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Studio one bedroom3/19/2023 Refrigerator, dishwasher, and stove: Appliances Connection. Caesarstone countertops in Frosty Carrina: IKEA. Large Edge cabinet pulls in black: Rejuvenation. KITCHEN RESOURCES: Sekton cabinet system & Ringhult cabinet fronts: IKEA. Thank you, Claire and Dan, for sharing your very first renovation with us! Now our new space finally feels like home :) ![]() Be patient, live with the apartment for a while with existing items, and figure out what you need. Don’t feel pressured to decorate everything right after you move in. It’s a dusty business, so live somewhere else during a gut renovation, if possible, and invest in an air purifier and a professional cleaning afterward. Decide on your renovation “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves” and stick with them. We ended up spending roughly 25% more than the original budget since we added change orders to address issues that came up. When you’re renovating, plan on it taking more time and money than you anticipate-there are always unexpected things that happen as you go through the process. They also frequently checked in during the renovation and were available for help as needed. The team hopped on a call to discuss potential contractors and provided useful tips on how to make the hiring decision. I appreciated that the Sweeten team was approachable and knowledgeable about my first-timer renovator questions. Our contractor figured out how to open up the closet wall next to the bathroom and inserted the tub that way. For example, having a soaking tub in the bathroom was very important for Dan since he loves taking baths! Our bathroom door was tiny, so we weren’t sure how the tub would actually get in. My contractor was resourceful in accommodating our various needs and provided honest recommendations on what was feasible or not. It was hard to find things I liked that fit our limited budget! I incorporated interesting textures and colors through decoration and furnishings so it wouldn’t feel too clinical. My favorite part of the renovation was picking materials and envisioning how each of them would look in the space. We went with white kitchen cabinets and tiles, chrome, black hardware, and a red oak floor. Given the apartment’s small size, I used a limited material palette and color scheme-sort of a mix of Scandinavian, Japanese, and Lower East Side flavors. It’s a dusty business, so live somewhere else during a gut renovation, if possible… We were only able to get it in one piece when we picked it up at the store. Fun-not fun- story: we ordered a new toilet online, and it came broken three times in a row. ![]() In addition, we wanted to remove the wall between the kitchen and the living space, fully renovate the kitchen and bathroom, and install new hardwood floors throughout. Though it was challenging to figure out the right door dimensions and make sure the ceiling was even, I think it was a smart investment. ![]() The doors allow us to keep the space open, but we can close them when we have overnight guests or just want some privacy. After a brainstorm with the architect and general contractor, we decided to put in custom sliding doors fabricated by a vendor. We wanted it to feel less like a studio and more like a junior one-bedroom.īecause of Department of Building regulations, our architect said we couldn’t install full walls to divide the space. Our primary goal was some separation between the living/kitchen area and the sleeping space. We knew it would need a complete overhaul. The co-op had been built in the ‘60s and had not been touched-It was ugly. Somehow this apartment showed up in an internet search and met our expectations, so we decided to buy it! We closed in February and lived in our old apartment until the end of June while the renovations were in progress. Often, we’d walk past our current apartment building and joke about purchasing a studio there if we could find a relatively cheap unit to gut-renovate.
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