A couple’s own pied-à-terre in their townhouse is finally complete

• Homeowners: Janet and Jerry posted their 1910 Brooklyn brownstone remodel on Sweeten
• Where: Crown Heights, Brooklyn, NY
• Primary renovation: A cramped one-bedroom apartment turns into a loft-like home
• Homeowner’s quote: “Through it all, we felt lucky to work with Sweeten, which connected us with both our architect and contractor and helped us troubleshoot on many occasions.”
• 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 Jerry. “After” photos by Pixy Interiors for Sweeten.

The final project for a brownstone remodel

This is it. Our apartment. The pied-à-terre we’ve long waited to move into. We have a primary residence on Long Island, but we work in NYC and spend about half our time here. We decided to invest in a multi-family townhouse in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, rent each of the main units and keep the smaller, fourth-floor apartment for ourselves.

From the time we first saw the top-floor space, we knew it would be our city home. Like the other two rental apartments we remodeled with Sweeten in this brownstone, this one-bedroom unit needed work. It was dark and chopped up, the kitchen was a wreck and the bathroom was in disrepair. We started thinking about how to refresh the under 600-square-foot space and make it feel larger. Our goal was to create an open and airy studio. We planned to maximize natural light and use natural materials for an organic feel. 

More space with natural light

In our rentals, we’d worked to preserve the building’s architectural features. But in this unit, previous renovations had removed most original detail. Hardwood floors had been replaced with linoleum. Moldings that might have graced the overhead plaster were replaced with a drop ceiling. Only the window moldings and the fireplace remained. Given this situation, we felt free to rethink the space. We decided to use modern elements as influences for the new interior. Our brownstone remodel had Scandinavian style and Californian mid-century modernism.

Our architects, MNDPC, worked closely with Janet and our Sweeten contractor to achieve several architectural changes. First, we moved the entrance from the fourth floor down to the third, making the stairway part of the apartment’s interior. This increased privacy and usable space, and also allowed us to increase the living room’s natural light with a skylight at the top of the stairs.

Our contractor suggested the beams looked really good unpainted and unfinished.

A brownstone remodel exposes the beams

Next, we exposed the living-room ceiling. Opening it to the original wooden beams provided for more vertical space and a lofty room. Initially, we were going to paint the wooden ceiling and exposed beams white. Our contractor suggested the beams looked really good unpainted and unfinished. The adjacent sleeping area, however, would have a new lowered ceiling, and an archway. These subtle architectural elements bring the space together while simultaneously differentiating the sleeping and living rooms. 

The arch plays nicely with horizontal lines throughout the apartment, including the exposed beams and the long kitchen countertop. It also connects with a number of graceful curves, like the rounded mirror over the restored fireplace and the rounded lighting fixtures.

We moved to the problematic floors, which were covered in vinyl and old carpeting. We wanted natural wood and after much searching, we chose white-oak flooring. The planks would lay in a custom herringbone, or chevron, pattern. Unfortunately, there was a long lead time for the wood to be custom cut (nearly two months coming from Europe), not to mention a high price. Just before going back to the drawing board, we found a pre-cut herringbone at half the price. It came out fantastic.

A minimal kitchen for a second home

Once the floors were down we were ready to build the kitchen. We found dark wood cabinets from Ikea that not only looked great but pleased our budget! We wanted countertops that would complement the cabinets and wear well. Soapstone had the durability and appearance that worked. The veined black goes nicely with the apartment’s other dark features and looks fantastic as a backsplash.

To stay minimal, we hid appliances in cabinets; our washer/dryer combo, fridge, and pull-out freezer all fit under the counter. The pendant lights over the kitchen counter, the chandelier above the old fireplace, and the bedroom fixtures are simultaneously industrial, modern, casual, and polished.

Bringing sunlight inside

In the bathroom, we managed another stunning redesign thanks to our architects we found through Sweeten. The shower, a vertical space with a skylight, is flooded by day with natural sunlight, making it feel almost like it’s outside. One disappointment that turned out fine was with the stone floor tiles. We spent a lot of time picking them out, but after accepting our order, the supplier said that only one box of tile was available.

Our contractor solved the issue. He took a large slab of the same stone and custom cut it into a single 3’x3’ shower base as well as a door saddle, and a stone shelf. We chose an in-wall toilet to maximize space.

Having knocked down walls and invited light in every way imaginable, we felt successful in our visual opening of the space. We went even further by creating an outdoor area. The roof had formerly been inaccessible but we replaced a window with a glass door; it leads to a new roof deck with views of the neighborhood and Manhattan in the distance.

Happy at home

Through it all, we felt lucky to work with Sweeten, which connected us with both our architect and contractor and helped us troubleshoot on many occasions. The process came with so many rewards. Janet says she most appreciated the design work and creative discussions of a brownstone remodel. I’m just enjoying our apartment! It’s like staying in a nice hotel with a feeling of being home. The best of both worlds.

Thank you, Janet and Jerry, for sharing your entire home with us!

Renovation Materials

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: Wall paint in Cotton Balls: Benjamin Moore. Poolesville European white oak flooring: PID. Chandelier above fireplace: Schoolhouse Electric. Theresa Rand coffee table: Menu Design Shop. Doorknobs: Omnia.

DINING AREA AND STAIRWAY RESOURCES: Hackney marble dining table, storage bench: CB2.  Rattan cane chairs: Industry West.

BEDROOM RESOURCES: Ceiling light, sconce lights: Schoolhouse Electric. Mill C bedside table with laptop tray: CB2. Spindle Nightstand: Industry West. Airisto bench/side table in ash: Finnish Design Shop. 

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Paint in Cotton Balls: Benjamin Moore. VOXTORP kitchen cabinets and sink: IKEA. Ipanema Reserve countertops and backsplash: M Teixeira Soapstone. Faucet, #1959LF-BL: Delta. Liebherr undercounter refrigerator and freezer: Appliances Connection. Pendant lights: Schoolhouse Electric. LG all-in-one 2.3 cu. ft. front-load washer and electric ventless dryer: Appliances Connection. Fellow Stagg Pour Over kettle: Williams Sonoma.

BATHROOM RESOURCES: 18″ x 18″ Marine Black Phyllite floor tiles: M Teixeira Soapstone. Matte white wall tiles 3”x9”: COLORI. Kohler shower fixtures; Contemporary and Purist Line fittings: Appliances Connection. Duravit toilet: Appliances Connection. GODMORGON vanity, ODENSVIK sink : IKEA. Faucet: Grohe. Hardware, lighting, towel bar, tissue holder, robe hook, Swedish utility rack: Schoolhouse Electric. Mirror: CB2. Waffle towels: Snowe.

ROOF DECK RESOURCES: Ultimate Wood Swinging French door: Marvin. Automated shade: Shade Store.

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 on Sweeten.

The post My Sweeten Story: An Epic Brooklyn Brownstone Remodel appeared first on Sweeten.

“After” photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten

Having only moved into what was supposed to be a turnkey five-story property in this 1899 Brooklyn townhouse just eight months earlier, Carol was not expecting to undergo a renovation project. But, one morning, Carol woke up to the sound of rain…inside her house. Walking into their son’s room, Carol and her husband found him sitting in one corner of his bed, staring at a steady drip on the other end. (That was a low point.)

They had already undergone a Sweeten kitchen renovation in their previous home, and while it was a wonderful experience, they did not think they’d be signing up for another one so soon. Luckily, the leak proved to be an opportunity not just to make the necessary repairs, but to improve the space in small ways that worked for their family, too.

Their first order of business required finding and fixing the source of the leak, and repairing the exterior. Given that it was still wintery, the exterior repairs could not be completed until early summer. Once a team of roofers completed the task, Carol turned her attention to the interior renovation. She posted her project to Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors, and hired this contractor based on his excellent reviews by previous Sweeten clients.

The contractor fashioned a custom shoe cabinet to fit in a nook by the door, and a floating shelf above.

The contractor opened up the walls to make sure that there wasn’t any mold lurking inside. Luckily, there was no sign of any growth. The Sweeten contractor got to work repairing the water-damaged walls and ceilings, refinishing the floors, and restoring the electrical wiring that had been damaged on two of the floors.

Next, improvements needed to be made on millwork and lighting additions that would make the most of the available square footage. In the freshly repainted entryway to the apartment, the Sweeten contractor fashioned a custom shoe cabinet to fit in a nook by the door, and a floating shelf above it. “We love that there’s a place for our shoes, and we put recycling in the bins above,” explains Carol. “We used to have a makeshift shelf there that only held about 10 pairs of shoes.”

On the main entertaining floor, the homeowners removed eight damaged recessed light “cans” from the ceiling above the dining table—the number was excessive and felt institutional. Carol took advantage of the opportunity to replace them with two oversized white pendants with brass hardware and a cloth-bound cord that still provided plenty of light, while also giving the space a cozier feel. A modern brass fixture with LED lights was chosen as a statement piece for the living room area.

Prior to the renovation, a custom shelf stretched from the dining area through the living room to the windows. The shelves made the room seem narrower than it was, so Carol asked her Sweeten contractor to trim about 8 feet of the shelving. This allowed them to flip the living room configuration while converting some of the open shelving to closed storage via a new custom floating credenza.

The contractor salvaged enough of the dismantled portion of the shelving and repurposed it as the counter surface for the unit. “Now when you walk into the apartment, the TV isn’t the first thing you see—that was something that had bothered me about the previous setup.” The Sweeten contractor fabricated the credenza with simple hanging boxes and white doors, and Carol chose streamlined brass pulls to complete the look.

The contractor added two accents via paint: a slim wall in the living room was painted with the same soft pink that was used in the powder room.

Upstairs, on the bedroom level, the same repairs were performed as on the lower floor—refinishing the floors, detecting any mold, and fixing water-damaged drywall. Additionally, Carol asked their contractor to add built-in floor-to-ceiling shelving to a narrow stretch of wall to both her son’s room as well as the playroom/guest room to house the growing collection of children’s books they owned. In her son’s room, they chose a dual-tone paint job, with the same pink (as used on the main level) on the lower half and a bright white on top.

The two rooms, each just about eight-feet wide, are mirror images of each other, though the playroom has a closet. The lower half of that closet was turned into a cozy reading nook—simply by adding a shelf to divide the closet into two. “I have always loved secret kids’ spaces in homes and this would be an easy way to add one,” the homeowner explained. The upper portion of the closet is still used for clothes and toy storage.

Finally, while the façade of the building was still in good shape, some minor cosmetic updates improved the curb appeal. The front door was painted a charcoal gray, and a large new mailbox was installed to replace two smaller rickety ones that couldn’t hold anything larger than a standard envelope. A new, streamlined light fixture gave the traditional façade a more modern twist.

WATCH VIDEO: How Sara + Mike found their general contractor

Now that the renovation is complete, the homeowners are happy to return to their lives. The repairs not only ensured a dry home, but also resulted in small but meaningful improvements. “All of the additional storage created by the credenza and the built-ins in the bedrooms helped to reduce visual clutter, and we are thrilled that we were able to put our own touches on this home,” says Carol.

Thank you, Carol and family, for sharing your Sweeten home with us!

ENTRY RESOURCES. Locking Mailbox: Schoolhouse Electric. Outdoor Thornburn Wide Wall Sconce: Rejuvenation. Front door paint in Pitch Black: Farrow & Ball. Modern Circle Wood Chandelier Light in entryway: Wood Chandeliers.

LIVING/DINING ROOM RESOURCES. Credenza cabinet: Custom. Brass Drawer Edge Pull, Butte Cone Aged-Brass Pendant: Rejuvenation. Tube Chandelier: eBay.

OTHER RESOURCES: Powder room and nursery paint in Calamine Paint: Farrow & Ball.

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Sweeten outlines important points to buying and renovating a townhouse.

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 Leaky Ceiling: The Perfect Excuse for a Renovation appeared first on Sweeten.

We’re back again this week with Part 2 of Nazli and Larry’s historic Brooklyn brownstone renovation in Bedford-Stuyvesant. If you missed it—check out Part I where Nazli walked us through their planning process and showed off the foyer and guest suite. Here, she shows off the rest of the parlor floor, including the kitchen, the dining room, and the powder room. Nazli explains the challenge of merging modern and traditional within the confines of a townhouse’s long and narrow configuration. Read on for her thoughts on powder rooms (wackiness is key), decorative mantels (rather pointless), and coming to terms with the budget required to achieve the renovation you want (very tough).

Guest post by Bedford-Stuyvesant homeowner Nazli

Front parlor/foyer entry

I think the biggest challenge to any renovation is…the renovators obviously. There will always be a push and pull between the architect, the contractor, and the owners. And most of the time, that will yield a better product than any single entity could have envisioned (but not always). I think our Sweeten architect was fantastic in coming up with some great solutions to space challenges–especially on the parlor floor, where I insisted we needed a half-bath that was nowhere near the kitchen (because, gross), a hall closet, and a kitchen pantry. She really provided a lot of help in making sure the house was up to code and that the spaces flowed. Our contractor (and my husband’s best friend), did an awesome job of value engineering so we could get the most bang for our buck. The decorating of the spaces was left mostly to me and it was interesting trying to figure out my own taste.

We, like all imperfect clients, wanted this Brooklyn brownstone renovated on a contractor’s-grade budget. Obviously, we were being silly and went way over budget (and right at what our contractor told us it would cost; we were just deeply in denial about the cost of construction in NYC). The mechanicals in a home are so expensive that basically most of the money was gone before we made a single design choice. And for me, I care deeply about the fixtures, finishes, and materials and I wasn’t about to cheap out on the things we had to see and use every day. So just be honest with yourself about what you want and what you’re willing to pay or give up for it.

Standing in front parlor looking through the kitchen into the dining room

I was most excited about the kitchen—if that hasn’t already been made clear. I love throwing huge parties and dinners, and I like to spend my alone time cooking. It’s also a natural gathering spot, so it was exciting to think about getting the most out of the space. Turns out the space configuration of a Brooklyn brownstone made it hard to do that, but it still served us well—I am super happy with a long island (11 feet long!), a BlueStar stove, and the different stations for cooking, eating, making coffee, or baking.

The kitchen is my happy spot and I’ve spent years thinking about what makes a good kitchen. Is this ideal space planning? Nope. Is this my idea of a good time? For sure. The challenge was how to devise an open-plan area that was going to take up so much of the parlor floor without making it feel like a separate room. My solution was to forgo upper cabinets so there’s a clear line of vision from the front of the room all the way to the dining room. This created a storage challenge for me, of course, which we solved with a kitchen pantry. I wanted the pantry to be open so that I could see and access all my ingredients easily, but I also didn’t want a lot of visual clutter. I painted the cabinets and shelves a deep gray (same color as the island cabinets), which makes the whole space disappear once I turn out the light. I found a piece of scrap marble at the stone yard which I used for the kitchen backsplash and the countertops along the back wall closest to the pantry. Marble is expensive and hard to maintain, so my thought was to use it in low-use areas to give the look and feel of the material throughout the kitchen without spending that much. For the island and other countertops, I used poured concrete, which is a material I love. Surprisingly, it’s also pretty delicate, but it’s subtle and earthy and I like how it ages. The kitchen is, again, more traditional than I would have preferred, but I think the concrete and the open shelving give it a more modern touch. Also, I fought to get a second sink in the kitchen and am so happy I won that battle. It’s handy to set up a water station so people can grab water or rinse out cups without interrupting my cooking space.

I can’t say enough about how much I love these herringbone walnut floors. We splurged on these floors and went with the less costly white oak for the upstairs floors because…well, just look at them. My original vision was to have the tile floor in the kitchen, but it made more sense to continue the wood on the whole parlor floor and save the tile for the back extension. We mocked up the island with plywood and adjusted it until I was happy with the dimensions—how it felt to go from sink to stove, or how easy it was to take food out of the fridge and place it on the counter. That kind of stuff is important to me, and this was the first time I really got to design my own kitchen for myself. Everything is a bit taller and it suits me just great.

A note on accessibility: I’ve had friends and families with different mobility and impairment issues—whether wheelchair-bound, deaf, or arthritic—and time spent with them has made me very conscious of what it means to design well for many. A landmarked Brooklyn brownstone is a nightmare for anyone with a wheelchair, a walker, or a stroller, and I also saw firsthand some of the challenges that my design choices presented.

The first set of cabinet pulls in the kitchen were a lovely set of straight, minimalist tab pulls. I loved that they gave the kitchen a more modern look. Cue my mother and mother-in-law coming over all the time and struggling with the pulls. They couldn’t grasp the straight pull with their arthritic fingers. I switched them out right away for pulls with a fully curved handle. Now they can just stick their finger under the pull, and a small motion opens the drawers. People keep talking about their “forever homes,” but really think about how you, your guests, and your children will have to adapt to the spaces as everyone starts to get older.

Dining room/bar

On the other end of our Brooklyn brownstone, and connected to the kitchen, is the dining room and bar. We love this room. We really felt like this room, a back extension added in the 1910s, was the reason we bought this place. Then we sadly rebuilt the entire room, but somehow, it’s still our favorite space in the house. So that was a great surprise—buying a house because of one room and then recreating it and still having that be the best spot in the house. It’s our dining room and bar, but we also have space under the dining bench to store all of Nacho’s gear so that he can draw and play at the table while I am cooking.

From being in other friends’ homes, I knew that extensions were always freezing cold and hard to heat. All I wanted was Moroccan tile for this room (in fact, for the whole house, but we just didn’t have the budget for that). Everyone fought me on adding radiant heating to the subfloor, but it’s by far the warmest room during the winter. Larry and I often come home and lie down on the floor and accidentally fall asleep! During the summer, this is the room we hang out in while kids run in and out of the house to the backyard. The best surprise? That giant Tiffany stained-glass window, which was hidden by a crappy 1970’s bookcase on the inside and vinyl siding on the outside. As soon as we bought the house, we ripped down the bookcase hoping we’d find a window, and lo and behold, we did. It was in near perfect condition. We completely sealed it with clear glass on the outside to avoid damage and heat loss, as we did with all the other stained glass details around the parlor floor.

There was a large fireplace in this room, but I couldn’t figure out how to fit the mantel and Larry’s bar, and after much cajoling, I finally convinced Larry to agree to rip out the fireplace. The mantel has a new home in the living room, where the original had been removed previously. I will say, to the horror of preservationists everywhere, that I wish we didn’t have our mantels—they don’t work, they take up too much space, and they create artificial focal points in every room. Maybe if they were marble, I’d appreciate them more. It’s form without function, which I have no love for.

The powder room was a tough one to figure out. I hate the idea of guests having to go upstairs to use the bathroom, and with a small child, it’s great to have a bathroom on every floor. I think powder rooms should be wacky. This one is tiny, so doing a fun wallpaper or paint color was relatively cheap. I love the electric Cole & Sons Palms wallpaper—it adds a touch of fun to an otherwise formal dining room. I also love the pop of color from the door to the powder room. We hated having the stained glass window facing a dull orange wall because it cast a weird orangey glow into the room. Rather than fight it, though, we decided to paint the door an amped-up version of that wall to tie the colors together in a fun way.

Thanks so much for sharing your gorgeous parlor floor spaces with us, Nazli and Larry! Click here for installments Part I and Part III.

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Cabinets: custom. Cabinet pulls: Rejuvenation. Knobs: Appliances Connection. Sink: Appliances Connection. Fridge: Appliances Connection. Range: Appliances Connection. Dishwasher: Appliances Connection. Poured concrete countertops: Oso Industries. Marble countertops: PR Stone. Chelsea Gray paint color: Benjamin Moore.

DINING ROOM/BAR RESOURCES: Tiles: Cle Tile. Sconces: Rejuvenation. Abyss trim color: Benjamin Moore.

POWDER ROOM RESOURCES: Sink: Appliances Connection. Faucet, toilet paper holder, hooks, and soap dispenser: Grohe. Wallpaper: Cole & Sons.

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Jerry and Janet gut renovated a historic Brooklyn brownstone with an exterior that was in desperate need of a facelift and a virtually unsalvageable interior. The results are a perfect marriage of modern and traditional.

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 Long Townhouse Sets the Right Flow for Modern Living (Part 2) appeared first on Sweeten.

(Above) Janet and Jerry’s brownstone renovation

Chances are that once you find the right townhouse (good bones, ideal location, right price) in New York City, the space is going to need some work. After all, many of these houses—particularly classic brownstones—date back to the late 1800 and early 1900s. Sweeten, a free service that matches homeowners with vetted general contractors, spoke to Sweeten’s founder and CEO, Jean Brownill, and Chris Halliburton, associate broker of investment sales at Compass, to put together a comprehensive guide about the questions to ask before you buy and how to get started on your townhouse renovation plan once the papers are signed, sealed, and delivered.

Questions to Ask During Your Search for a Townhouse

If you’re looking for a townhouse to renovate, you probably already have an idea of the kind of home and lifestyle you’re looking to create. Perhaps you’re tired of neighbors stomping above you and dealing with your restrictive co-op board, or you are drawn to the dream of owning your very own roof terrace and backyard—aren’t we all? Or maybe you’d also like rental income to offset the cost of home ownership, or you’re an investor looking to maximize rental income.  Whatever your motivations, your townhouse renovation search should be narrowed to the properties that will allow you to create the lifestyle you’re looking for. Here are the questions to ask during your search.

1.) What’s the building’s history?

This is where you gather information about the soundness of the property. New York City’s Department of Buildings (DOB) has a great site where you can look up the history of the property and see the violations, complaints, as well as applications and permits for prior work done to the property.

Look for red flags, and use the information to determine whether prior work—especially structural changes or alterations to the plumbing, electrical, and mechanicals—has been executed properly. Property Shark is another place where you can access comprehensive, publicly available information about the property in question.

(Above) AJ and Ray’s townhouse renovation

2.) What’s the actual square footage versus the buildable square footage?

Many townhouses are on lots much larger than the current building footprint. For example, brownstones are often on 100-foot lots, but the building itself may only be 20’ x 35’. Chris explains that these properties can often be built back with extensions ranging from ten to 30 feet long, depending on the floor area ratio (FAR). The FAR is determined by the zoning designation, and in New York City, the Zoning Resolution designates ten residential districts. For example, a lot that is 20’ x 100’ in an R7-2 zone that has a FAR of 3.44 allows you to put up a 6,880-square-foot building.

You may also be able to expand vertically. This is almost always a given, Chris says, although you may be constrained by landmark preservation requirements (see below). Similarly, you should explore excavation possibilities for creating a cellar. While below-grade space is not counted in the square footage, it is often useful to add space below for mechanicals or storage, even if it is not livable. By storing these elements underground, you can free up space above grade to maximize your living space and/or rental income potential.

(Above) Marsha and Adam’s townhouse renovation

3.) What are the existing conditions?

In addition to the information that you gather via city databases, pay attention to the existing conditions of the building. Are there signs of water damage, mold, or termites? Also be aware of outside forces beyond an owner’s control—is there a lot of ongoing or planned construction in the area?

If there is an empty lot next door, find out what is happening there. Chris points out that the construction of tunnels for the Second Avenue subway expansion was a major issue for surrounding properties, not only in terms of noise and inconvenience but also with structural damage related to shifting foundations.

Is it currently a single-family dwelling that you intend to turn into a two-family? Or vice-versa? Be prepared to hire an architect if so.

4.) Is the property landmarked or in a historic district?

The Landmark Preservation Commission is New York City’s governing agency for preserving buildings and sites that are culturally, historically, and architecturally significant. Many brownstone townhouses happen to be in designated historic districts—there are a total of more than 36,000 landmark properties in 141 historic districts and extensions throughout the five boroughs, according to the LPC’s website.

If the townhouse you’re considering is protected, you will need to submit any planned changes to the LPC for review at the same time that you submit plans to the DOB. Chris explains, “Anything that the LPC approves will be approved 99 percent of the time by the DOB. But it’s not the case vice versa.” In particular, any changes to the façade will be scrutinized by the LPC. For example, while a back extension will not affect the view of the building from the street, adding floors will. If you want to add to the top of the building, you may be required to start 20 feet back from the front of the building, so that the additional floor can’t be seen from the street.

An LPC review will add extra time to your townhouse renovation, so this should be a consideration, especially if you are looking to bring in rental income on a deadline.

Financing Your Townhouse Renovation

Obtaining financing for a townhouse purchase and renovation is essentially the same process as a condo purchase and renovation (co-ops are the outlier here). This is because a townhouse, like a condo, is real property. You can consult this Sweeten guide on financing home renovations. If you are financing both the purchase of the property as well as the renovation, you have a few options (Jean advises consulting a professional to see what’s best for your situation).

• Apply for a construction loan and a permanent mortgage separately. This means you will need to research two separate loans and pay for two sets of closing costs. Some lenders only provide construction loans, while others will only make combination loans. Construction loans typically run for 12 months or less and are subject to an adjustable interest rate that resets quarterly or sometimes monthly.

OR

• Apply for a construction-to-permanent loan. This combination instrument simplifies the process because you only need to take out one loan and pay closing costs once. It’s the more popular option for this reason. While construction is ongoing, you only pay interest on the outstanding balance, and then it is converted to a mortgage after the renovation is complete. You may, however, pay more for the permanent mortgage because the need for a combination has reduced your lender options.

(Above) Nazli and Larry’s  brownstone renovation

Who You’ll Need On Your Team

When searching for a townhouse to renovate, it’s important to gather the experts who will not only help you get the job done right, but who can help you assess whether it’s a project worth tackling in the first place.

For this reason, you’ll need to line up several professionals early on, including structural engineers, electricians, and plumbers. Chris suggests that you bring these pros in for site visits prior to signing the contract so that you don’t “end up buying a money pit.” He estimates that you could have all these consultations done for roughly $1,500 to $2,000.

When it comes to general contractors, Jean understands firsthand the importance of having a professional you can trust. “When I started to renovate my own Brooklyn brownstone, I ended up hiring the wrong general contractor,” she said. “If I can make a wrong choice, anyone can.” She started Sweeten to help homeowners find licensed and vetted contractors and to ultimately renovate fearlessly to create a home they love.

Many thanks to Chris Halliburton of Compass for his insights on buying and renovating a townhouse.

Sweeten can match your townhouse renovation project with expert contractors in your area!

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Found a home you love and that you’re ready to renovate? Here’s how to find a general contractor for the job.

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 Buying and Renovating Townhouse Apartments appeared first on Sweeten.

Project: Expanding a cramped kitchen in a Clinton Hill landmark townhouse

Before: In 2013, Kate and her husband, Graham, purchased a 4-unit townhouse built in 1890 in Clinton Hill, and moved into it with her two brothers and their families. (They operate the apartments within the townhouse as informal condos and share costs and decision-making.) While they knew that there were changes that needed to be made, they did not consider a gut renovation.

Four years down the line, after living in the space, they determined that expanding and redoing a tiny kitchen that was tucked into the back corner of their apartment was a priority. It was closed off from the rest of the apartment inside an addition to the original house. The addition had been divided into a small galley kitchen and a second room that was “too small to be a living room or a dining room,” explained Kate. The narrow kitchen had small, outdated appliances and the refrigerator was awkwardly placed in front of a window. It was hard for two people to pass each other in the space. Given that the kitchen did not function at all the way their family needed it to, the couple posted their project to Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors.

After: Working with their Sweeten contractor, Kate and Graham envisioned an open space so that meal prep could be “a family activity and a space for doing homework while dinner was getting made,” said Kate. They wanted to go vertical with custom cabinets and counters to maximize the amount of surface and storage space. While they did need to remove a wall and a closet, they were intent on retaining as much of the original wood and plaster detailing as possible so that the new kitchen would pair seamlessly with the rest of the prewar apartment.

The pantry cabinet next to the sink got a makeover; the glass panels had either been replaced with plywood or painted over, so they had new glass put in. It now makes a nice display for cookbooks and spices. “We believe that before the addition was put on the back of the house, that door would have been the exterior door to the yard,” said Kate. Demo revealed that the molding and flooring had continued throughout the original space as they predicted. The new layout also allowed more light into the rest of the apartment.

Kate and Graham chose integrated appliances for a built-in look. Given that the kitchen is now in plain view from the rest of the apartment, they did not want it “to scream ‘kitchen,’” explained Kate. The refrigerator replaces what used to be a closet and looks as if it has always been there, disguised by a cabinet front. They attempted to minimize stainless steel with hardware and cabinet choices that were “understated, practical, and looked more like built-in furniture.”

While quartz was chosen for the backsplash and countertops around the stove and sink for its durability, they softened up the space by topping the oversized island with butcher block. The wood floors were sanded and refinished for continuity with the rest of the home.

The custom cabinetry was the most expensive choice that Kate and Graham made, but they “were committed to this expense from the beginning because [they] knew it was the only way to maximize storage space and because the cabinets are by far the most prominent feature of the kitchen,” said Kate.

Because they did not use an architect, there was quite a bit of “game-time decision-making” that slowed things down. Now that the project is finished, however, the whole family loves the space. “The kids show off the fact that the fridge and microwave are hidden behind doors to everyone who comes over. We all spend most of our together-time in the kitchen now,” said Kate. “And when people come over, it’s where everyone inevitably ends up hanging out.”

Bonus: By hiding ductwork behind the upper cabinets, the couple was able to remove the drop ceiling in the kitchen to gain more height in the space.

Style finds: Custom cabinets: Temple Woodworks. Cabinets in paint color Chantilly Lace: Benjamin Moore. Richelieu cabinet hardware: Home Depot. Hickory Hardware for cabinets: Amazon. Quartz countertops and backsplash in Snow White: MSI. Butcher block countertop: Temple Woodworks. Sink: Appliances Connection. Faucet: Kraus. Refrigerator: Appliances Connection. Dishwasher: Appliances Connection. Range: Appliances Connection. Pendant lighting: Barn Light.

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A rip-and-replace kitchen renovation gets details, storage, and a coffee area.

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 An Understated Kitchen Makes a Big Impact appeared first on Sweeten.

In 2016, Brooklyn homeowner Lauren embarked on her first Sweeten renovation. The result: a beautiful alcove studio that was featured in a New York Times story on organizing small spaces. In 2017, she moved to Connecticut to join her fiancé and upgraded to a 3,000-square-foot condo in Stamford.

Space was no longer an issue, but the home appeared to be stuck in the early ‘80s. There was also a suspiciously damp smell from the accumulation of several leaks during the previous owners’ time there. Given her positive past experience with Sweeten, Lauren returned to post her latest project to find the best contracting team. (Luckily, Sweeten had recently expanded its free service, matching homeowners with vetted general contractors, to Fairfield County.) Read on for her take on renovating with Sweeten outside of New York City!

Guest post by Stamford homeowner Lauren

This is now my second Sweeten renovation and my first time renovating with my fiancé, Austin. After remodeling my Brooklyn Heights co-op, I ended up moving to Stamford, Connecticut, the following year and started looking for a condo to buy with Austin. The search didn’t take long and we found a 3-bed, 2.5-bath townhouse that was in need of some updating before we moved in. The unit had lots of potential, but it was dated and hadn’t really been touched since it was first built over 30 years ago: orange oak kitchen cabinets, vinyl flooring, wall-to-wall carpeting, mirrored walls—you get the idea.

Once we had a vision for the space, and given how smoothly my first renovation experience had gone, it was only natural that we turned to Sweeten again to help us find our contractor. The Sweeten contractor we chose was incredibly organized, professional, and had a very detailed quote, which we appreciated. Some contractors struck us as too hopeful with regard to project scope, while others were “doom-and-gloom” purveyors, finding calamity behind every piece of drywall. Our contractor tempered our enthusiasm by identifying challenges we didn’t see coming but never told us something couldn’t be done. He was attentive and imaginative.

Since I was leaving my recently renovated apartment to start our life together in Stamford, we needed to bring some of the modern city elements to the suburbs. One of the challenges was the large amount of space to be updated without having a huge budget. Since we had plans to grow into the space over time, we decided to focus on the areas we’d use the most—the first two floors and the master bathroom. We wanted the unit to feel current with our own choices but without ripping everything out.

Austin and I worked really well together and collaborated on elements that were important to us. He pushed for the recessed lighting in the kitchen and dining room, whereas I was excited about the engineered floor and spent weeks reviewing my selection. Believe it or not, I found the flooring company on a deep-dive on Instagram. There were no local distributors or showrooms, but I was able to track down a salesperson in Texas who helped me select the material remotely. When it arrived, I knew it was the best decision; it really transformed the space.

From the start, we knew the wall-to-wall carpet on the first two floors would be replaced with engineered hardwood. The kitchen cabinets would be repainted and new appliances added. We increased the kitchen storage and functionality by adding the Simple Human under-sink trash and recycling bins. Roll-out chrome baskets held strainers and cleaning supplies and pot lids sat on racks.

Adding a bill-paying station/drop zone just outside the kitchen made a big difference. It used to be an extra kitchen cabinet. But in order to make the space work for us, I knew we needed a work area that wasn’t the dining room table.

In the master bedroom, we added California Closets to maximize the space. The closets had an odd layout, so a custom system enabled us to design it to fit our needs. The master bath was refreshed with new tile and fixtures.

An entryway on the lower level from the garage leads you to our gym. Our Sweeten contractor worked incredibly hard on these stairs after the carpeting was removed. He showed his skills laying down the plank, nosing, and risers, especially with the corners and angles.

A home gym/multipurpose room was created on the lower level. Our contractor covered the concrete floor with a specific floor paint as a moisture barrier and then laid down interlocking foam floor tiles. They were more cost-effective and functional than continuing the engineered wood into this space.

Every renovation has its ups and downs. In this one, we kept discovering water damage! When we bought the condo, it had a musty smell, so we knew we were going to find some sort of water issue, but I don’t think we realized how much. The previous owners just covered up rotten subfloor with new carpeting in multiple places. And when they decided the lower level needed a closet, they just framed it out right on top of the shag! So it proved comical when we tried to remove the old carpet and found ourselves using pliers to get every last bit of remnant out.

Our Sweeten contractor and his team worked late into the evenings and on many weekends to keep up with our scheduled move-in date. Unfortunately, our flooring got delayed, and that held him up, but he was proactive and able to work on other projects in the apartment.

Now that the renovation is complete, we learned it will always take longer than you had hoped, but in the end, it’s all worth it. Make all of your design selections in advance of starting construction. You can cut down on costs by taking on some of the work yourself, but there’s a reason why professional contractors stay in business. They quickly finished what would have been gargantuan tasks to amateurs like us.

Austin and I love our new space. Friends and family come over and are so impressed with the transformation. My second Sweeten renovation went as well as my first, and I think it speaks to the company and the quality contractors that are in the Sweeten network.

Lauren and Austin, thanks for showing us your updated townhouse—and for being repeat customers! We love “serial renovators”!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Newport Collection Monterrey oak floor: Garrison Collection. Kitchen cabinets: Original. Smoke Embers paint color, #1466: Benjamin Moore. Martha Stewart Collection cabinet hardware: Home Depot. Kraus sink/faucet: Home Depot. Samsung range, Samsung microwave, and Bosch dishwasher: Lowe’s.

BATHROOM RESOURCES: Festival Metro White Matte Hexagon Porcelain Mosaic floor tile, #100139260: Floor & Decor. Bright Tender Gray Subway Ceramic Tile wall tile, #914109413: Floor & Decor. Purist towel bar, shower fixtures, and toilet paper holder: Appliances Connection. Sink/vanity: Lowe’s. Kohler toilet: Home Depot. Lighting: Destination Lighting. Sink mirror: Lowe’s. Vanity mirror: Pottery Barn.

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When it came time to move into a larger space, Chong and Adam upgraded from a small apartment in Jersey City to a condo in Fort Lee and renovated the kitchen, dining area, and bathrooms.

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 Second Homecoming—from City to Suburb appeared first on Sweeten.

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

The post My Sweeten Story: A Brooklyn Townhouse Works for Everyone appeared first on Sweeten.

Today’s before and after kicks off a three-part series on a Brooklyn brownstone gut renovation in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. In 2015, Nazli and Larry bought a four-story derelict townhouse and set out to create a home for themselves and their son Nacho. With refreshing honesty on topics ranging from marital disagreement to aging foresight, Nazli shares the behind-the-scenes process of decision-making and what it means to renovate for real life, beyond the photo shoot. The couple—she’s a consultant for government affairs and he is a broker—envisioned the house as an inviting space for their extended community of family and friends—a home away from home. Read on for Nazli’s take on their plans for the new townhouse, and the full reveal of their guest suite on the second floor. Fittingly, for a family that loves to host, it was the first room finished and ready for occupancy!

Guest post by Bedford-Stuyvesant homeowner Nazli

We purchased our home in the newly landmarked Bedford Historic District. It was a single-family brownstone, roughly 4,000 square feet, which we converted into a two-family home with a garden rental and a triplex for ourselves. The home was built in 1890 by Bedford-Stuyvesant architect Montrose Morris, who also built the nearby Kelly Mansion. He built many of the premier properties for wealthy families of the time, though the four townhouses he built on our street were apparently more of an exercise in creating middle-class lodging. Our home was uninhabitable at the time of purchase, truly—no heat, no working bathrooms or kitchen, and just…not in good shape. There were original but defunct fireplaces, beautifully preserved paneling and plaster work on the walls, as well as some stained-glass windows (a happy surprise)—but no other details remained.

We certainly did not go into our renovation thinking that it would be a gut—we couldn’t afford it and we didn’t think it would be necessary. But while attempting to figure out the mechanicals and ductwork, it quickly became apparent that it would be more efficient to take down all the crumbling walls and start from scratch. It wouldn’t be so much more expensive since the electrical, plumbing and HVAC systems could be done anew, rather than trying to trace them up 130-year-old walls. There was also so much water damage throughout the house that none of the original flooring could be preserved. The house was a mess.

Our goals were to meet the basic needs of our family, and tick items off our dream list. My basic vision of a home is a giant kitchen with some other rooms arranged nearby for whatever it is people do outside of a kitchen. Larry was really looking forward to having his own private office, which would allow him to work from home more often and spend more time with our son, Nacho. Our child only cares about fans, so we made sure we had a ceiling fan for him to play with (kidding). Collectively, we love to entertain, so we wanted to make sure we had plenty of space for guests and could host for a while without it feeling like a strain. We also knew that as we and our families aged, our needs would be different, and wanted flexibility in how our spaces were configured to allow for changing needs.

My husband and I disagreed on most decisions (seriously, renovation is not for the faint-hearted), but there was also a really nice division of labor around what our priorities were. I could care less about the bells and whistles of a “smart” home, but my husband spent a lot of time and effort getting the house wired up on Nest thermostats, security systems, and a Sonos sound system, etc. It’s totally amazing to be able to hear music throughout the house, or turn the heat on remotely and come home to a warm home after a few days away. On the other hand, I really care about the flow of space and a house design that makes it easy to clean and maintain. I thought a lot about our storage options and made a million mock-ups of the kitchen and what each cabinet should be used for.

In terms of how we imagined the home, I definitely pictured a more modern space than what we have, but we realized pretty quickly that the house, even with the few remaining details, called for a different type of treatment. Townhouses are tough: they are long and narrow and lighting is always tricky, and I think we both realized if we wanted an ultra-modern design we should have looked at a different type of property. We wanted to honor the feel of this Brooklyn brownstone and preserve as much of the plasterwork and recreate as much of the molding without feeling closed in—the way that many of the more traditional townhouses made us feel. Certainly, we wanted a design that felt as open as possible, but I’m a stickler for storage and we are not minimalists, so real-life storage solutions were key. This meant large closets in every room and built-ins where possible.

We were lucky enough to find our architect through Sweeten and we really wanted her to come on to do drawings and filings because our contractor, who was also my husband’s best friend, really wanted design as he went along. The goal was to create a beautiful space that was flexible to changing tastes. I view the house, beyond some very bold choices in some of the rooms, as a really great blank canvas for great furniture and our art collection. I didn’t want too much millwork or details that would keep the house stuck in one genre forever. Both for ourselves and our changing needs and tastes and for future owners of the home, it’s nice to be able to create a totally different look and feel in the future without having to do major construction.

Let’s start with the foyer, which is a work in process. I love that when you enter the home, you see the entire floor. The staircase looks so lovely and grand, especially with the black paint and the landing at the bottom of the stairs to emphasize the grandeur of the steps. There was a crazy wood panel fracture with a mirror at the bottom of the stairs but we all thought it was bulky and awkward and it didn’t seem to be original to the rest of the stairwell. Our architect convinced us (Larry) to get rid of it and our contractor convinced us to rip up that whole wall and expose the brick. I love the sneak peek into the original brick, and how it grounds the space from the frou-frou antique-looking chandelier and the stained glass. I loved using the same ceramic tile from the dining room in the entry vestibule and again—it was all brought together so beautifully by painting all of it black.

Like all good Iranians, I made sure the guest room was the first one in the house that was set up, furnished, and made available for use. Guests are sacred in our culture and we started having house guests after the first night in our house, and for about three months straight afterward. I think Larry takes more of an American’s tact towards house guests…like fish, they start to stink after three days. But having them on their own floor with their own bathroom certainly makes it easy to have folks around. Oh, how I love having a guest room. Basically, if you paint any room Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray, it will be close to perfect. I had a different idea about how this room would look but then I inherited this terrible rug from my father’s house in Tehran and had to redo all the bedding to go with the odd mix of muted colors. I love Persian rugs, don’t get me wrong—walking on bare floors isn’t my taste. But we followed the rules for a perfect guest room: make sure the bed is comfy, that the closets are empty so guests can use them for their own stuff, and provide a work desk (so you can hold your best friends hostage for weeks at a time in your home, even if they insist they have to go back to LA to “work”).

This guest bathroom is so delightfully boring that I fall asleep looking at its soothing tones. I wish I pushed harder for Moroccan tiles in here. I think the floors we used, which basically mimic the look and feel of concrete, wash the whole room out. Our architect used these floors in a hotel project and I really dug them; they were cheap and cool, but always remember the scale of a home project versus a commercial project. What may look like a great feature in a larger space may not work in a smaller venue. I usually have a Persian rug down on this floor which gives the room some warmth and life. If you are ever unhappy with the flooring, put a rug on it! I can’t say enough about how much I love these subway tiles though—they are just varied enough to give them a real handmade look rather than the flat subway tiles we usually see. They come in a gorgeous gray and black as well—I failed in not using them in more spots throughout the house; that may be a future project. I love the shower as well, we made it nice and big so that Nacho could have fun in there. We also built a large bench along it with a grip bar.

Our moms visit often, and I find bathtubs to be really dangerous for the senior citizen crowd. We felt good about having a step-in shower and adding features that would make it safe for both Nacho and the grandmas. It’s lovely having the windows in the bathrooms after years of using interior bathrooms with poor ventilation, though we haven’t figured out a good solution for the wood window trim, which is constantly getting wet and will probably crack or mold in the future. I also highly recommend an integrated sink when you have filthy toddlers—makes clean-up so much easier. This was the top half of a vanity and sink combo I bought. We ended up hating the vanity, so I just had our contractor make us a custom cabinet, which is lovely.

Thanks for introducing us to your Brooklyn brownstone project and sharing your guest suite, Nazli! Click here to read Part II (all about the first floor) and Part III (the bedrooms).  

GUEST ROOM RESOURCES: Chelsea Gray paint color: Benjamin Moore. Lighting: West Elm.

GUEST BATH RESOURCES: Subway wall tile: Nemo Tile. Sink: Appliances Connection. Vanity: custom. Faucet: Grohe. Shower Fixtures: Grohe. Mirror and Lighting: Restoration Hardware.

FOYER RESOURCES: Sound system: Sonos. Thermostats and security system: Nest. Chandelier: Restoration Hardware.

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Architect Tina and husband Fletcher renovated their garden duplex in a Cobble Hill brownstone just in time for the birth their first child. Read Part I and Part II of their renovation journey.

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 Family’s Historic Townhouse Grows in Brooklyn (Part 1) appeared first on Sweeten.

Homeowners who are feeling ambitious and want to take on a home that hasn’t been changed in decades have a unique opportunity. In an older home that’s been given new life, updated features sit alongside quirky and charming details from the past, such as crown molding and arched doorways. This kind of home renovation where the marriage of old meets new provides all the benefits of a modern space while retaining the character that can only come from a place that has a history. Below, three Sweeten homeowners take on the challenge of revamping older homes—and the results are truly magical.

Meredith’s townhouse, built in 1941

Meredith set out to find a fixer-upper and fell in love with a two-family brick Tudor townhouse in Kensington that only had one owner since 1941. With good bones and plenty of personality in the form of arched doorways and a 1950s Caloric stove, the home had potential, but it also required intensive repairs. Lead paint, cloth-wrapped aluminum electrical wiring, and old steel windows all had to go. Meredith found a contractor on Sweeten and started her renovation, focusing on maintaining some of the ‘40s charm while making necessary functional updates. A new kitchen was designed around the old stove, and in keeping with the theme of nostalgia, Meredith installed a salvaged Sub-Zero fridge and vintage enamel sink. The Pepto-Bismol pink bathrooms were redone in a much more tasteful palette of muted blues and received all new fixtures. Upstairs, the renovation included converting the second kitchen into a master bath, building a nursery, and updating the master bedroom and closet. Click here to see the rest of this lovely townhouse.

Ron’s postwar apartment and home of 40 years

Ron lived in his Upper East Side postwar apartment for 40 years before making the decision to renovate. He worked closely with his interior designer, who came to Sweeten to find a contractor to complete their team. The plan consisted of a total gut renovation of the kitchen as well as painting the apartment, stripping and refinishing floors, cleaning up the crown molding in the living room, and adding custom millwork to hide old radiator units. He decided against joining the kitchen and living room and instead chose to keep the kitchen enclosed and add finishes that would make it feel larger and brighter. With all new appliances from Thermador, including a refrigerator, gas range, hood, and dishwasher, the kitchen got the functional upgrade it desperately needed. Architectural details in the kitchen mixed well with traditional custom cabinets and beveled countertops for a refreshed yet classic style. In the living room, custom built-ins with ample shelving were built to show off Ron’s collection of art and treasures from around the world. Click here to see the rest of Ron’s home, including his updated bedroom and bath.

Claudia’s 1929 apartment that underwent a mid-’80s renovation

Fifteen years after moving into her Upper East Side apartment, Claudia felt ready to renovate. It had been three decades since the apartment’s last home renovation, which had brought with it dated finishes, carpeting, and boxy built-ins. Claudia wanted to highlight the original bones of the home that had been covered up, reclaim some of the square footage lost to the old built-ins, and install some much-needed electrical outlets. She also ripped up the 30-year-old carpeting, uncovering original parquet floors. The windows in the living room were combined, allowing the space to become flooded with natural light, and the built-in surrounding the fireplace was demolished, revealing a wood-burning hearth. Crown molding was designed and placed along doorways, windows, ceilings, and floors to evoke some of the lost 1920s charm. To brighten up her home, the walls of the apartment were painted white, replacing the dark green shade that had ruled the living room for decades. Click here to see her updated kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.

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Inspired to take on the challenge of a fixer-upper? Check out our guide on home renovation costs per square foot.

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 3 Homes, Untouched for Decades, Get Renovated by Sweeten appeared first on Sweeten.

Around the end of last year, Elliot, a Graphic Designer, and Katie, a Benefit Specialist, decided that the time had come to take the scary but sensible plunge and become first-time homeowners of an older 1,800 sq/ft, 2-story townhouse in Williamsburg. The couple fell in love with this house’s lovely bones, plus it had a backyard for their dog, Desmond; but what they did not love was that it had the common NYC problem of disjointed spaces caused by a layout of many smaller rooms, not to mention the interior’s outdated everything.

Though the couple had never done a renovation before, they were excited by the idea of fixing up an older home. So the next task was to find their general contractor, which wouldn’t be easy (they thought) since they didn’t know many other homeowners, and therefore word-of-mouth was out of the question. After hearing about our resources at Sweeten, Katie & Elliot posted their project right away to get matched with members of the Sweeten Network. After comparing their matches, the young homeowners chose to put their project in the trustworthy hands of a Sweeten general contractor focused on sustainable design-building. The contractor worked with the renovation newbies to think through everything from the practicality of materials to overall design concepts, before beginning construction on their 4-month project.

Katie & Elliot’s first order of business was to re-do the kitchen so that they could finally enjoy eating-in, as much as they do dining out at their favorite neighborhood spot. Ecostruct enlarged the space by opening up existing entranceways and creating larger floor-to-ceiling cabinet systems. During demolition, Ecostruct’s team, lead by Jon Eklund, found that the existing plumbing needed to be replaced because it was not up to code (and was actually a ticking time bomb inside their walls). This added some extra time, expenses, and maybe a few gray hairs to the project, but both the homeowners and Jon’s team were confident that it was a problem worth solving right away.

Luckily, Elliot and Katie have similar taste when it comes to interiors. The couple wanted to create a home that had a warm, clean and modern feel with plenty of light. For the kitchen, they choose to use both recessed lighting and Caravaggio Matte Grey Pendant Lights.

Jon helped Elliot and Katie think about the new materials in terms of cost, aesthetics and sustainability – triple bonus! The couple picked Caesarstone in White Farina for their countertops which is known not just for its simplified fabrication and installation process that makes it budget-friendly, but also for its nonporous and scratch resistant qualities which will help it retain a perfect surface without sealants or waxes, keeping harmful toxins out of the home. For the floors, the couple went with Mirage Knotty Walnut floors throughout the living room, open kitchen and dining room. The wood adds nice warmth to the space and its natural irregularities make a nice contrast with the white clean lines of their kitchen.

Whether it was the mix of mid-90’s earth toned floor-to-ceiling tiles, black accented toilet seat, or the fact that the faulty old pipes in the walls were about to bust open, updating this bathroom was a must. I loved how, by continuing with the same color palette and general clean aesthetic of the adjacent kitchen, the bathroom  now reads as an integrated part of the home and less of a time warp.

The living room is tied both aesthetically and visually by opening up the island and updating the dry bar so the ever so hospitable Katie or Elliot can do what they do best, serve their lucky guests a cocktail while cooking up a meal in the kitchen.

In the entry foyer, the homeowners had Jon’s team replace the front door and repaint the concrete flooring and wood staircase; they also hung a nice big mirror that looks pretty familiar. I really like the shabby-chic but very gender-neutral vibe of the foyer, which I’m sure is making many great first impressions for the Katie and Elliot’s visiting friends and family.

Many thanks and congrats to Katie and Elliot! And a big thanks to Jon and his team at Ecostruct!

Get matched on Sweeten to start your renovation project today!

The post Katie & Elliot’s Williamsburg Townhouse Renovation appeared first on Sweeten.

“We are ultimately focused on the tangible components and how they contribute to the experience of a project, which allows conceptual designs to be realized within actual parameters of budget and resources.”

–Bryan Young, Principal at Young Projects

This week, we’re pleased to introduce one of theSweeten’s newest members, DUMBO-based architecture studio, Young Projects. Firm principal Bryan Young (photographed above) launched his practice in 2010, and in just 3 years, the small team has rallied some big achievements, including last month’s award of the 2013 Architectural League Prize. In practice, the team pursues unique considerations of materiality, assembly, & craft through a method of experimentation that embraces all levels of technology; the resulting architecture, while stylistically modern, elicits qualities of warmth & tactility. We were interested in learning more about Young Projects’ work, so we met up with Bryan on the site of a project that is currently under construction in Williamsburg, the Photographer’s Townhouse.

The Photographer’s Townhouse project is a gut renovation & new addition to an existing, 2,300 sqft masonry townhouse. The century-old building had deteriorated to a state of disrepair before it was purchased by a local photographer. After a thoughtful collaboration between the Young Projects team and the homeowner, the first phase of construction began earlier this year. On site, Bryan walked us through some of the highlights of the project design and development. One of the most prominent features of the new design is the exterior; by their use of materials, the designers have created a strong juxaposition between the old, restored brick facade, and the new addition — an elevated mass behind a screen of perforated, corrugated zinc. You can see the exterior in the above rendering.

This section drawing gave us an idea of the proposed interior space. Unlike the sharp contrast on the exterior, the distinction between old and new is more subtle on the interior — a ‘conceptual fault line’ creates a slip in the floor level at the intersection of the old & new zones. On a functional level, by elevating the addition, the designers provide space for parking. With this arrangement, the back yard is replaced by a series of rooftop courtyards that will allow the perfect amount of privacy on the corner lot.

Here, on site, we’re standing near the center of the old townhouse looking toward the back where the new addition will be constructed. A large portion of the ceiling overhead will be opened up for a glimpse at one of the landscaped courtyards.

This rendering is what we would see from where we’re standing in the photo above. Here you can see the changes in the floor height, indicating where the new addition begins. Opposite what we saw on the exterior, the designers have created continuity across the slip with the conscious use of materials, so that on the interior, we read the old & new as a fluid space.

Behind the old masonry building, the construction crew started prepping the foundation for the new addition. Construction here will take some time, but we’re excited to follow along as the new home takes shape!

In the meantime, we thought we’d head over to the Young Projects studio in DUMBO to check out what else the designers are up to — what we found really highlighted how adaptable the Young Projects approach is for meeting different types of design challenges.

The whole team was hard at work when we arrived at their sunny loft office! The space was filled with material samples, models, mock-ups, sketches, experiments and printouts, showcasing their iterative design process.

We were drawn to a large site model and renderings along one wall in the space, which Bryan explained are from a project that will move to construction later this year, the Playa Grande Retreat. The retreat will be the vacation home for a NYC-based family, with a program that includes a main house, 3 guest bungalows and a kiva for special events, all on a 6.5 acre beachfront site in the Dominican jungle.

The rendering above shows a view from a path leading to the main house. The designers followed to the natural topography and landscape of the site in order to generate forms, structure & pathways, as well as experiences of the site & views.

“Directed by solar orientation, natural ventilation and the desire to preserve all existing trees and vegetation, the evolved form is a drifting ring that shifts in plan and section just below the jungle’s canopy. The roof is a ruled surface requiring over 200 scissor trusses; each is dimensionally unique, but simple in joinery and construction.”

The indoor / outdoor structure will be a fantastic place to enjoy nature and host friends & family. We look forward to seeing the construction unfold and forms come to life!

Many thanks to Bryan & the team at Young Projects; we look forward to seeing more!

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