Lauren’s Brooklyn Heights Kitchen Makeover

Written in partnership with Sweeten house owner Lauren DeMattia

Submit your mission on Sweeten without spending a dime and make your dream renovation a actuality. Sweeten simplifies house renovation by connecting owners with top-rated common contractors, dealing with the vetting course of and mission administration. To be taught extra about how we may help, take a look at our house renovation providers.

Renovation plan: dwelling within the house

To say I gained the actual property lottery would possibly really feel like an overstatement, however after a brief hunt, I discovered a Brooklyn Heights co-op in a Twenties constructing. It had all the things I had been on the lookout for—two bedrooms, a nook unit, numerous home windows, excessive ceilings, and a single block from a number of subway stations. The one disadvantage was that the place wanted loads of work.

Earlier than shifting in I did some issues that actually wanted doing: placing in new hardwood flooring, totally gutting the unique lavatory, and putting in up to date electrical and lighting. On the time, the thought of touching the kitchen was out of the query—and finances. Nevertheless it was, fortunately, the latest portion of the condominium and didn’t essentially want work but. It additionally had a bizarre structure that didn’t precisely scream a transparent answer.

I’m a little bit of a perfectionist, so I had a plan for my transform. The important thing was dwelling within the condominium lengthy sufficient to provide you with the appropriate answer earlier than demolition began.

Planning the brand new kitchen structure

In the end, I knew I wished a kitchen that felt open to the lounge with numerous storage (that is NYC). I additionally wished a brand new structure that also supplied some kind of entryway and coat closet.

As quickly as I moved in, I started excited about and speaking about my most up-to-date, “good” plan for the kitchen structure to family and friends. First, I used to be set on an island, then a peninsula, after which I considered shifting the plumbing. I spotted that I needed to slender down what was (and wasn’t) working for the kitchen.

The structure technically had loads of counter prep house, however it was in two separate areas, so I usually had my again to my visitors whereas I cooked. I beloved the large coat closet inside the “entry,” however maintaining it meant my choices had been restricted.

They created a smooth bookshelf that additionally hides my radiator and air conditioner items…

The home equipment had been in first rate form, although outsized for the house. A bizarre drop ceiling over a part of the kitchen made it really feel disconnected from the remainder of the lounge. This ceiling, coupled with a half-height wall that separated the entrance door from the kitchen, made the kitchen really feel smaller than it truly was.

Including a drop ceiling

5 years and doubtless fairly just a few exasperated associates and colleagues later, I settled on a plan for the kitchen. There can be no island and no peninsula. Every little thing was out from floor-to-ceiling. The large coat closet was partially eliminated to make room for customized cupboards, panel-ready home equipment, and a brand new drop ceiling that mirrored the curve of the ground transition from new tile to my current hardwood flooring.

With the coat closet gone, I made a decision to increase the closet in my bed room to make up for the misplaced house. Aesthetically, I’ve all the time beloved blue cupboards and knew that I wished to do darker kitchen cupboards with a lighter flooring and a whiter countertop with some wooden accents.

I selected a separate cooktop and oven as a result of the house I had for the range was a lot deeper than a standard countertop and I wished to take full benefit of the house I had. I additionally wished the home equipment to look seamless and totally built-in. Plus, I hate the bizarre house that all the time occurs between a range and the cupboard the place dust and meals collects.

Right here’s how Sweeten works: We pre-screen them for our community, rigorously choose the most effective ones in your reworking mission, and work intently with a whole bunch of common contractors each day.

Two prep zones

To get extra workable counter house, I moved the range to a different wall. The unique location of the fridge was an ideal spot. The sink remained on its authentic wall and was centered with a purpose to get counter house on both facet and maintain it near the cooktop/oven. By doing this, I created two zones for prep on all sides of the sink.

As soon as I made the choice in regards to the sink and cooktop/oven, I knew that the previous coat closet needed to be downsized to make room for the fridge. I opted for a panel-ready fridge as a result of I felt like opening the entrance door and having a seamless wall of cabinetry would assist mitigate the truth that you had been strolling proper into the kitchen. Functionally, I used to be additionally attempting to create a triangle between my sink, cooktop/oven, and the fridge.

Simply to the left of the fridge occurred to be the proper location for a pantry. I had some built-in, pull-out drawers earmarked for my pots and pans and a easy pull-out wire drawer (it was tremendous simple to put in!) for my pantry objects. With storage, meals, and the fridge coated, I used the remaining house to the appropriate of the fridge to create a brand new coat closet.

Seamless transition between kitchen and dwelling space

Based mostly on the way in which my condominium “boundaries” had been, there was a humorous area of interest on the TV wall into which a counter and cupboards had been put in. With the brand new design, there’s storage beneath the place my microwave and toaster oven reside and “open” storage above to show my fairly kitchen objects. The glass doorways open and could be tucked away so the countertop can be utilized as a bar high for events.

I additionally wished to have a spot to eat. By pushing my lounge furnishings nearer to the window, I made room for a brand new eating desk and chairs. I had the pendant lights put in over the desk. Further work needed to be finished to construct out the beam within the ceiling to cover {the electrical} bins.

Very similar to the kitchen design, the thought of a built-in on the window had been on my thoughts since I purchased the condominium. With a millworker already doing customized cupboards, I figured the built-in ought to be finished as properly. A smooth bookshelf was created that additionally hides my radiator and air conditioner items that had been all the time annoyingly off-centered from the home windows. I chosen a “piano” end on the highest of the bookshelf for straightforward cleanup. I’m wanting ahead to exercising my hopefully-green thumb.

Think about all potentialities

I optimistically deliberate for a “fast” two-month renovation, throughout which I lived within the second bed room with all my possessions and a microwave. After all, it took virtually three months earlier than I might transfer again into my very own bed room, and one other two months earlier than the mission completed.

My recommendation for anybody making ready for a renovation: take your time. Do your analysis; debate all the probabilities. It was higher to attend and mull over all my plans (for years!) earlier than making the funding. Utilizing Sweeten helped with the method of discovering a contractor. I appreciated having the ability to learn references and see images of earlier tasks, which helped me see the standard of every contractor’s work.

Brighter and extra practical house

Renovating my very own house as an architect was good and unhealthy: good as a result of I knew what I wished and how one can articulate it to the contractor. But additionally unhealthy, or fairly tough, as a result of I knew precisely what I wished and anticipated a selected stage of high quality and element.

The ultimate outcome was well worth the discomfort and occasional tears. I’m extremely pleased with my new house. The kitchen is so vibrant and open,  and the structure is practical with tons of storage. Bonus: I used to be even in a position to create space for a correct eating desk! Now, as a substitute of speaking to my associates about renovating, we discuss in regards to the subsequent time they’re coming for dinner.

Thanks, Lauren, for sharing your Brooklyn Heights kitchen transform story with us!

Prepared to begin your personal kitchen renovation journey?

Submit your mission on Sweeten without spending a dime and make your dream kitchen a actuality. Sweeten places you in charge of your renovation, from discovering the proper contractor and gathering design inspiration, to utilizing price guides  to plan your finances correctly.

Renovation Supplies

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Cupboards: Customized. Cupboard knobs: Simon’s {Hardware} & Bathtub. Quartzite “macaubas” counter tops and backsplash: European Granite & Marble. Bosch home equipment: Bosch. Flooring tile: Mosaic Home. Floating Shelf: Customized. Eating desk and pendants: Room & Board. Eating chairs: Overstock.

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: Couch: Crate & Barrel. Rug: Rugs USA. Desk: DIY by the house owner.