A Couple Finds a Clinton Hill Apartment Where They Could Take a Few Promising Risks
The before: “The apartment didn’t have the historic details and old-world charm that you [might] find in prewar buildings,” Khoi says. “But it did have a great layout, tons of natural light with south-facing and corner windows, and amazing views on a prime block in Clinton Hill. With the renovation, we knew that we could bring those fundamental aspects of the apartment to life through a few simple design moves, like opening it up and refreshing the material palette.”
The inspiration: “We ultimately treated this project as an exercise in designing with contrast,” Julie says. “This idea permeated every decision we made throughout the project and can be seen in the way we mix cool and warm tones, hard and soft surfaces, and old and new furniture pieces.”
Square footage: 1,000 square feet
The budget: “We originally budgeted $75,000 for construction and materials,” Julie says.
Main ingredients:
Kitchen cabinet paint: Benjamin Moore’s Cheating Heart
Knobs: Forge Hardware Studio
Pulls: Emtek
Jute rug: Armadillo
Faucet: Newport Brass
Sofa: HAY Mags
Rug: Gestalt Calla
Shelving: Vitsoe 606 Universal Shelving System
Most insane splurge: “We splurged on the appliances,” Julie says. “We have a built-in, custom-panel refrigerator and dishwasher. We worked closely with our contractor at Lambo Construction to finesse all the kitchen details, like the fluted side panel, so it felt right to integrate the appliances to be as seamless with the millwork as possible.”
When it came to the entire renovation, Khoi points out another detail. “I think new floors were the single biggest line item in the renovation,” he says. “Our unit didn’t have original parquet floors but had laminate ones from the ’80s. We replaced them all with white oak planks and don’t regret it one bit. There’s a saying that it’s wise to spend money on a nice bed and shoes because you spend life in either one or the other. Nice floors should definitely be added to that list.”
