One of our most dramatic and memorable kitchen and home renovations is our recent Brooklyn project that we worked on last year. We love to look back at previous projects and rediscover the challenges we overcame, how we solved structural issues, how we honored the home's original details, and what inspired us during the design and interior architecture process. It's a great way to drum up inspiration and creativity for new projects and think about how we can help future clients add value to their homes. Furniture and interior design and renovation are at the core of our business. We were very excited to tackle this five-bedroom, four-bathroom home renovation in Brooklyn's charming and sought-after Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. The home was originally built in 1899, and like all brownstones we work on, we wanted to preserve the original character and charm of the time period while adding immense value to the home.
As contemporary residential architects and residential interior designers, we accepted the challenge of renovating and reimagining this dated brownstone. While we offer home interior design services, our projects' goals are to increase the home's value through innovative design solutions and smart renovations. Our clients wanted us to update the entire home and create more functional spaces for entertaining and usable living. Prior to our renovation, the home had poorly lit and cramped rooms, dated cabinets and kitchen appliances, dark floors, and garish light fixtures. Our mission was clear:
The biggest challenges stemmed from the home's previous renovation, which had a lot of hazardous structural issues. We had to address these issues before we started the design process. A developer previously renovated the home and it lacked charm and character. The prior renovation was done quickly and cheaply, and we had to undo a lot of the developer's work. From a design perspective, the biggest challenge was how to get our clients exactly what they wanted and stay within their budget. We had to get very creative with what materials we used and how we maximized the space for functionality. When it comes to interior design and renovation for your home, sometimes you have to make sacrifices for what you want. Working within a tight budget is difficult, though we managed to stay under budget and delivered the project in a timely manner. We stayed within the budget by prioritizing the home's first floor and creating a jaw-dropping custom kitchen for our clients.
Our first task was to expand the rooms and create an inviting and open floor plan. To do this, we removed several walls throughout the home and replaced all of the dark flooring with lighter wood tones. We added custom wood beams to the ceiling, which created a sense of warmth and coziness, and replaced all of the staircases to bring a more modern feel to the spaces. Opening up the floorplan allowed us to build sun-drenched rooms and more usable spaces for entertaining and hosting. The new wood beams were one of our favorite design features that we added to the home. The beams are custom made and are designed to work with the new custom millwork and flooring. We wanted to do a modern take on the wood beams that you would typically find in older homes. After the developer's renovation, this home was left with no original details, so creating modern light wood beams was essential to honoring the home's historic character.
Storage was key for our clients, as they are parents and wanted to hide clutter. We maximized storage space by adding a clever and discreet custom storage unit. We designed custom cabinets in a rift-swan white oak and used natural materials that lend an indoor-outdoor vibe. Our clients wanted a space they could use for entertaining, so we used natural materials into the construction and redesign of the home to give the space a sense of flow. Now, the home feels very airy and light-filled, with a luxurious yet minimalist aesthetic, while also being child-friendly. The custom millwork that flows from the kitchen to the lounge is beautifully interconnected and integrated with the large glass wall and windows. The space feels like you're outside in the summertime, but the wood gives it a warm feeling in the winter.
As parents, we know how much clutter can accumulate with children, so we wanted to incorporate lots of clever, custom-made storage solutions for the homeowners. When implementing storage solutions, we study our client's behavior to figure out their most used items and how they move around their home. Hiring an interior design company and pursuing an interior design and home renovation is a big commitment, and we ensure that our clients are not only comfortable in their homes, but that their storage and interior design solutions are fully optimized and functional.
For any great host or avid chef, the kitchen is the star attraction of a home. Our client's existing kitchen was very dated and dark, and had zero natural lighting. A big risk we took when expanding the first floor was to remove the powder room and back exterior wall to create an open sense of flow in the home. We designed a beautiful custom kitchen and expanded the usable space by removing the back wall and adding an oversized false wall and sliding door. We increased the functionality of the kitchen by expanding out and adding custom millwork, which serves as a pull out closet. This makes the space feel massive and also gives the staircase less exposure, which helps keep noise from creeping upstairs while their little one is asleep. The renovated kitchen and dining spaces were finished with ultra-sleek light wood cabinetry, brand new appliances, new countertops, and a modern custom light fixture. The beautiful backsplash warms up the neutral palette and adds an eye-catching design element. We used natural materials that create an indoor-outdoor exchange for an airy and light-filled space. The kitchen blends luxury and minimalism, while eliminating clutter through clever storage solutions.The end result is a soothing, 900-square foot kitchen that evokes Scandanavian charm and simplicity.
One thing to take note of when renovating your home is to be extra cautious of all of the materials and finishes that you use. For example, matte is very important to our design aesthetic. If you are working with light woods and a tonal palette, it always looks more refined in a matte or satin finish. We try to avoid gloss as it strays from our "less is more" aesthetic.
Our combined commercial interior design background, interior architecture, and modern furniture designenables us to think outside of the box and ideate forward-thinking results for our clients. There's so much work that goes into the interior design, interior architecture and home renovation process, and we put our blood, sweat, and tears into this project. Everything we do is done with intentionality, and we pride ourselves in our mantra of purpose-driven design.
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