a duplicate doorway. A powder room—formerly small storage space—was also installed off the kitchen with double half doors, to take up less clearance space.

In terms of design, we wished to open up the main space by removing the mirrored french doors and a wall blocking the light between the living and dining rooms. For a modernized look, our plan included staining the hardwood floors, painting and papering the walls, and adding crown and floor molding. In the living room, we removed the non-functional decorative plaster fireplace and the walls between the living and dining rooms to open up the main living space. A large dining room table from Pottery Barn (which nearly didn’t fit up the elevator) and chandelier sit between the bar and new office door. In this same area, we were able to build a third bedroom/den with french glass doors for light to shine through.

Our en-suite bathrooms turned out beautifully, with our master bath getting floor-to-ceiling tile in the shower and on the feature wall, as well as a custom-built vanity and top-mounted sink. The white, tan, and natural sand colors flow nicely into the main bedroom, which also got repainted. The guest en-suite bathroom is filled with clean white subway tiles and Carrara marble flooring, as well as an ebony vanity with matching Carrara countertop. Although the renovation progressed well from our standpoint, the contractors had their work cut out for them! They had to cut back old bathroom tiling and build new walls. We also had to replace old bathroom plumbing within the concrete deck floors, which was unexpected, but handled well by the subcontractors that our Sweeten contractor hired.

The slightly expanded but cozy and carpeted office is a bonus room for studying and work, accessible through the new matching french doors off the dining room, rather than from the bedroom hallway. The office neatly fits our double desk and two chairs, as well as a bookshelf. A new transom window in the hallway allows more light to shine through. We were especially excited about a tweed Edinburgh gray wallpaper that we chose for the entrance foyer, which makes a big statement right when you enter the apartment. Last but not least is the updated “garage” where we leave the bikes, storage, and our cat’s litter box. This storage room was coated with a fresh coat of white paint and new gray tile as well, giving it a clean look despite its utilitarian purpose.

Overall, we are very pleased with the renovation of our Central Park West co-op apartment. At the end, we decided to add extras along the way, which extended the project time frame by several weeks and stretched our budget slightly; however, our contractor did his best to complete these while not adding labor to the total bill. He was detail-oriented and very patient, despite a lengthy co-op approval process. The team kept the work to a reasonable time frame of just over three months and were very understanding as we lived through the process.

Thanks to Tim and Lindsay for sharing their gorgeous new home with us! 

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Shaker cabinets: custom. Stainless steel tile backsplash: Subway Tile Outlet.  Built-in fridge: Liebherr. Washer/dryer: LG. Beverage cooler; gas stove and oven; dishwasher: Frigidaire. K-560 kitchen faucet: Kohler. Blanco 518171 kitchen sink: Build.com.

BATH RESOURCES: Carrara tiles: Pastorelli. Sheffield 30″ Espresso vanity: Wyndham Collection. Kohler K-1118-RAW expanse 60″ bathtub;  Mirabelle St. Augustine Tub & Shower Trim package: Faucet Direct. One-piece toilet: Toto.

POWDER ROOM RESOURCES.: Gray porcelain tiles: Urbiko. Whitehaus WH1-114RTB wall-mounted sink: Home Depot. One-piece toilet: Toto.

OFFICE RESOURCES: TrafficMaster Loop & Berber 21-Dewdrop carpet: Home Depot. Frosted Wood Silver Trees wallpaper: Lancashire Wallpaper.

FOYER RESOURCES: Edinburgh Grey Tweed wallpaper: Philip Jeffries.

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Lindsay and Tim’s gorgeous dining room got us thinking about our favorite dining room renovations, including designer Meredith‘s cobalt blue walls and Blane‘s reclaimed wood table paired with tree-lined wallpaper.

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 Overhauling an Upper West Side Co-op to Make It Home appeared first on Sweeten.

Editor’s Note: This post, originally published March 2015, is one of our favorites, demonstrating different ways to incorporate the coveted washing machine into a floorpan—even a small one. City living means prioritizing your square footage similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; wish lists often include a dishwasher, a patch of landscape, and of course, the washer/dryer unit. If you do have space to spare, consider options from scaled-down stackable units, full-size side-by-sides, or a single machine. Before you make your product choice, read on for a few approvals and permits you’ll need to secure first, as well as insight from Sweeten homeowners who went through the process.

Felix created a laundry nook in her foyer

Building management approvals and permits

Space aside, the biggest roadblocks to in-unit laundry are typically the co-op and condo board regulations that ban washers and dryers in many apartment buildings. In some, the electrical grid is not up to meeting the demand that dryers (specifically) place on the system, and in other cases, the existing pipe stacks are not large enough to handle the increase in water and suds flow. Still in many other cases, fears that a washing machine will overflow and dryers will lead to flames have traditionally been enough to block tenant plans for laundry upgrades.

If your building’s management is onboard with your request to install laundry appliances, you may still need to meet certain safety requirements. Many buildings will require that you install a fixture that monitors water flow and shuts off water if any overflow is detected, and some buildings have electrical grid limitations that only allow low-voltage dryers. So, if you’re considering adding laundry appliances to your home, start first with your building’s management and confirm that your planned purchase is allowed.

In addition, NYC requires permits for work that involves “alteration, re-arrangement, relocation, or permanent removal” of any piping, so if your laundry plan requires anything other than a direct swap of an appliance, you need to work with your contractor to arrange for the right plumbing expertise and paperwork. Check your local Department of Buildings for specific local requirements.

Here are three roads to clean-clothes heaven, plus some budget notes.

(Top) Davison and Bernice, (middle) Janna and Jeremy, and (bottom) Lindsay and Tim opted to install a washing machine only or a two-in-one unit

1. Create a laundry cabinet in your kitchen

Ubiquitous in Europe, a combo washer-dryer under your kitchen counter is a super space-efficient way to make room for laundry. A few pros and cons here: the biggest complaint about space and energy-efficient washer-dryers is that they can only manage small loads. Duvets, etc, are a no-go here, making this a tough choice for families or households with multiple residents. The next most common complaint is that these combination machines do a half-hearted job of drying fabric. True, the high-heat steam does leave clothing a little damp when it comes out, but this drying method also tends to be kinder to clothing.

From a budget perspective, if you are already doing a full kitchen renovation, creating a cabinet for laundry appliances is a relatively seamless addition to your project’s total scope. Adding a washing machine and dryer to your kitchen requires access to the water supply, waste outlet, and electricity. Talk to your contractor about whether to build cabinetry around the unit, or enclose it with a custom door, and where to position the appliances for best access. You can expect the cost to account for the price of adding an additional cabinet and the cost for installation will likely be comparable to your contractor’s quote for hooking up your other kitchen appliances.

Blaise and Kristin built out a wall and added doors in their laundry renovation

2. Build walls and a door 

If space is not the primary limitation in your home, you may want to repurpose square footage in a room or hallway to create a separate laundry room. Your contractor’s estimate will probably account for the cost of putting up or extending walls, installing doors, adding or relocating lighting, and cosmetic paint and trim steps. More work may be required here to run hot and cold water from the building’s stack and to connect waste lines, if these valves are not located within a few inches of your new appliances. Note that most urban buildings have strict requirements about keeping “wet” areas aligned throughout each floor, so you may not have free reign to run water lines down halls if your home is above other homes.

Brad’s laundry room renovation

3. Move walls to carve out a laundry room

Prospect Heights homeowner Brad walked us through the full process of creating a laundry room for his family’s three-bedroom, three-bath condo. After Brad posted his project on Sweeten, we introduced him to this Sweeten contractor to remove an un-used shower from one of the apartment’s baths and rework wall placement, creating a full-sized laundry room. Brad set an overall budget of about $20,000 for labor, materials and appliances—a helpful guide for other homeowners preparing for a laundry room renovation—and was able to keep the project on time and within budget.

Materials and placement

Brad and his wife wanted front-loading appliances that were both generously-sized and durable. Kenmore Elite appliances with 5.2 cubic foot capacity fit the bill. In discussing ways to deal with water flow, the contractor steered him away from installing a floor pan that would catch overflow water and instead selected a preventative automatic sensor that scans for the presence of water on the floor and immediately shuts off the water if it detects any. Brad also hired an electrician to assess the building’s electrical capacity and clear the appliances they planned to purchase.

Initially planning to stack the washing machine and dryer, he was encouraged to install them side-by-side because of two factors behind the walls: the location of the water pipes in the wall as well as the wall’s support structure grid of metal beams made it easier to hook up appliances if they were positioned side-by-side. Once demolition of the original wall occurred, it became clear that stacked appliances would be more difficult, so Brad embraced the plan to place both units on the floor and go with Elfa shelving from the Container Store. Brad also contemplated building in enclosed cabinetry, but input from his contractor suggested he consider the simpler open shelving approach. To finish off the room, a ceramic floor tile from Home Depot was installed which coordinated with other bath finishes in the condo. A folding table and ironing board are possible features to add to the space.

Demolition and build

The project took a total of 2-3 weeks. Brad reported that the demolition of the original drywall was fairly simple: the wall was not load-bearing and didn’t contain any critical support beams. The contractor’s team was careful to protect the family’s hallways and living areas and contain the dust that resulted from the demolition. Brad suggested the pocket door replace the original hinged door to minimize the door’s footprint and keep access to the room as open as possible. Pocket doors can be prohibitively expensive if you are tunneling into a brick or concrete wall, but in this case, the wall structure easily allowed for the alteration.

We are so grateful to—and very inspired by—each of these families for sharing how to make room for laundry in NYC homes. For more ideas, these fellow apartment dwellers also incorporated units into their floorplan. And the washing machine comes with more options than you may realize, which you can read here.

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