While navigating the world of rentals, most of us end up settling for one out of three essentials: ideal location, architectural charm, or efficient storage and layout. Then there are those who have crossed into the promised land of owning a home and making it entirely their own. We salute you.
Case in point: This Manhattan apartment. As proud first-time homeowners, the couple who bought it were able to task Gabriela Gargano, founder and CEO of NYC-based Grisoro Designs, with taking the space from a one-out-of-three (it was a classic prewar West Village brownstone with poor storage and an outdated layout) to a trifecta.
Given the clients’ fondness for hosting, Gargano knew the key to unlocking their dream space was transforming the kitchen. At the outset, though, there were challenges: the overall lack of cupboards, a closed-off and inefficient floor plan, and outdated appliances and cabinetry.
Of course, this being Manhattan, there was no room to increase the kitchen’s footprint. Instead, Gargano transplanted a small entry closet that had been hogging space to the living room, and relocated the refrigerator in order to open a kitchen wall to the dining room (thereby introducing dinner-party–ready counter seating with shallow cabinets underneath for glassware).
In order to maximize every inch of the 120 square feet, Gargano went custom with flat-face white and Prussian blue cabinets that span floor to ceiling and house an integrated counter-depth refrigerator and microwave, in addition to clever built-ins like a spice rack and waste bin. The finishing touches came by way of soft gray two-by-six-inch Fireclay tiles, arranged vertically to accentuate the room’s height, and brass hardware from Lewis Dolin in a wide range of sizes tailored to the shape and function of each cabinet or drawer.
If this kitchen makeover is any indication, the couple’s apartment has attained that covetable triple-threat status. Location? Check. Style? Check. Storage? Check, check, check.
Check out more fresh kitchen ideas:
The Coolest Countertops We’ve Seen Lately Are Blue Marble
I’ve Renovated Over 30 Kitchens—This Is My Top Tip for Remodeling on a Budget
32 Barstools That’ll Take Your Kitchen Island to New Heights
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