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White-and-Wood Makeover for a Brooklyn Pied-à-Terre
A custom dining banquette, cerused-oak kitchen cabinets and gallery-white walls star in this prewar apartment
A financial analyst, this Minnesota resident regularly travels to New York City for work, so when a prewar apartment in Brooklyn became available in the same building that his brother and his brother’s family live in, he pounced on it. He then brought in designer Anne Brewer to give the apartment a complete renovation. It now features gallery-white walls for his growing collection of art and plenty of custom wood built-ins to provide function and warmth.
The homeowner loves to collect art, sculpture and photographs when traveling around the globe. The abstract oil painting above the sofa here is by Argentinian artist Liliana Golubinsky.
Brewer had a custom cabinet made of white oak built in underneath the living room window. It conceals the radiator and provides storage. The wood floors throughout the apartment are original.
Brewer had a custom cabinet made of white oak built in underneath the living room window. It conceals the radiator and provides storage. The wood floors throughout the apartment are original.
When the homeowner is in town, he likes to host friends and family for dinner, so it was important for the living area to have a seating area and a dining area.
Brewer designed a custom banquette bench with an upholstered seat and a separate floating back that’s attached to the wall. A dining table with an oxidized maple top and a pair of midcentury-inspired dining chairs complete the scene.
Shop for midcentury-inspired dining chairs
Brewer designed a custom banquette bench with an upholstered seat and a separate floating back that’s attached to the wall. A dining table with an oxidized maple top and a pair of midcentury-inspired dining chairs complete the scene.
Shop for midcentury-inspired dining chairs
A new white oak-lined doorway leading to the bedroom conceals pocket doors. “The former space had a sliding barn door, but pocket doors are more streamlined and fit in better with the aesthetic we wanted,” Brewer says.
The minimalist bedroom features a pair of framed black-and-white photographs above the bed that the homeowner bought in London. Black LED articulating wall sconces flanking the bed can be dimmed by twisting the tips. The blue wool area rug visually connects to the blue sofa in the living room.
Opposite the bed, to the left of the door is a built-in dresser with a trio of shelves above. To the right of the door is a built-in desk with another trio of shelves above. “The built-in dresser floats above the floor to make it look lighter in the space,” Brewer says.
The newly renovated bathroom includes a wall-hung toilet and an industrial-style sink. The floor, the tub apron and the lower half of the walls are covered in beige 2-inch-by-2-inch tiles. The shower has limestone tiles on the walls and a custom niche for bathing products.
With all of the white oak used in the living room and the bedroom, the designer felt that adding ebony-stained oak cabinets with a cerused finish in the kitchen would provide an interesting contrast. “Because there’s only lower cabinets and a few floating shelves, the dark wood doesn’t feel overpowering,” Brewer says.
The kitchen backsplash is covered in trendy zellige tiles, and the countertops are durable Pietra Cardosa stone.
The kitchen backsplash is covered in trendy zellige tiles, and the countertops are durable Pietra Cardosa stone.
The former kitchen included two built-in cabinets along one of the walls. Brewer rebuilt one of them with ebony-stained oak with a cerused finish and frosted glass doors. She replaced the other built-in cabinet with a new stainless steel refrigerator. “The old refrigerator stuck out in the room and took up way too much space,” the designer says.
More on Houzz
No Room for a Dining Area? Install a Banquette
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Look for an interior designer
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More on Houzz
No Room for a Dining Area? Install a Banquette
How to Choose the Right Tile Layout
Look for an interior designer
Shop for stainless steel refrigerators
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: This is a pied-à-terre for a single father.
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Size: About 1,000 square feet (93 square meters)
Designer: Lewis Birks
A floating console made of stained walnut in the foyer provides a convenient spot for dropping off keys and other small items. A stool with black steel legs and a raffia seat below the console lets someone sit down to put on or take off shoes.
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