These clever designs place everything at your fingertips

Cabinets are the building blocks of your kitchen; where you place them determines the layout of your space. Whether you love to cook or simply need a spot to store your snacks between Seamless meals, planning storage to meet your needs is a smart move. From semi-custom to fully customized solutions, these five Sweeten homeowners took cabinet design to the next level.

The tall, skinny drawer for storing cutting boards in Ainsley and Simon’s custom kitchen island is easily accessible at an arm’s length away for meal prep or setting out cheese and crackers for guests.

Inspired by Martha Stewart, this couple added a toe-kick drawer beneath the lower line of custom cabinets in their Brooklyn kitchen, increasing the overall amount of storage space without altering the floor plan.

Among the many storage solutions in Kate and Saul’s kitchen, the couple installed Lazy Susan turntables within the corner cabinet to store large bowls and serving trays.

Melissa and Blake love to cook and entertain friends so these pull-out drawers nestled within the semi-custom cabinet are perfect for their collection of pots and pans.

When an open-plan design shrunk the amount of available cabinet space, this homeowner tucked a pantry into a spot alongside the fridge with a floor-to-ceiling pull-out rack, taking advantage of every inch.

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Check out Cabinet Ideas to Boost Your Kitchen Storage for guidance on planning your kitchen’s cabinet configuration.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Kitchen Storage in Motion appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

Tile and gold finishes reveal old-school charm in Manhattan

Project: Reverse a bathroom’s outdated look on the Upper West Side

Before: Leah, a lawyer in the finance industry, bought her prewar one-bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side in 2007. She spent almost three years living in the apartment before embarking on a kitchen renovation in 2010. She also redid the floors. “The decisions I made after really living in the space were just better—how I moved in and out of the kitchen, how the rooms communicated with each other,” she said.

The projects were exhausting, so she took a break even though the bathroom was disjointed from the rest of the apartment, with its beige tones and frumpy ’70s aesthetic. It also had a dropped ceiling for seemingly no reason, which cramped the small space. She started to look into a possible renovation in 2015. “I backed away because it seemed like too much to take on,” she said, but in 2017 she took the plunge and posted her project on Sweeten.

After: Leah envisioned something that was reflective of her co-op building’s beautiful foyer with its marble and clean look. “I think letting the space speak for itself was my design,” she said. She found her contractors through Sweeten, a free service connecting homeowners with vetted contractors, and they set out to raise the ceiling. “We didn’t know what we were going to find,” Leah said. With no pipes or any obvious reason why the ceiling had been dropped, they were able to raise it again.

She selected classic subway tiles for the walls and a marble top for the vanity. With the floors, the Sweeten contractors made a reassuring discovery—the original tiles were still underneath and matched the new creamy hexagon tiles Leah had chosen. It was a confirmation that her design choices were in line with how the bathroom was originally meant to be.

While Leah had set out with white and silver tones, she made a last-minute decision to add gold fixtures. “I wanted to add warmth,” she said of the 11th-hour choice. And the process was far less taxing than she had anticipated. She was in daily communication with her Sweeten contractors, who helped solve problems and helped her make those nuts-and-bolts decisions, such as how far up the wall the tiles should go. “It was a very collaborative process,” she said.

Bonus: Leah decided early on where she would save money (her tile choices) with her budget and where she would spend more lavishly. Because of the small space, she decided on a custom bathtub. It took six weeks to make in South Carolina. “Every bathtub that was standard was made for bigger spaces,” she said. “I needed something that fit my dimensions.” The shower enclosure and tub combination became a showstopping centerpiece of the bathroom and were well worth the wait.

Style finds: Casa Vogue porcelain wall tile in glossy Snow White, hexagon floor tile, and white chair rail: Kohler. Bathtub: MTI Baths. Shower and sink fixtures in French Gold: Kohler. Empire Windsor vanity: Kitchensource.com. AiO Cabinet and mirror: Robern. Vanity light fixture: Restoration Hardware. UltraMax toilet: Toto. Glass surround: Alpha Glass.

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Kasey restored the prewar charm of his Murray Hill apartment, aiming to reflect the traditional design of the building and block.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Bathroom Restores Its Prewar Beauty appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

A couple with different design styles makes a happy home

When this young couple was ready for their next-step-up home, they found a place midway between her work and his. With the help of their Sweeten contractor, Chong and Adam found a way to make their renovation a smart compromise between her love for modern design and his love of traditional. Plus, they got the additional space, updated appliances, and right-height storage they needed—step stools no longer required.

Chong and Adam were ready to ditch the small one-bedroom, railroad-style apartment they were renting in Jersey City. Eager to put down more permanent roots, they looked for homes in Fort Lee, NJ—a good midpoint between his work in central New Jersey as a business analyst and her job at a molecular biology lab in Manhattan. They found a 1,090-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo on a quiet, pedestrian-friendly street in a well-maintained high-rise built in the ’60s.

The building had kept up with modern times, but the unit needed updating: kitchen appliances, while functional, looked to be from the ’80s and some of the bathroom fixtures could have been not-so-hip ’60s originals. The living spaces were in better shape but had cracks in the walls and peeling paint that needed to be fixed.

Chong said that for years she read “with envy the various home blogs and design sites, one of which was Sweeten,” a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors. She daydreamed about having her “own home and a kitchen with ample counter space and height-appropriate storage.” She wondered if she would forever store pots and pans in the oven and have to keep a step stool in the kitchen to reach the upper cabinet shelves.

Wherever they went while house hunting, the couple always talked about the possibilities of renovating. As soon as they closed on their condo, Chong said, “I posted our project to Sweeten and was matched with our contractor. From our first meeting, we were on the same page as to how to bring the unit out of the ’60s and ’80s. We loved his energy and creativity, and also felt assured that Sweeten had done the legwork for us in checking his credentials and reviews of past work.”

They arrived at their first meeting with lots of ideas. Their contractor, Chong said, “allowed us to make the design decisions and focused on the nuts and bolts of how to make it all happen. Aesthetically, I favored simple lines with a touch of an industrial feel, while Adam liked warm, traditional finishes.”

They wanted to slightly enlarge the footprint of the kitchen. At about 8’x8’, it was not very large, and a floor-to-ceiling pantry blocked natural light from the living room. In the small space, a standard-depth refrigerator made access to the pantry awkward and there was limited counter space.

They opted to tear down the pantry and put in a peninsula, adding about a foot of space along its length. The peninsula addition forced a change to the kitchen’s entry, so they cut a portion of a hallway wall and redirected some electrical lines and a light switch. Drawers in the peninsula solved storage issues from the loss of the pantry. And now they had easy access to frequently used items, storage for pots and pans, and “most importantly, little need for a step stool,” Chong said.

Much of the layout for the rest of the kitchen remained the same, save for the position of the new French-door style, counter-depth refrigerator. They selected Shaker-style cabinets in neutral gray, a compromise between the darker cabinets that Adam favored and her desire for a lighter color palette. To keep the cooking space bright, they chose quartz countertops with gray veining, floor tiles in light gray, and brass cabinet pulls.

There was a challenge to the floor plan since the kitchen wasn’t level with the rest of the space; the contractor had to do some research so he could raise the kitchen floor. “He did a great job of making it seamless without the need for any transition pieces,” Chong said.

The two bathrooms were easier in terms of design, but the plumbing and electrical changes were more extensive behind the walls. Once the updates were made, the bathrooms came along quickly. The guest bathroom was set in a traditional style, while the master bath would be a little more modern. “We love the minimalist handles and how the handles and the glass doors together make the bathrooms look larger,” Chong said.

In the rest of the apartment, some of the walls were repaired and plastered with new baseboards and fresh coats of paint were applied. With the new kitchen and light fixtures in brass and gunmetal gray, the couple decided on Benjamin Moore Distant Gray, “which appears as a cool-toned white in our space,” Chong explained. They removed all of the old carpets and discovered parquet floors. “We liked the original walnut color, so our Sweeten contractor simply screened (removed the old finish without sanding) and coated the floors with a satin finish,” Chong said.

Altogether, the renovation took about four months from the day they signed a contract with the contractor to the date of final inspection. “Considering how he was limited to the work hours and days set by my building’s management, he kept to a good pace,” Chong said.

While there were no major surprises or roadblocks, she and Adam moved into the apartment about halfway through the renovation. During their overlap, Chong said, “Our contractor, ever the gentleman, was very accommodating and respectful of our privacy and comfort.” Now, after a few months since the renovation’s completion, “Adam will say out of the blue, ‘I love our place.’ And I really do, too.”

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Oxford Linen Ice porcelain tile floor tiles: Floor and Décor. Shaker-style kitchen cabinets in charcoal gray: Hanssem. Oberon cabinet hardware: Amerock. Cabinet pulls: Amerock. Misterio polished countertops: Pental Quartz. Bright White Ice backsplash: Floor and Décor. Cardale faucet: Kohler. LG refrigerator: Home Depot. Kenmare dishwasher: Home Depot. Maytag range: Home Depot. Collier lighting: Hinkley.

GUEST BATHROOM: Festival White and Black Dot Octagonal porcelain floor tile: Floor and Décor. Bright White Ice ceramic wall tile: Floor and Décor. Delta Greenwich hardware: Home Depot. Moen Kingsley faucet in chrome: Lowe’s. Ellenbee Collection sink/vanity: Lowe’s. Allen + Roth Winsbrell lighting: Lowe’s. Mirror, storage, and cabinets: Lowe’s.

MASTER BATH: Festival White Herringbone porcelain floor tile: Floor and Décor. Festival Pure White Glossy ceramic wall tile: Floor and Décor. Delta Greenwich hardware: Home Depot. Kohler Ellison faucet: Home Depot. Style Selections Drayden Gray sink/vanity: Lowe’s. Allen + Roth Kenross lighting: Lowe’s. Kohler vanity mirror: Lowe’s.

LIVING SPACE: Distant Gray paint: Benjamin Moore. Academy flush mount ceiling light in the foyer: Hinkley. Theory pendant ceiling light in the dining room: Hinkley.

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Kate and Matt took on a kitchen renovation in Jersey City and found creative ways to make the railroad-style floor plan work for them.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A New Jersey Condo Gets a Bright Side appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

SUBWAY TILE

(TOP) Hari and Kaity’s bath (BOTTOM) Katie and Lance’s bath

In Hari and Kaity’s bath, white subway tile is perfect for a dressed-down look. If you want something more modern, like Katie and Lance, a beveled edge adds interest. Standard subway tile costs around $2-$3 per square foot; the beveled edge variety costs around $4 per square foot.

GLAZED CERAMIC TILE

(TOP) Lauren’s shower (BOTTOM) Meredith’s bath

Glazed ceramic tile makes a bold statement. In Lauren’s shower, the subtle tile provides just enough contrast and exudes a spa-like sense of calm. A wash of blue glaze gives Meredith’s wall tile a unique watercolor effect. If you’re looking to add some glazed tile to your space, expect to spend around $9 per square foot.

HEXAGON TILE

(TOP) Nikki and Chris’ bath (BOTTOM) Lia and Chris’ bath

In Nikki and Chris’ bath, a black hexagon tile with white grout grounds the design and gives it a modern vibe. But this tile also has a softer side, as seen in the Carrara marble version in Lia and Chris’ bath. Porcelain hexagon tile starts around $10 per square foot; marble begins around $15 per square foot.

PENNY TILE

(TOP) Alicia and Ed’s bath (BOTTOM) Rachel and Michael’s shower

Penny tile is a classic option that gives off major vintage vibes. It works as floor tile in Alicia and Ed’s retro-inspired bath and transforms into a waterfall mosaic in Rachel and Michael’s shower. This kind of tile can cost as little as $5 per square foot for white porcelain and up to $10 or more for colorful mosaics.

BASKETWEAVE

(TOP) Tina and Fletcher’s master bath (BOTTOM) Tara and Mike’s bath

Basketweave is truly old-school, but it’s been making a steady comeback. It feels surprisingly modern as part of the minimalist design in Tina and Fletcher’s master bathroom. In Tara and Mike’s bath, the tile lends itself to a more traditional look without making the space feel dated. Lower-end options like porcelain cost around $8 per square foot; high-quality marble begins around $30 per square foot.

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But wait, there’s more! We’ve got plenty of floor tile inspiration for your bathroom renovation.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post 5 Popular Bath Tiles and How Much They Cost appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

With a realistic reno budget in hand, you’re one giant step closer to your dream space

Brooke and Paul’s Pelham renovation

Moving into a new house—or realizing your home hasn’t kept up with your lifestyle—can make renovation feel like a path to reinvention. Creating a budget for that planned remodel is unique to every project; the many variables range from your own taste for materials and workmanship to changes in layout or moving plumbing or gas lines, all of which factor into the equation.

Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors, has compiled a general guide to costs across Westchester County, focusing on four renovation categories: kitchen, bathroom, basement, and permits. Keep in mind that every professional contractor will want to have a detailed conversation and inspection of your home before developing an estimate specific to your needs and wants.

Cost per square foot

It’s no secret that Westchester County, with its close proximity to New York City, is one of the pricier areas when it comes to real estate. That is also reflected in the cost of renovations, according to Sweeten contractor Gregory. Many of the projects he has worked on in the area that involve multiple rooms or a gut renovation start at around $250 a square foot. “The cost can go upwards of $500 a square foot,” he said. “This usually applies to one or more specialty trades, such as architects or engineers, and insurance costs which adds to the overall budget.” Choice of material will also affect the cost per square foot.

Similarly, a higher cost stems from the quality and experience of the skilled workers the contractors hire for the project. “Costs for construction vary based on experience, which increases for a higher-end result,” says Sweeten contractor Chuck. “A presentation representing the finished product—design and organizing, scheduling, and advising on the materials—is a service that adds to the budget.”

Kitchen

Remodeling’s Cost vs. Value report puts a typical mid-range kitchen renovation at $320 per square foot or $64,000 total, as an average for the New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania areas. These figures are based on a 200-square-foot kitchen with laminate countertops, a standard sink, and faucet with an energy-efficient range, built-in microwave, and ventilation system. It also includes a garbage disposal, custom lighting, and resilient flooring such as vinyl, linoleum, or cork.

For Majid, a Sweeten contractor who works in Westchester, a low-end kitchen remodel costs around $40,000 for 150 square feet, or about $260 a square foot. This gets you, among other things, value-for-money appliances, semi-custom cabinets, and granite or quartz countertops. Projects on the higher end of the scale can tally up to $200,000, according to Majid. A large part of that cost can be the cabinets, with one client recently spending $50,000 on fully custom European cabinets.

Bathroom

A mid-range bathroom in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey will cost on average $20,000, according to the Cost vs. Value report, which is $570 a square foot for a 35-square-foot bathroom. This includes a recessed medicine cabinet, a standard toilet, solid-surface vanity counter, and a porcelain-on-steel tub. Bathroom renovations can cost less if the majority of materials come from big-box stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot.

That same report put a high-end bathroom renovation and expansion at $63,249, based on a bathroom expanded from 35 square feet to 100 square feet. It worked out to be $630 a square foot; this is in line with budgets for some of the high-end bathrooms Majid has worked on, which have cost around $70,000. With that budget, clients are looking at faucets that can cost $2,000 apiece, marble flooring, custom vanities, built-in medicine cabinets, a rain shower, and top-of-the-line lighting fixtures. At times, those pricey finishing materials can amount to half the budget. Whether it is low-end or high-end, a good general contractor can work with a reasonable budget and strategize how clients can get what they want.

Basement

Sweeten contractors have worked on basement renovations that cost anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000. For Majid, a basic basement remodel can cost as little as $50 a square foot, which works out to be about $40,000 for an 800-square-foot space. The elements that could bring up your budget include adding a toilet or a shower, as well as any work that needs to be done to bring the room up to code. Some town regulations might require two forms of egress or natural light (by adding a door or a window) or a certain ceiling height, which means digging down and lowering the floor. An average basement conversion in the New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania areas is $75,000, according to the Cost vs. Value report. The project for this size budget includes a 20×30 foot room and a 5×8 foot bathroom with a shower and a bar area as well insulation and laminate flooring. This example project works out to $117 a square foot.

Permits

The cost of permits changes from town to town in Westchester County. However, typically the cost will be determined by your budget and require a bit of high school math to figure out. For example, in Pelham, building permits cost $250 for a project costing under $5,000 plus $12 per each additional $1,000. In Scarsdale, building permits cost $255 for a project costing between $10,000 and $50,000. For projects budgeted over $100,000, a permit costs a flat fee of $1,755 plus $14 for each $1,000 or fraction over $100,000. In Katonah, permits cost $14 for every $1,000 of a budgeted project, while in Hastings-on-Hudson, the fee will cost $17 per $1,000 of the estimated construction cost.

These figures provide a jumping off point for your Westchester County renovation budget. On the (more fun) planning side, Sweeten’s Renovation Checklist offers you a downloadable roadmap to organize all of the moving parts of a renovation including laying out your “must-haves” and “nice-to-haves.” Once you post your project on Sweeten, we’ll match you with multiple excellent contractors who can provide their expertise and estimates, then stay involved until your project is completed.

Having a reasonable budget range from the start means fewer headaches and a smoother path to the home you’ve always wanted.

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Find out how long it takes to renovate a typical kitchen or bathroom renovation and become familiar with each step in the process.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Home Renovation Costs: Westchester County Edition appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

This clean and crisp look is anything but boring

Before: Two weeks after closing on a Tudor-style townhouse built in 1926—with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and 1,800 square feet of living space—the homeowners decided that the kitchen renovation would have to happen sooner rather than later. The sense of urgency was propelled by the fact that many of the appliances didn’t work. There were also the ‘70s-era finishes to consider; dark brown cabinets, beige countertops, and vinyl flooring. Planning a gut renovation, the homeowners decided to maintain as much of the existing layout as possible. On the list of must-haves were new cabinets, fresh tile, and updated appliances.

After: Ready to renovate, the couple posted their project on Sweeten and were matched with this general contractor. The original placement of the sink under the window made sense, but the placement of the cooktop and double oven—on opposite sides of the kitchen—was inefficient. Plus, with the dining room next door, the built-in dining nook was unnecessary and took up valuable real estate.

Although storage wasn’t an issue, the couple decided to add a line of cabinets to the right wall to match the line of cabinets on the opposite side, bringing symmetry to the kitchen layout. White, Shaker-style cabinets were installed along the upper line with a set of gray cabinets beneath them. The backsplash was replaced with white subway tile that reaches the ceiling for a seamless appearance while slate floor tile adds rich contrast to the overall neutral palette. The finished space also received the much-needed (working!) new appliances, including a range.

(During above) Demolition uncovered the back of the side door, which is no longer in use

Bonus: A panel disguises the door of the dishwasher, keeping the lower line of cabinets unbroken by a bulky appliance, and one of the upper cabinets was forfeited in exchange for wine storage. Cheers to a job well done!

Style finds: Kitchen cabinets with Bodbyn paint: Ikea. Viatera Minuet countertops: LG. White subway tile: Home Depot. Slate floor tile in brushed black: Altivo Pedras. Sink: Ikea. Faucet: Delta. Refrigerator, stove, and microwave: KitchenAid. Dishwasher: Miele. Paintable wallpaper: Graham and Brown.

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Remodeling in Westchester? Check out our Kitchen Renovation Costs: Westchester Edition to plan your budget.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Shaker-Style Simplicity in a Westchester Kitchen appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

Comfort and resale prompt a new chapter in downtown Manhattan

Ten years ago, Saul and his brother won the lottery. The housing lottery, that is! The prize: a one-bedroom apartment with a terrace in one of New York City’s famed Mitchell-Lama apartments near Manhattan’s South Street Seaport. (As an affordable housing program started in the mid 20th century, Mitchell-Lama housing ensures that many New Yorkers are able to remain in the city on moderate to middle incomes.)

At first, Saul and his now wife, Kate, lived in the apartment. When the couple left New York, Saul’s brother moved into the apartment with his family. Initially, they didn’t do much to the space, making only cosmetic improvements, updating the carpets, adding some window blinds, and changing out some bath fixtures. Fast forward a decade and the apartment had seen a lot of wear and tear.

When Kate and Saul discovered last year that they would be returning to New York for their jobs—Saul works for a political consulting firm and Kate in international development—they realized that a full renovation was in order before they could live in the apartment again. Saul’s brother, who now has two kids, had long outgrown the space. The kitchen cabinets were falling off their hinges, and the carpets and blinds had not aged well. The bathroom also needed a thorough update. The floors and walls needed to be refreshed. They were also thinking ahead to the eventual resale.

In the period since Saul and his brother obtained the apartment, the building’s residents had voted to privatize the corporation. Existing residents were given the option of putting in some additional funding in order to buy into the now market-rate, privatized co-op building. This meant that homeowners would eventually be able to sell the apartment on the open market, and when they went to do that, it would be important to have a renovation that could facilitate resale.

With all of this in mind, Kate and Saul posted their project on Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with contractors, at the suggestion of a co-worker after they experienced a false start with another contractor who did not understand how to navigate co-op board approvals. Kate admits that they were “not at all good at creative endeavors…it’s hard for us to even hang a photo!” So they knew that they needed some guidance.

Getting to work with their Sweeten contractor, they decided on a clean, subtle palette for the apartment. Kate loves color and pattern and had wanted to incorporate a lot of both, but after talking it through with their contractor, and with resale in mind, she decided that color could be added in less permanent ways. Changing the plumbing locations or adding too much electrical weight to the apartment weren’t options, given its age and their construction timeline. However, good visual flow from room to room was important, and more than anything, the couple wanted a simple, comfortable space for friends and family to hang out.

As they began, a few hiccups slowed their progress. The building’s strict requirements meant jumping through multiple hoops for approval, which took months, but their contractor was key in getting them through this process. Next, as they embarked on demolition, workers uncovered asbestos in the floor tiles of the living room, which then had to undergo a full remediation that took two months. The Sweeten contractor addressed these issues as quickly as possible and got them back on track.

In October 2017, the couple moved back to New York and into the apartment. The renovation was not quite done: they didn’t have a door on the bathroom and the kitchen was not yet finished. Their only working sink was in the bathroom. But the contractor worked to complete the kitchen 10 days after they moved back in.

The wait was well worth it: Kate loves the look of the custom cabinets and was thrilled with the useful storage solutions. They not only have a built-in silverware drawer, but also a corner Lazy Susan and a pull-out spice rack! The contractor made some minor adjustments to the footprint of the kitchen, removing an old broom closet opposite the refrigerator to make room for a new dishwasher. The other appliances, swapped out for new models, remained in the same spots as their predecessors.

In the bathroom, a gray vanity is set against white subway tile with black accent tiles and a patterned floor. The look is simple but very New York, befitting a downtown apartment. In the rest of the apartment, a light-colored hardwood replaced gray carpeting and subtle colors provide a calming backdrop for an escape from the city streets. All of the closets received makeovers, courtesy of the Sweeten contractor’s father, who happened to be a millworker and walked through the apartment with Kate to sketch out her vision of how the closets could be made more practical. Last but not least, they removed the popcorn ceiling and applied three coats of skim coating and painting. The walls also received basic sanding prior to painting. “The ceiling was really a miraculous transformation,” Kate reports. “It totally changed the look of the apartment.”

Looking back on the process, Kate shares that she had no experience with design and no background in home improvement, so she was not at all prepared for the work and time it required on a daily basis. She also realized that, as a homeowner, you need to be prepared to explain exactly what you want so that the contractor and his team can execute it: “They aren’t mind-readers!” She met with them each day during the construction to discuss options and make decisions.

Now that the interior of the apartment is done, they are ready to turn their attention to their coveted outdoor terrace in the city! When that time comes, Sweeten is ready to help them “sweeten” their outdoors, too.

Thank you, Kate and Saul, for sharing your special New York City homecoming story with us!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Heritage Mills Vintage Hickory engineered flooring in natural: Home Depot. Custom Shaker-style cabinets: E-Wood Cabinetry. Chantilly Lace cabinet paint color: Benjamin Moore. Cabinet hardware: Home Depot. Quartz countertops: Royal Stone Cabinet & Tile (Flushing, Queens). Fusion Random Strip Ice backsplash tiles: Tiles Direct. Under-mount 30-inch sink: Kraus. Essa Collection kitchen faucet: Delta. KitchenAid microwave hood combination: P.C. Richards. KitchenAid range: P.C. Richards. KitchenAid refrigerator: P.C. Richards. KitchenAid dishwasher: P.C. Richards. Lighting: New Generation Lighting.

BATH RESOURCES: Merola Tile Osaka glossy white floor tile: Home Depot. Jeffrey Court Fresh White 3×6″ Ceramic Field wall tile (and the corresponding black tile): Home Depot. Delta Silverton Collection towel racks, sink faucet, toilet paper holder, shower fixtures: Home Depot. Kohler Tresham Mohair Grey vanity: Home Depot. Kohler Tresham vanity top: Home Depot. American Standard Cadet toilet: Home Depot. Lighting: NY Lighting (Bowery, Manhattan). Kohler flat edge 15-inch recessed medicine cabinet: Home Depot.

LIVING SPACE RESOURCES: Heritage Mills Vintage Hickory engineered flooring in natural: Home Depot. Mobile Chandelier in dining room: West Elm. Closet shelving and doors: Custom by Sweeten contractor.

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Thinking of relocating in the future, Heather and Doug renovated their South Slope condo with resale in mind, focusing on their kitchen and bath.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post An Affordable Housing Co-op Hits a Reno Lottery appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

Get your hammers ready

For the uninitiated, renovating seems like a big deal; the many steps involved in a kitchen or bathroom remodel can make even the most excited homeowner hesitate. But a well-executed project can make both a positive impact on your day-to-day life and your home’s resale value. Plus, you don’t have to face it alone! Below, these first-time renovators took the plunge with Sweeten by their side.

The kitchen in Sophia and Leon’s newly purchased 3-bedroom unit needed to be gutted, but the couple had concerns about staying on budget…a gut reno sounded expensive! Their Sweeten general contractor guided the newbie renovators in making budget-friendly decisions, advising on what to keep (appliances that were in working condition) and what to replace (farewell, dated cabinets). Although the prospect of a gut renovation was daunting, Sophia was delighted with the results AND the money they were able to save, and said: “This was a great first-time renovating experience and we’re so happy in our new home!”

The idea of buying her first home and remodeling the bathroom felt overwhelming to Christine. But a long search for the right space changed her mind. “No place is going to be everything you want it to be, so why not budget some remodeling in and make it what you want?” Christine said. She posted her project on Sweeten and was matched with a general contractor whose past work had a similar aesthetic to the look she hoped to achieve: minimalism with a warm and cozy vibe. “My Sweeten contractor was so easy to work with and made things stress-free.” Her advice to first-time renovators? “Be ready to laugh when things go wrong. And go wrong again. It’ll be worth it when you are enjoying your renovated space, I promise.”

When it came time to choose a general contractor for her kitchen renovation, Amanda wasn’t sure how to decide between bids. A phone call with her Sweeten client services contact helped her compare bids, considering the pros and cons of each contractor and how they stacked up as a potential fit for her project. The guidance gave Amanda the confidence she needed to make the right decision, getting her renovation off to a great start. Her contractor’s close attention to detail allowed him to quickly resolve issues, enabling them to finish the job within the one-month timeframe. Amanda’s advice to other first-time renovators is simple. “Trust the contractor! He knows what he’s doing and how long it’ll take to do it.”

When Felix decided to add a powder room to her apartment and renovate the existing bathroom, a Google search led her to Sweeten. New to the idea of renovating, Felix kept changing and updating her project for about a year before she was ready to start her renovation. Her Sweeten general contractor was patient and willing to jump in whenever she needed him. “That was really why I went with him,” Felix said. “He stuck with me through the procrastination!” From that point onward, everything was smooth sailing. In the end, Felix described the overall renovation process as “surprisingly easy.”

After being stuck in a “contractor no-man’s-land,” receiving bids from handymen whose skills didn’t meet the requirements of the job and contractors who were only interested in larger projects, Anne and Michael came to Sweeten. “We posted the project and the budget and got serious responses from contractors specifically interested in a project of our size,” Anne said. “Our contractor helped us source appliances, counters, and backsplash tile, which we found really helpful as first-timers.” Their advice: “It’s such a cliche, but it’s going to take longer than you think.”

Matt purchased his first home, a 360-square-foot apartment in Park Slope, in July 2013. Over the next few years, he saved up to renovate the bathroom. “I wanted a complete bathroom renovation not only to feel better about the space, but also as an investment,” he said. Matt found Sweeten and posted his project, working with the client services team to guide his decision-making. He remodeled his bath, creating a clean and refreshed space with plenty of storage. “Because this was my first renovation,” he said, “I was a complete novice to the process. I’m grateful to Sweeten because they gave me the confidence I needed to get started.”

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Read about five couples who moved in with their partners and renovated for the first time.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post First-Time Renovators Share Their Stories appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

The expert guide for city dwellers who are seriously on the house hunt

You’ve been eyeing the possibilities of having a lawn, an extra bedroom, and maybe even a man or woman cave. When you go to look at houses, you come back to your apartment feeling just a little bit more cramped.

It’s exciting to think of buying a house. New spaces and new neighborhoods present new possibilities. But what does it really take in terms of cost to transition from an apartment to a house and what can you do to get on the right path from the start?

Let’s begin with the basics: Your fixed costs will be your property tax, mortgage, and insurance. Then there are the unplanned scenarios with maintenance, mechanicals, and energy as the main areas of focus.

To improve your return, you’ll want to be on the lookout for potential runaway costs. Here’s how you can reduce your unknowns even before you close.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN:

You own the whole enchilada

It can be a rude awakening when your pipe bursts, and instead of calling the super, you’re the one standing in the water waiting for the plumber to come. A house means responsibility for the whole structure, not just a piece of it. If something goes wrong, whether it’s the foundation, roof, supports, or siding, it can be costly, as well as time-consuming, to deal with it.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Consider the age of the home and all the components

That 1890’s house with the period details and original woodwork is so seductive, but while you are swooning, note the ages of the roof, boiler, siding, etc. and also the replacement costs. Underestimating the replacement costs and schedule can leave you utterly unprepared financially.

Consider this true story: a pair of homeowners bought a big Victorian with great bones at a steal of a price. Sounds like a great investment in theory. But when it came time to replace the slate roof two years later, they discovered that each 20-foot-square area would cost $10,000, or $120,000 for the whole surface, which turned their good investment on its head.

To reduce your risks, make a list of all major components, their ages, their expected lifespan, and whether they are in or out of warranty. Doing this before deciding on a home to purchase will make your comparison of potential homes as investments much more informed!

WHAT CAN HAPPEN:

Size matters

Big, Mediterranean-style homes with parlors and bedrooms galore can make apartment dwellers green with envy. But the bigger the house, the higher the energy and maintenance costs. Also, freestanding houses have more sides to maintain than townhouses and are more expensive to heat, cool, and keep up.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Get data on energy costs and make a plan

What does it cost to heat and cool the home you are looking to buy? Energy costs are one of the major costs that homeowners have every month. For example, if the house you have is running a 40-year-old gas boiler with shoddy insulation and window-unit air conditioners, the energy costs will be very different from a well-insulated home with a new energy-efficient HVAC system. Energy costs will vary according to season and climate, of course.

It’s a good idea to ask for ballpark energy costs from the current owners and also do your own research given the type of heating and cooling units and square footage.

Learn the lifespan and replacement costs of your energy-related components, including the windows, skylights, heating and cooling systems, insulation, and type of energy used. What can you plan to upgrade that will pay for itself? Homeowners often have a lot of opportunities to make strategic energy upgrades because improving energy systems have a direct effect on lowering costs, making the return on investment higher.

Energy efficiency upgrades have some of the highest returns on investment of any home improvement project.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN:

Quality counts

Are you considering buying a brand new house? You may very well pay zero in home maintenance during your first year and get years and years of use out of your roof, HVAC system, water heater, and appliances. Compare that with a home that is 50 years old where the mechanicals haven’t been replaced recently and you’ll see a very different outlay of cash for maintenance in the early years.

Be aware that over time, quality matters much more than age. A solidly built home will beat a shoddily built home any day of the week in terms of return. It’s best to take age into account when figuring out your costs but look at the overall quality of construction as well, especially if you plan to remain in the home a while. A new home that is poorly made may be less expensive initially, but you could really pay down the road if there are structural issues due to poor construction or you have to replace a lot of the finishings and details because corners were cut on quality.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Don’t skimp on home inspections

It’s standard practice to have an inspection of the home before you close on it. The timing for inspections and extra due diligence differs among states. In some states, due diligence is done after a contract is signed during an agreed upon time period, and in others, it occurs before a contract is signed. It’s best to consult a local real estate agent to get an overview and get advice from a real estate lawyer in your area.

Be aware that some inspectors are more thorough than others and different types of homes have different kinds of potential issues. Each house will be viewed based on their own issues. You should always be at the inspection; don’t have your real estate agent go instead of you. A regular home inspection can take anywhere from 20 minutes for an apartment to an hour and a half for a large property and home.

It’s best to ask around for an inspector who is known to be notoriously tough and thorough. Usually, your real estate agent can recommend one. And always rely on the buyer’s agent (your own) for the recommendation, not the seller’s agent!

Next, figure out what the major risks are for the particular type of home you are buying. A home inspection consultation will cost $200-$500.

For example, old brownstones often have issues with cast iron sewer pipes running under the home and out to the city sewer line. Having the pipes thoroughly inspected could save you a $40,000 cost later on if the basement needs to be torn up and pipes replaced.

In another example, a quick, visual inspection may not detect termite damage if there is no exposed wood to examine in a completely finished basement. A more thorough termite inspection could save you a huge repair cost that isn’t generally covered by homeowners insurance.

A home inspector doesn’t do a full inspection on a chimney, and if having a fully functional chimney is important to you, it might pay to have it inspected, as it can often cost between $10,000-$15,000 if bricks have to be reworked and repaired. An inspection can make sure the brick inside the chimney isn’t crumbling and that smoke is being discharged properly for around $300.

If you are looking at a property that has a well, consider getting it thoroughly inspected to determine the depth of the water table and the quality of the water. There can be contaminants in the groundwater that could affect your health as well as the resale value of your property in the future. This costs $325 on average, but you can also pair it with a septic inspection and get it all tested for around $500 on average.

Even if you don’t have a well, you might consider having the soil tested for contaminants if you have reason to be concerned about possible environmental hazards. Land that has had industrial uses in the past, fracking, and other situations, such as being located near the former site of a gas station, could pose a hazard to you and your family, affecting your health, causing expensive remediation, and affecting the resale value of your property. Testing costs $400 and up, depending on the complexity of the testing.

While a home inspector will look at the foundation and note the type of construction, they won’t be able to tell if there’s a problem. A foundation engineer can tell if it is faulty or potentially unstable. Repair can run in the tens of thousands of dollars, so if you suspect foundation issues—compromised by flooding or possible unstable ground conditions—paying the relatively low fee for a foundation inspector, around $300-$400, can save you a lot of money and headaches.

Seriously reconsider the purchase if any of the following turn up:

• Major roof issues
• Major construction quality issues
• Termite damage
• Soil contaminants
• Other environmental issues such as water quality
• Foundation issues
• Previous property flooding

The point is, don’t be shy to ask for additional inspections! In extremely competitive markets, it can be tricky as bidding wars and cash-only offers with no inspection contingencies can be de rigueur. Even so, try to protect yourself as much as possible by looking for and identifying potential issues as best you can. You are not being unreasonable; you are protecting your investment.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Nice yards need work

You may have big dreams of rolling around on your expansive lawn, but it’s good to be realistic about the amount of time, effort, and money it takes to landscape (hint: a lot). Those Japanese Feather Oaks and mulched flower beds do need regular tending and new homeowners often underestimate the maintenance involved to keep even a small yard weed-free and looking lush.

Insurance that fits your needs

Homeowners insurance isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. Because you are responsible for a whole building as a homeowner, read through your declaration page carefully and ask a lot of “what happens if” questions. Look for insurance that covers the full replacement cost of the home, since mortgage companies sometimes require you only cover the loan amount. Be sure to cover the full 100% of the replacement value of the building to protect your share.

Also consider how much liability insurance you feel comfortable having if someone were to slip and fall on your walkway or get bit by your giant, yard-guarding Rottweiler, for example.

Once you have the skinny on the expected costs, you can do a more accurate comparison when deciding between two properties. Home buying is an emotional decision, but that doesn’t mean you can’t also have a great financial result for your next chapter!

Nicole Hamilton is the author of Avoid the Money Pit, Turn Your Home into a Financial Powerhouse, and the founder of Homeownering, an independent and unbiased resource for homeowners to get great financial outcomes.

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If you’re in the market for a townhouse, take a look at our guide on purchasing and renovating one.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post So You Want to Own a House? appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

Jen and Luke reinvent a Harlem bath with (many) helping hands

Project: Turning a leaky bathroom into a modern space in Harlem

Before: The condo Jen and Luke purchased two years ago was in move-in condition. It had everything they needed, including the extras—central air, washer and dryer, dishwasher, ice maker, and garbage disposal. But, as it turned out, it also had a poorly laid-out bathroom that caused them nightmares. They had an interior architect friend who helped with the design, but they posted their project on Sweeten to find their contractor.

For a decade, Jen, a senior managing director of a residential real estate firm in Manhattan, and Luke, who works in IT for a women’s fashion and accessory house, had been subletting an apartment. When the owner decided to sell, they searched close to their neighborhood and found a 948-square-foot apartment in an 1892 factory building that had been converted to condos.

The master bathroom was the one dark spot on their otherwise sunny horizon. Apparently, there was a leak in the shower pan, which was causing the light gray marble floor to turn brown, yellow, and pink. “When we purchased the apartment, we didn’t realize that the shower was previously repaired for a leak,” Luke said. “But the repair hadn’t addressed the cause of the leak, which was the shower pan itself. We took this as a sign to renovate our bathroom.”

After: They contacted their friend and interior architect Irene Kang. “We could not have done this without her help,” Luke said. Kang suggested a minimalist design “with cool colors that maximized the space and had a lot of storage.” As a real estate professional, Jen used her expertise as well. “Bathrooms are personal,” she said. “Sometimes apartments don’t sell due to bathrooms since they are one of the most expensive rooms to renovate.”

They decided to go with neutral colors and plan to hang art to make the space personal. Aside from the shower pan issue, they needed more storage space. Irene suggested large cabinets inset into a wall shared with the master bedroom closet. “I knew that there were approximately four to five inches of space on the interior of the drywall,” Luke said. “Knowing this and the depth of the cabinets, I was able to figure out that they would stick out only four to five inches into the bathroom itself, which would not get in the way.”

At first, they weren’t sure where they could find something that would meet their needs. They found themselves at the Kohler Experience Center in Manhattan. “We described our idea, and Caroline [Hughes, their sales rep] suggested looking at the Robern line of cabinets,” Luke said. “We did, and that was it.” Now two cabinets measuring 70” tall x 15” wide and 8” deep sit side by side. “They were expensive, but worth it,” he said. In the end, their Sweeten contractor just had to frame it out and cut out a wall stud. “It was simple,” Luke said. To add to the storage, the contractor created a shower niche, while the size of the vanity increased from 36” to 60” wide.

Between Irene, the Sweeten contractor, and Caroline, “we had lots of help with design decisions,” Luke said. “We made all of our selections, including tiles and fixtures, in one afternoon.” Jen adds, “The prices were reasonable and they can help you get non-Kohler items too. They made it super easy.” Their favorite finds are the medicine cabinet above the sink and the LED mirrors.

The biggest challenge was living in their apartment during the renovation. “We have a one-bedroom, two-bath space and the master bath was undergoing the renovation,” Luke said. “We were subject to mold, mildew, and construction dust, despite the best efforts of the contractor to keep everything clean. He did a superb job of keeping our space livable, but some things you cannot escape unless you have a ventilation system.”

Their contractor focused on small details too, such as selecting the threshold saddle for the shower and hiding the tile edges with aluminum molding. “He helped with the design and function every step of the way,” said Luke. “Sweeten was in constant contact in case we needed help,” said Jen. “Since Luke has project management experience and has worked in furniture factories, we didn’t require the attention that others might. But it was comforting to know they were there when needed.”

All the support is what gave them the bathroom that they envisioned. “You’ve really got to listen to your designers, the store people, and your contractor,” Jen said. “Don’t be afraid to tell people what you want, but if they offer an opinion, listen. The client is always right and they will do what you want, but they know what will look good in years to come.”

Style finds: Floor and wall tile: Sourced by general contractor. Hardware, all shower fixtures, sink/vanity, vanity mirror, Robern storage cabinets: Kohler Experience Center. Shower fixture: Hansgrohe. Super White paint: Benjamin Moore.

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Built-in cabinets add a wall of storage in this Morningside Heights bathroom.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Team Effort on a Bathroom appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

Two architects draft a colorful co-op in Brooklyn

With a baby on the way and an energetic dog named Alfie, Terri Lee and Brett Appel needed a larger apartment. The couple had a design advantage from the start: Brett runs his own custom residential architecture practice and Terri works for one of the largest architecture firms in New York. They wanted to find something that they could gut renovate and design to their own specifications. Being in the business was a plus as they turned this rundown co-op into something they could call their own.

(Befores) Living room (left), bedroom (right)

The 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom, one-bath apartment was in an 82-unit co-op in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. It was in terrible condition, which made it easier to rip everything out and redesign the apartment exactly the way they wanted. They found their contractor after talking with friends (one of whom is also an architect) who had used Sweeten and ended up using the same contractor.

When Terri and Brett posted their project on Sweeten, they were upfront about the existing conditions and scope of work. They wanted a contractor who would tell them whether the work could be done within their budget, or if they needed to scale back. “Fortunately, we found the right contractor who was very happy to work with us so we could get everything we wanted,” Brett said.

The couple’s design vision was to combine shades of gray with natural wood to make the home seem as bright and large as possible without being too monotone. “We also didn’t want the renovated space to compete with our brightly colored furniture,” Brett said. Their primary objective in terms of gaining space was to add a second bathroom, which they achieved by rearranging the bedroom doors and reducing the size of the hallway closets.

The entry foyer was a bit of a challenge. It’s two steps above the living room and contains the dining space, which was small. They relocated the steps down to the living room from the center to the side and replaced the guardrails with a continuous double-sided built-in bookcase custom-designed by the contractor’s millworker. The raised platform was extended to create a larger dining space, while the closet expanded for more stroller storage. New wide-plank European oak engineered flooring was installed throughout.

When they found the apartment, the existing walls were plaster—probably at least 60 years old and poorly done. “One of the walls in the living room was so uneven and bumpy, it looked like it was made out of pillowcases,” Brett recalled. They ultimately decided to fur out the walls–a process to construct a new wall in front of the old one. “We attached 1x3s to the existing wall and then put new sheetrock on those. We lost a little space (about 1 1/2″ per wall), but this saved us about $6,000,” Brett said. The other option to straighten crooked walls would have been “demolishing the plaster and lathe, placing new studs, and then new sheetrock,” which would have been more expensive and time-consuming.

The master bedroom closet was reframed to function as a walk-in. Other details included the custom radiator covers in the bedroom and living room, crafted by the millworker; leftover stone from the kitchen counters was used for the radiator sills.

Terry and Brett designed these covers together. The existing radiators had an old painted steel cover that had not weathered very well. The millworker made the slatted fronts on removable clips so the radiator could be accessed for maintenance. The new millwork needed a top/windowsill but the couple decided that painted MDF would not last very long. Brett had to purchase two slabs of stone for the kitchen to cover the countertops and backsplash. There was a lot of leftover stone that easily fit the sills.

“We didn’t have a lot of flexibility designing the kitchen and bathroom layouts. It had to be ADA-compliant since we rearranged everything,” Brett explained. They focused on finishes. In the kitchen, they imagined the countertops and backsplash as the “feature” elements with everything else as the background, “which is why the floors and cabinets are all different shades of gray,” he said. The couple loves unique, natural stones and found that quartzites have the most movement and veining, which worked well with their gray cabinets.

(Above) Master bath

Both bathrooms were made to seem bigger and brighter by making the walls white and using marble tile in the master and subway tile in the guest. In the master bath, Brett said, he “had some fun connecting the shower niche with the existing windowsill.” Terri scoured the Internet to find an aquatic-themed wallpaper for the guest bathroom. Wood shelves were incorporated in each to provide a little warmth.

Brett was most excited about the new rain shower in the added bathroom. “All of my previous apartments—for basically my entire life—only had a bathtub, so it feels very luxurious to shower in a large glass box,” he said.

Before the renovation, Brett had wanted to test out Sweeten’s service to see if he would recommend it to his own clients. After this experience, he said he would. “We didn’t need much assistance from Sweeten because I have experience managing projects like these professionally, but I felt reassured knowing that Sweeten would be able to assist if any serious problems came up. Luckily, our contractor was great and we didn’t have any issues,” Brett said.

After their daughter, Dylan, was born in 2018, “Terri and I are perpetually impressed that we were able to design the apartment exactly to our needs,” says Brett. “Our families come over frequently now and we love that we were able to add a second bathroom. It really helps make ‘our’ space feel more private.” As an architect couple, they worked well together. “It helps to come up with a central concept or theme at the beginning,” Brett said. “There will always be disagreements but we could then ask ourselves ‘does this fit our initial vision’ and make a decision together.”

Thank you, Terri and Brett, for sharing your renovation journey with us!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Porcelain floor tiles: Price Stone. Custom cabinets: Interiors Palace. Base cabinets in Cement Gray: Benjamin Moore. Upper cabinets in American White: Benjamin Moore. Cabinet hardware: Atlas Homewares. Quartzite countertops and backsplash: SMC Stone. Sink: Franke. Faucet: Grohe. Fisher & Paykel refrigerator: Designer Appliances, Dishwasher: Bosch. Range: Samsung. Dioscuri ceiling light: Artemide.

MASTER BATHROOM RESOURCES: Porcelain floor tile, marble wall tile: Price Stone. Shower fixtures and faucet: Grohe. Vanity: Miseno. Toilet: Toto. Theo 6″ wall sconce lighting: Cedar and Moss. Medicine cabinet: Kohler.

SECOND BATHROOM RESOURCES: Porcelain floor tile, matte subway wall tile: Price Stone. Shower fixtures and faucet: Grohe. Vanity: Miseno. Toilet: Duravit. Theo 6″ wall sconce lighting: Cedar and Moss. Medicine cabinet: Kohler Experience Center. Wallpaper, People’s Underwater World in Graphite pattern: Hygge & West.

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: Flooring: PID Floors. IC/Air 3 ceiling fan: The Modern Fan Co.

MASTER BEDROOM RESOURCES: Classic Gray paint color: Benjamin Moore.

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These architects designed and renovated their own homes with the help of Sweeten.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post When Pros Design Their Family Home appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

Simple ideas for the cook space deliver a big impact

If you value a calm, clutter-free space to do your cooking, consider the sleek and minimalist approach of the modern kitchen. The formula is simple: flat-front cabinets, integrated appliances, and little visual interruption. If that sounds like a recipe for a room that feels cold and empty, think again. Here are six kitchens by Sweeten homeowners that combine personal touches with clean lines and carefully edited design.

In Marissa and Cody’s kitchen, an all-white backdrop of IKEA cabinets and a matte hexagon tile backsplash create a neutral base while the wood-paneled island and oak flooring add a touch of warmth.

To create a seamless look, Lauren swapped her range for a cooktop, nestled within the quartzite countertop, and oven, disguised with paneling to match the surrounding blue cabinets. White floor tile in the kitchen visually separates the space from the dining and living room.

Opening up the ceiling and exposing beams allowed Lia and Chris to bring an unexpected industrial element into their kitchen. Another refreshing detail: horizontal cabinets that echo the bold lines of the ceiling. To tie the look together, the existing hardwood floors were sanded down and brushed with a soft matte gray finish.

Kate and Arthur took the opposite approach to the standard white kitchen and opted for black cabinets, matte black backsplash tile, and soapstone countertops. A black sink basin completes the monochrome look.

To amp up the brightness in their windowless kitchen, Tara and Ryan chose glossy white cabinets and matched their backsplash to their countertops. The original Corinthian column lends character to the space.

Alicia and Ed streamlined their kitchen design with gray, flat-front cabinets and a seamless white countertop that continues in a waterfall edge. A few, thoughtfully placed items along the counter keep the space from feeling sterile.

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Want to learn how to create a seamless kitchen? Read our blog post on integrated design.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Modern Kitchens Bring the Warmth appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

With smart adjustments, a kitchen makes the most of its small footprint

Project: A rip-and-replace galley kitchen on Manhattan’s Upper East Side

Before: When Deborah bought her 1-bed, 1-bath co-op on the Upper East Side in 2015, she inherited an outdated kitchen that was decades past its prime. The white appliances and cabinets showed their age, and the Formica counters were no better off. A big, boxy refrigerator felt awkward in the compact layout. Eager for a redo, she posted her project to Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted contractors, and planned a renovation.

After: A dramatic yet classic kitchen remodel in black and white renewed the small space. On the floors, a black, white, and gray geometric inset pattern—or what some call a “tile rug”—is surrounded by a glossy black border. The rest was redone in shades of white in contrast to the darker flooring. Her Sweeten contractor widened the doorway and designed a set of French doors to match the existing ones at the entrance to the living room. A transom window above lets in plenty of light into the interior dining area.

Custom light gray cabinets that go all the way to the ceiling are paired with Caesarstone Calacatta Nuvo countertops and a white glass tile backsplash. “The high cabinets give me a ton of storage space,” said Deborah. Glass cabinets line only one side because “two utility meters had to be hidden behind solid cabinetry on the other side over the sink area,” she said. Under-cabinet lighting helps to brighten up the workspace.

Given that it would have been very difficult to obtain approval to move plumbing fixtures, Deborah’s Sweeten contractor left the appliance hookups in place but replaced them with appropriately-scaled versions. The new refrigerator is counter-depth and a new 18-inch dishwasher frees up more storage space. The bulky AC unit is now discreetly tucked away behind a modern custom wood panel.

Bonus: When the kitchen entryway was widened, it made the original lights off-centered, so Deborah’s contractor designed a floating box from which the two pendants hang that hides the wiring.

Style finds: Mosaic Geo Cold floor tile insert: Nemo Tile. Noir St. Laurent floor tile border: Nemo Tile. Polar Star cabinet paint: Valspar. Calacatta Nuvo countertops: Caesarstone. Tohmai Cambas glass tile backsplash, 2” x 20”: Complete Tile. Kitchen faucet: Signature Hardware. Liebherr CS1200L refrigerator: AJ Madison. Dishwasher, 18-inch SPE53U55UC: Bosch. Dual Fuel Slide-In Range, 30-inch HDI8045U: Bosch. Pendant lights: Pottery Barn.

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After a small kitchen remodel, the original warm wood cabinets in Nancy’s apartment take center stage.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Pretty Entry for a Classic Kitchen appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

A Manhattan couple chooses to reinvent vs. relocate

With a little one in the plans, Rachel and Marco needed to renovate or move out from the Greenwich Village apartment they loved. Turning a two-bedroom into a three-bedroom took careful planning, but after years in their home, they knew just what they needed to do to create a flexible yet sophisticated home that would accommodate everyone. The couple came to Sweeten, a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors, to modify their duplex for a growing family.

Guest post by Greenwich Village homeowner Rachel

This is our first home, which we bought about six years ago just after we got married. When we were planning to expand our family, we knew we had to renovate or move. There was enough square footage, but we needed more distinct rooms or spaces. The apartment is a duplex co-op in Greenwich Village, built in 1910. There are only 40-something units and six floors in the building and everyone sort of knows and looks out for each other. We love Greenwich Village so much and I really wanted to have the experience of raising a baby here. So, we renovated!

Living here for so long before the renovation was really helpful since it gave us plenty of time to think about the best possible use of the space. We had a two-bedroom, two-bath, but wanted another bedroom for a baby. The old layout didn’t really work for entertaining, either—the kitchen and dining room were upstairs while the living room was downstairs. Marco and I also wanted our own personal spaces within our home for his hobbies and for my closet/office. Overall, we were looking to create a comfortable family home that met everyone’s needs.

Our apartment is set back from the other units in our building and I always think of it as a hidden gem—a colorful, fun place where you could see a little girl growing up, sophisticated yet flexible enough to accommodate events like playdates and parties. We posted our project on Sweeten, which connected us with our general contractors, who were really amazing. On top of being creative problem solvers, they were incredibly nice guys.

The top floor would be a combined kitchen/dining/living area, so the kitchen needed to be functional but also beautiful enough for a dinner party. We hid most of the appliances behind paneled cabinets; an “appliance garage” and snack storage were organized inside hallway cabinets outfitted with marble countertops. When we have family-style dinners, we set up the self-serve dishes and bar in those spaces. So, yes, you’re in a kitchen, but it’s also an elegant dining room.

I cook a lot and was so excited for the stove. I wanted one of those fancy French stoves that come in custom colors, but they are so expensive! I found this one from Big Chill, which is a U.S. manufacturer, for maybe one-third the price. (They also do custom colors.) The cabinet color was chosen to match the stove, so this appliance is “hidden,” too. We wanted something different from the typical all-white kitchen that would also complement the light wood floors. This almost-black shade is just a little more interesting than plain black. It took lots of trips to Benjamin Moore for swatches!

We put a lot of thought into maximizing space and brainstorming with our Sweeten contractors. We really pushed them to be creative. I just kept saying, “We need to hide the trash and we need a spice cabinet. Where can we do it?” I wouldn’t let up! The answer was wrapping the cabinets around the pillar and also where the lower cabinets end, which created a finished look. There were other details: I don’t think you can go wrong with big molding. I chose the largest size I could find for the ceilings, doors, and floors! It makes a big difference for not a huge cost.

There were a few challenges such as the flooring, which was supposed to be a light wood with a matte finish. I had an image in my mind of exactly what it should look like. Unfortunately for everyone, it took a couple of tries to get it just right, including completely refinishing the downstairs floors more than once. I blame the baby hormones!

Then there was the fireplace, which was very old and nonfunctioning. Our contractors figured out that it wasn’t even capable of working; it was a faux fireplace that took up space for no reason. They removed it, and we gained floor space.

We also needed to make brand new brick match with brick from 1910. Our contractors came up with a solution that was even better than what we had imagined. We repaired some portions, which was very expensive, and painted the wall solid white, stripping that paint off layer by layer to create the current washed effect. That helped to blend the new and (very) old brick.

The bathroom needed updating, too. It was really old with a weirdly-shaped, very deep, mini tub. I still don’t know why it was like that. We installed a beautiful regular-sized tub and shower tile I had seen in another project our contractors had done, which I loved. I pushed hard to put in a double-wide mirror, even though there were a lot of issues with making a recessed cabinet fit the space. I’m glad I persevered because it makes the room so much bigger.

Marco and I have always believed in having our own spaces. We divided what used to be a huge bedroom into two separate spaces to create his office and my closet. Marco needed his own space where he could work on his hobbies without driving me crazy! He likes to do things that create dust and noise and play his music really loud. He works hard during the week, so he should have a place to do that! The office is actually soundproofed so he won’t wake the baby.

Throughout the process, Sweeten was great; they continually checked in with us. I knew I could go to them if there was ever an issue with our contractor. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you need to pick finishes in person whenever possible. It’s really difficult to imagine what crown molding, counters, or other elements look like on a computer screen.

Thank you, Rachel and Marco, for sharing your renovation journey with us!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Kitchen cabinets: Showplace Cabinetry. Black of Night cabinet paint color: Benjamin Moore. Cabinet hardware: Lewis Dolin. Sink and faucet: Newport Brass. Refrigerator: Sub-Zero. Stove: Big Chill. Dining table: ModShop. Dining stools: CB2.

LIVING ROOM RESOURCES: Crown molding: ArchitecturalDepot.com. Sofas: Mitchell Gold & Bob Williams. Rug: AllModern. Bookshelves: CB2.

BATHROOM RESOURCES: Hardware, shower fixtures, and toilet: Kohler. Sink and vanity: Restoration Hardware. White Wisp paint color: Benjamin Moore.

MASTER BEDROOM RESOURCES: River Blue paint color: Benjamin Moore. Arc Floor Lamp: Sit Down New York. Console: West Elm. Stool: Wayfair.

NURSERY RESOURCES: Sun Kissed Peach paint color: Benjamin Moore. Wall art: Johanna Goodman. Crib and upholstered chair: Babyletto.

OFFICE RESOURCES: Baby Seal Black paint color: Benjamin Moore. Closet system: California Closets.

WALK-IN CLOSET RESOURCES: Closet system: The Container Store.

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A Greenwich Village loft gets a bright and airy makeover.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Duplex Renovated for a New Role appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

Semi-custom, Shaker-style cabinets by Elias Woodwork with full overlay doors in Anne and Michael’s kitchen

When shopping for cabinets, your lifestyle, plus the materials available, will guide and influence the appearance of your cabinet doors. Do you like the traditional Shaker-style door with its raised frame and crisp edges? Or a sleek flat-front contemporary panel? Are your kids opening and closing doors all day with sticky fingers? Or is your kitchen the entertaining hub of your home, one that you like to keep looking neat for visiting friends and family?

Just about any style of door panel you choose will offer a range of finishes, many of them protective. Your selection process will begin with the door material, as it takes the brunt of the action, swinging open and shut all day, every day. Here’s what you need to know to make an informed choice.

Construction and door styles

Cabinet doors attach as a cover to the storage compartment they serve to conceal—typically, a box made of wood, plywood, or a wood composite. Construction offered by manufacturers, along with price, is defined by three categories:

Custom Semihandmade cabinet doors in Becky and Sarah’s kitchen

Stock

Doors and their boxes come in a limited range of standard sizes. Boxes and doors tend to be made of MDF (medium density fiberboard, which is a composite of sawdust or wood fibers with resin to bind it) and covered in thermafoil, veneer, or laminate. Available from large retailers like Home Depot or IKEA, these cabinets can be good quality but are also the thriftiest choice. Prices vary across the country, starting at about $60 per linear foot and rising to a few hundred dollars, depending on any features you add. Most major manufacturers have a stock line. You may think that there are no options for customization in this category but some brands do offer upgrades such as glass doors or a selection of molding.

Semi-custom

A greater range of sizes and styles according to the manufacturer’s offering. Boxes may be constructed of MDF or plywood. Solid wood doors should be part of the selection, along with MDF and veneers. Expect to pay $90 per linear foot and upward, depending on what organization features or finishes you add on. Find this category at some home centers as well as independent kitchen showrooms that carry national brands offering both semi-custom and custom, such as Wood-Mode, Wellborn, or KraftMaid.

Custom

Built to order to exact size specifications. Boxes tend to be a higher-quality plywood and doors are solid wood in a range of species. You may be able to find custom cabinets for under $200 per linear foot, but since everything is made to order to your exact dimensions (and will take longer to arrive at your doorstep, as much as three months, compared to five to six weeks for stock or semi-custom), the price rises considerably. You may pay as much $500 per linear foot and into the thousands for special woods and exterior details. Custom cabinetry is also available from national retailers, such as Poggenpohl, Bilotta, and Henrybuilt.

Most commonly, the door is a flat panel, a raised panel, or a slab front. What’s the difference?

A raised panel has a raised rectangular-shaped center and the surface surrounding it is recessed, creating a frame-like appearance. The raised center may be surrounded by other detailing, such as a beveled edge, and/or an arched top, providing a traditional appearance, like antique cabinetry. This style looks beautiful with painted or stained finishes that play up the three-dimensional qualities.

A flat panel is three dimensional as well, but the center panel is recessed (though still flat) and framed by two stiles (rectilinear panels at either side) and two rails (panels at top and bottom). This construction is not simply decorative. It was developed (hundreds of years ago!) to keep the door shape stable with fluctuating temperatures and moisture. Popular examples are Shaker and Craftsman style. You can also find some additional variation, with a glass insert that replaces some or all of the center panel (much like a true divided light window), or a beadboard center panel for a country or cottage effect.

A slab front is made from a single piece of material—solid hardwood, MDF, or a wood veneer. Because it is one surface with no corners or recesses to capture grime, it is easy to keep clean with the swipe of a cloth.

Slab front custom cabinets with full overlay doors in Lauren’s kitchen

Application of different door styles

The style of your kitchen cabinetry doesn’t stop with the door design. How the door lays on the box also affects the overall appearance; it’s another decision you will have to consider.

Full overlay: Doors (and drawers) cover the front of the cabinet box; hinges are hidden.

Partial overlay: Doors cover just a portion of the face frame; hinges remain concealed.

Inset: Doors are flush with the face frame of the cabinet box; hinges may be concealed or exposed.

Door materials

Are you warm to wood or is a sparkling white kitchen more your craving? You can find a vast variety of looks in budget, high-end, and luxury cabinets. The rarer the material—think, solid wood—the greater the price tag. Here’s a quick guide to materials from lowest to highest price:

Custom cabinets with a walnut and mahogany veneer and inset doors in Kim and Ian’s kitchen

MDF

As described above, MDF or medium density fiberboard is manufactured under high pressure and temperatures by combining wood fibers with a resin binder to create door panels as well as the cabinet box. Because this type of material can be manufactured efficiently from wood byproducts, it’s typically the material for stock cabinets. It takes well to paint. Manufacturers will offer different glaze options to apply on top of the paint, so you can still achieve a custom look for a stock price.

Thermafoil

This refers to a scratch-resistant surface that is thermally glued and vacuum-sealed to MDF. It’s an option in the stock category and great for a lifestyle where the kitchen sees a tremendous amount of activity since it’s easy to maintain. Color choice is limited to white or linen.

Laminate

You know this term from laminate countertops. With cabinets, it’s still a resin-saturated printed paper (commonly a high-res photographic representation of wood) fused to a particleboard or MDF core to create the panel. This offering is available in the stock category.

Veneer

You can have real wood door panels for less than the price of solid wood if you opt for veneer. The wood surface here is less than a quarter of an inch and wrapped around an MDF panel for stability—good for areas with high humidity. The risk here is that if the wood is chipped or dinged, you will see the synthetic core, and it can’t be satisfactorily repaired; however, if your cabinets don’t see a lot of hard use, this is a well-priced option in the stock category.

Solid wood

This is the high-end or luxury category for cabinet doors. Each panel is unique, like the tree it was milled from. The big decision here is what species of wood. The most common are oak, maple, hickory, and cherry. All are hardwoods with a natural beauty and all take stain or paint well. Woods that are prized for their natural color and grain, particularly hickory and cherry, shouldn’t be painted.

Maple is a very hard wood, with a finer grain than oak, so it’s a good choice if you want a perfectly smooth finish for paint and/or glaze. With a clear finish, it takes a contemporary look, and with a deeper stain, it becomes more traditional.

Birch and ash are also durable hardwoods good for kitchen cabinets with more pronounced grains. You may remember pine from your grandma’s days. You can still find this classic, and its knotty grain has a rustic appeal, but as one of the softest woods, it will dent more readily than other species.

As you survey the landscape of kitchen door panels for your cabinets, be sure to ask for samples. You may even be able to borrow a door panel from a local showroom. As with any investment for your home, you will want to try it out before you commit!

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Can’t decide which cabinets are right for you? Read about the differences between semi-custom and custom cabinets.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Kitchen Cabinet Door Materials and Costs appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

Sweeten seeks dream home—Kids’ Edition

Renovations are usually left to the wishlists of the adults in the room. In the spirit of Mother’s Day, Sweeten is asking young artists, ages 4–13, to weigh in:

If you could draw your dream home, what would it look like? Swimming pool in the kitchen or a treehouse above the garage? Anything goes!

Scan and send your entry to us by May 20 to blog@sweeten.com; artwork will be featured on our blog.

Here, an example of the ideal home by young artist Luca, age 8. Click here for a downloadable PDF. Happy sketching!

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Thinking of renovating? Download our Renovation Checklist to get a head start on planning.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post If Kids Could Renovate… appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

When one spot isn’t enough, here’s how to stash your stuff

In a studio apartment, closet and storage space is scarce. Your only options for keeping everything in your home are being surrounded by your stuff 24/7 or adopting a minimalist lifestyle and ditching most of your belongings. Neither are perfect solutions. Instead, reimagine the closet, not as a single space where you keep everything, but as multiple spaces throughout your home. Take inspiration from five resourceful renovators who came to Sweeten—a free service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors—and see where things can go in a small space.

A low wall of cabinets in Matthew’s bedroom is the perfect storage alternative to the missing closet, providing ample clothing and shoe storage. Aligning the top of the built-in with the lower half of the window not only keeps it from making the room feel smaller but—voilà!—he now has a window seat.

Square footage was limited in Lauren’s tiny kitchen, so she took a blank wall and loaded it up with storage for a hidden pantry and fridge—plus, a coat closet! Tucking everything out of sight provides an uncluttered and sophisticated look.

The lack of closets in Kim and Ian’s studio meant that they had to get creative when it came to clothing storage. A custom walnut cabinet in the bedroom area with a mahogany finish takes advantage of empty wall space and adds some visual interest.

In Ying’s studio, she took the average closet build and turned it inside out, adding cabinet storage, shelving, and drawers along the perimeter of the main living area.

Miguel’s bedroom had a new entryway, but no closet space whatsoever, so he designed a custom sliding door that doubled as wardrobe storage.

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Can you make studio living more comfortable? We think so! Carve out spots in your home for working and dining.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor. 

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post Studio Apartments: The Secret to Storage appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

How a home can achieve top-notch energy efficiency

Renovation project by Sweeten architect Elizabeth

You’ve heard the term “passive house” to describe a home that needs almost no help from HVAC equipment to heat or cool itself. Its temperature and comfort are adjusted via passive rather than active mechanical systems. For example, it might have large south-facing windows next to a room with a floor of dark stones that absorb the sun’s heat and retain it for hours to produce warmth in the winter, and sophisticated shading to keep the stones, and the room, cool in the summer.

Building or renovating using passive house principles can reduce energy costs by 80 to 90 percent when compared with standard buildings—saving the owners money, reducing the carbon footprint of the building, and making the house more comfortable. That’s good news!

The path to reaching those savings calls for professionals with expertise in building techniques that are more exacting and often different from standard practices. Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors and architects, offers an overview of achieving maximum home efficiency and comfort when it comes to construction.

Passive house techniques

These projects start with designs that are geared to the local climate. Sophisticated computer models are used in an attempt to get energy use down near zero. Here are elements that are common to new construction and renovation projects:

Super insulation: Passive houses contain much more insulation than standard houses. Where a standard well-insulated house may have R-38 in the ceiling, passive houses routinely have R-49 to 80. Walls can have R-40 or higher. (The R-value refers to the ability of insulation to resist heat flow; the higher the number, the better the insulation.) To reach those levels in a brownstone while preserving the look of the exterior, Sweeten general contractor Isaac says contractors must add new framing inside the building.

Tight construction: Buildings using this technique are extremely airtight, so there is very little infiltration of outside air or loss of inside air that has been heated or cooled.

High-performance windows and doors: While double-glazed windows are the most common energy-efficient windows used in standard construction, triple-glazed windows with energy-efficient coatings are common here.

Ventilation systems: Because the buildings are so airtight, mechanical ventilation is necessary to control moisture levels and maintain good air quality. The systems contain energy-recovery systems so that outgoing air can either heat or cool incoming fresh air.

Solar gain: Windows are sized and oriented so that they can use the sun’s energy for heating in the winter. Roof overhangs help shade windows during the summer.

At the outset, expect costs to be about 10 to 15 percent higher than standard renovation costs. Fortunately, the high-tech materials and techniques usually mean smaller heating and cooling units can be used.

“But passive house is about more than just energy efficiency,” said Isaac. “When you step into a passive house, it is very quiet. If you are not getting air from outside, you are not getting much sound, either. And because the air is filtered, it is very clean. It ends up being a nice way to live.”

Retrofitting your home

Most passive house projects are new construction, but renovations can retrofit an existing apartment or house. These types of remodels require a full-scale commitment to saving energy. Most are complete gut-to-the-exterior-walls projects to accommodate high insulation levels and other passive house techniques. EnerPhit is the certification program for retrofit renovations, and the requirements are less stringent than those for new construction.

Renovation project by Sweeten architect Elizabeth

“Townhouses and brownstones are good candidates,” said Sweeten contractor Isaac, who has been involved with passive renovations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. “They have these massive walls all around and there are usually other houses on either side, so there is already an advantage in controlling heating and cooling.” In addition, basements in a brownstone are so packed into the city infrastructure, little heat is lost into the ground. “You’ll only need to focus on the roof and the short, exposed end walls of the house,” said Sweeten architect Elizabeth. “Add in triple-paned windows, a lot of insulation, and air sealing, and you’ll have an energy-efficient success.”

For individual apartments within a larger building, “you can build an airtight envelope around your unit and make it separate from the outside and the rest of the building,” said Anthony, a contractor with Sweeten. “Pack in as much insulation as you can and wrap up the apartment all the way around.”

You may encounter problems with building regulations if you want to make changes to the outside of the building, such as installing high-performance windows that don’t match what is already there. The same applies to buildings with landmark status. Anthony says that in theory, custom covers to hide the window frames might be a solution. This would have to be worked out with the condo or co-op board.

For the standalone house, all four sides of the house, the attic, and the basement need to be considered. “You need to create an awesome building envelope—high on insulation and low on air leakage,” said Elizabeth. “All of the windows will need to be replaced with a ton of insulation in your attic and roof, which, by the way, is great if you need to replace your roof anyway.” She adds that while it may cost a lot in the short term, many people consider it worth it. “Often when we are doing deep energy retrofits to existing houses, we are getting them a long way towards passive house but not quite all the way,” explains Elizabeth. “This is usually where we find the sweet spot financially. We are spending just enough money to save the homeowners a substantial amount of money on heating and cooling costs.”

A homeowner can use just about any passive house technique because EnerPhit is a performance standard that depends on how the house performs overall, not how individual components perform. “If you can make the envelope extremely airtight, you may be able to compensate if the windows are a problem,” explained Anthony.

The story behind passive house

While passive building is becoming more popular, it’s not entirely new. Its concepts were used as far back as the 1980s in the U.S. The ideas were refined and honed in Germany and other parts of Europe and the movement regained momentum here in the past 15 or so years.

A number of international, national, and local organizations have formed—there’s a New York Passive House association and the Passive House Institute US, which conduct research, write standards, and certify architects, contractors, and other professionals. Third-party certification ensures the building will save the amount of energy predicted by the original design.

When compared with the overall building and renovation industries, projects using passive house concepts make up a small percentage of the whole. But as more and more people become aware of the benefits, products and building techniques used will no doubt make their way into the standard construction practice in a bigger way.

If you are looking to retrofit your home to passive house standards, these Sweeten general contractors are passive house-certified and can get you on your way to living efficiently with lower costs.

Sweeten architect Elizabeth

Sweeten general contractor James

Sweeten general contractor Anthony

Sweeten general contractor Isaac

Sweeten general contractor Rich

Sweeten general contractor Jon

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Renovating your entire home is an exciting opportunity, but what does it cost? Find out in our cost guide on budgeting your renovation according to square footage.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Guide to Passive House Renovations appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

A soothing white palette leads the way in this refresh

Project: A rip-and-replace bathroom in Yorkville, Manhattan

Before: Deborah purchased this 1-bed, 1-bath co-op apartment and within a year, she could no longer live with the old, grimy tiles and outdated look, so she turned to Sweeten. Her Sweeten design-build firm went to work freshening up the space (she redid her kitchen as well; see results here). The goal was to modernize the small space with new fixtures and finishes while retaining the original footprint. “I wasn’t allowed to expand the existing footprint,” says Deborah, “because my co-op wouldn’t allow a ‘wet space-over-dry-space’ rule.”

When they went to demo the bathroom, the contractor discovered that the waste lines were all sunk into the floor, rather than the walls, where they are usually found. They had to redo them all, which added an additional week to the project for inspections and approvals and an extra cost.

After: A calm color palette provides a serene spot to get ready for the day. White subway tile and a subtle gray paint on the walls are paired with a modern white floating vanity with custom pull-out drawers, which provides more accessible and usable space than traditional doors. The vanity, with ample storage, was a suggestion by her contractor and “meant I didn’t need a bulky medicine cabinet,” said Deborah.

A metal grille cover was created for the radiator. A combination of white-plank open shelving and a glass shelf above the toilet provide plenty of display space for small toiletries. The Sweeten contractor also came up with the idea to add the paneling on the side of the bathtub for a classic look, as well as framing the window in white Thassos marble molding. Topped off with a frameless shower enclosure, the space is functional and beautiful, a major improvement from its predecessor. “My contractor was excellent with design,” she said. “I am thrilled with my new bathroom.”

Bonus: Everyone loves a window in the bathroom, and the Sweeten contractor was sure to frame this one with a waterproof application that would keep the space watertight for years to come.

Style finds: White Thassos Mosaic floor tile and Abecks ceramic wall tile: Complete Tile. Brushed nickel shower fixtures and sink: Hansgrohe. White floating vanity: Plain and Fancy. Toilet: Toto.

See Deborah’s full kitchen transformation here!

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Mary Ann and Frank designed a calmer, less cluttered space for their master bath.

Refer your renovating friends to Sweeten and you’ll both receive a $250 Visa gift card when they sign a contract with a Sweeten general contractor.

Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, and scope, helping until project completion. Follow the blog for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation on Sweeten.

The post A Grimy Bathroom Cleans Up Nicely appeared first on Sweeten Blog.

A major kitchen and bath renovation finally shines

More than a decade ago, Tracey and Brian McFarland bought a home in Pelham Manor, New York. From the start, Tracey wanted to redo the kitchen, and Brian—an architect—had gone through 11 floor plan options for this remodel. Perhaps an occupational hazard when you’re a professional in the field, but, as they tell us, “We needed to strengthen the marriage through a series of smaller tests. First, we did the hall bath, which no guests ever see. Then we did a trial kitchen project at [Tracey’s] family’s country house in the Berkshires. Then we did a bathroom in that house. We’re still married, so we decided it was time to try a more visible project that every guest in our home would see.”

Read on for Brian’s take on how they worked together to renovate their kitchen and powder room for their family. The results are well worth the wait!

Guest post by Westchester homeowner Brian McFarland

We spent nearly 14 years in our house before taking on this renovation. We had talked about it for years, and finally just grew too tired of trying to hold the existing kitchen and powder room together as parts kept failing or wearing out. Really, the kitchen was on Tracey’s list from the time we first made an offer on the house. The property is a 2,300-square-foot home constructed in 1920. It’s not very typical of any identifiable style, but if a realtor were listing it, they’d probably misidentify it as a Colonial.

The flow of the ground floor of our house was a mix of the original ‘20s layout and alterations made in the last 20 to 30 years. Circulation was difficult and space-consuming. Also, the prior kitchen alterations were done with materials that had now outlived their reasonable life cycle. It had always wanted to be re-done and now it finally would be.

When we posted our project to Sweeten, we didn’t have a clear vision of a specific look or style—at least not a consensus. The focus was to simplify and yield more functional space. It was also important to create a working side of the eat-in area of the kitchen with storage and a pantry. We planned to keep the appliances but wanted new countertops, cabinets, floors, and backsplash. In an effort to improve flow, we also knocked down walls in a coat closet area and moved the powder room. Lastly, we planned to close up an exterior door that was never used. We chose this Sweeten contractor for the job with me doing the planning and sourcing of most of the materials, while Tracey handled most of the day-to-day communications with the contractor.

We were most excited about getting rid of the ceramic tile floor. It really was evil. Every time we cleaned it, it got dirtier.

The demolition was scheduled to begin on the first day of our summer vacation. We thought that the Village was going to permit that based on materials that had already been provided to them. We heard from our contractor that he needed signed-and-sealed drawings even to begin demolition. I served as the architect on our project and happened to be in Virginia Beach at the time. I really should have known better. Luckily, being the son of a fireman and a one-time Boy Scout, I’m always prepared for an architectural emergency. What architect worth his eyeglasses goes on vacation without his seal (and, yes, stamp pad) and an external drive with his current projects? After all, nowadays, you can architect from anywhere with an iPhone, Google Maps, and Kinko’s/FedEx.

Blue is Tracey’s favorite color. We went through the Benjamin Moore fan deck looking for blues and expected to do a custom color. It turned out that Omega’s blue stock color for the cabinets was very close to a paint color swatch that we had chosen. We were very pleased to be able to save the extra time and money. Originally, Tracey said she was thinking white upper cabinets and blue lower cabinets with wood floors, but I wanted something more uniform. In the end, we chose blue cabinets for both the upper and lower cabinets, but with a white interior and glass fronts, so we each got a little of what we wanted.

We were most excited about getting rid of the ceramic tile floor. It really was evil. Every time we cleaned it, it got dirtier. We tried an exorcist but, apparently, they don’t do floors. It certainly didn’t help that it was more of a painted clay tile than a glazed ceramic tile. Underneath the thin beige-y surface coat was a red clay body, and the finished surface didn’t have anywhere near the tensile strength to overcome the flex in the floor that had been caused by some crude cuts made in the joists below in a prior alteration. Not only was the surface always dirty, but there were always red clay particles roaming around the floor.

I had fallen in love with a Porcelanosa tile pattern in blue shades. Tracey said she was surprised as it was completely outside the box of what she expected me to pick. She loved it—and now loves it even more because it doesn’t show any dirt, she says. We both love the new sink base with deep drawers, in lieu of cabinet doors. No more bending and fishing through the growing variety of cleaning supplies hiding deep in the back of the cabinet.

The pantry is Tracey’s favorite part of the renovation. Hands down. She’s so proud of it, she keeps the door open all the time. And I close it every time I go by.

In the powder room, we went with a pocket door as a space-saving solution. We chose simple grey flooring, a compact modern sink, and a single hanging pendant. My favorite part of the renovation is the simplicity of the powder room with the glazed door, and the large window in it. Its remote location provides all the privacy it needs.

Importantly, Sweeten helped us find the right contractor, especially by knowing when to suggest, “Maybe if you increase your budget a bit….” The recurring calls by account managers to monitor progress were welcome evidence that Sweeten maintained an interest in the project being delivered successfully. Our Sweeten contractor did just what he needed to do and treated the project as a business venture, whereas we behaved as if it was our home and we wanted it to be just right. He always knew when to suggest a solution to coax a decision, and retained a remarkably even temper throughout, even when we probably didn’t deserve it.

In terms of advice to future renovators: decide EVERYTHING before you start. Trust me, there are going to be things you never even dreamed of, so the last thing you need is an outstanding to-do list when tradesmen are in your house, swinging tools, asking you new questions every day.

We feel our renovation was an even more dramatic change than we had expected. The whole flow of the house is better. Believe it or not, we see our teenagers more because the kitchen is now a pleasant, comfortable place where they sometimes linger for a few minutes before retreating back to their rooms. The only way I could be happier with it was if it was free!

Thank you, Tracey and Brian, for sharing your long-awaited renovation with us!

KITCHEN RESOURCES: Roche Acero floor tile; Antique Acero stenciled floor tile: Porcelanosa. Williamsburg kitchen cabinets in Blue Lagoon: Omega Cabinetry. Unique Venatino quartz countertops and backsplash: Compac. Pescara sink: Franke. Trinsic faucet: Delta. Range, refrigerator, and vented convection microwave, Café Collection: GE. Dishwasher: Miele. Everly lighting: Kichler. Pantry barn door: Simpson. Pantry door hardware: White Shanty.

POWDER ROOM RESOURCES: Porcelanosa Ferroker floor and wall tile: Tiles & Bathrooms. Ara bath accessories: Delta. Sink and toilet: DXV. Sonneman Mercury Orb lighting: Lamps.com.

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Shaker-style simplicity transformed this Westchester kitchen from its dark ’70s-era vibe to a bright space with clean lines.

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