apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Great job. Quirky, vintage-yet-modern, thoughtful without seeming overwrought. The only choice I question is the mantle. It seems like one of those good ideas that doesn't work out in practice. It's further compromised by the fact that you have these three dark, box-shaped objects (along with the stove and fridge) all lined up together. How about a fab cupboard piece with a hutch, something that would provide a transition from kitchen to dining complete with additional counter space when needed for preparation or entertaining.

really love the counter - how is that done?

Love this place. So many fresh ideas. Great, great job!!

Oh, the Fairy Liquid!

I'm not really a fan of the kitchen. I think it looks old. (Yes, vintage is old, so they go what they wanted.) But if I were to buy that place, I don't know if I could live with that countertop, or the cabinet hinges. Not to mention the tile. Is that red grout? And why not rearrange the kitchen? Rascal is right, the fridge, stove and mantelpiece don't work. I'm all for saving the mantel, but it seems in the way, and isn't that special. You guys did a nice job with the built-ins though, and I especially like the bookshelf/room divider. Cool legs!

Looks Amazing! Good work. Portland misses you and so do I.
xo

Oh I LOVE the countertop in the kitchen, the shelf dividing the bedroom from the living room, and the air plant. Lots of great color, lovely!

It's so cute!

I like the pseudo-old kitchen, but then, I like genuinely old kitchens, too. I would have gone with white appliances so that they didn't compete with the mantle, but I always want white appliances, so just slap me and give me white appliances.

Love-love-love your sense of humor about pattern.

i love the white see-through bookshelf.
and the colors overall are very soothing and fun.

i'd have to agree. not too crazy about that pho-fireplace.

I love the kitchen- I dislike how new kitchens seem so impersonal and boring. I love people pushing there own personal style instead of Home Depot's. It's great to not think of a house as a commodity ( a.k.a. resale value) but instead as a reflection of yourself.
Great Job!

I love this kitchen, especially the linoleum counter. great!

Another-another mary! aaaah!

ahem...

Not always my taste, but still cute and quirky. You guys really accomplished a lot...

I love the linoleum counter too. Did you have to put something over it so it wouldn't scratch? Where did you find the linoleum? I've always wanted to redo my kitchen floor with it, but it's so expensive to buy huge pieces, so this is an excellent way to get it in there on the (relatively) cheap.

I wonder though, if you might put up a room divider or partial wall at the end of the kitchen to separate the fireplace from the appliances. just a thought

i think the room divider/shelving is just beautiful. and while not my taste, i actually think the "wrought-iron" "country" hardware in the kitchen and on the desk really looks great - especially, in the case of the former, with the wall and floor tile.

i'm still reacting badly to open kitchen storage, however. but again, that's me.

Oh man, my hat is really off to Keith and Brent. Their good design eyes and their love of great craftsmanship really shows -- you can actually feel it in the pictures. I love the way the design feels slightly comfortingly retro but is, in aggregate, fresh with personal touches. WAY cool. Thumbs way, way up! Come to think of it, I think part of the reason it actually feels more retro than it may actually be is BECAUSE of the great craftsmanship since a lot of old stuff was actually made better than some new stuff. That's why I, like Wende, often like old kitchens, not specifically because they're old since I'm kind of a funkyminimalistmodernist myself, but because they were often well-designed and well-made.
Again, great job! :)

I love this, it feels like a home! And I certainly wouldn't mid waxing that counter...

I'm jealous. I really like the place for such a small apartment.
MP

i love the sink too. I was reading an energy efficiency site today and the fridge should not be near a heated entity such as a stove as it makes the fridge work harder to keep its innards cold.

Man. I love it. I really love the look and feel of the countertop in the kitchen. Is this your city home on the way to a bigger place out in the woods? But then, I see it's in Jersey City! What is going on in this world? No way! That place should be in manhattan in a 'hood you just can't live without -which should be why you go to so much trouble for such tininess - anything but paying for such a small condo in Jersey - surely the price wasn't astronomical. Everyone should move back out to the country. Flip it and get a bigger condo - you have so much creativity!
(Coming from a reformed NYorker living in the Boston 'burbs...finally have enough room. It's MAGICAL.)

Like lots of folks, I like it conceptually, but I'm not wild about the execution of the finishes. I really like the bookshelf divider.

I really like that you used that tile for your kitchen floor....I've had that tile in the last 2 places I lived in, circa 1900 and 1938. Is it easy for you to keep clean? Mine gets dingy looking fast. I'm afraid to use soft scrub or comet because of the grout lines. Any ideas?

Unless you are not much big fans of cooking but having the cooker away from a counter and the sink is not helpful at all. I lived in an apartment with similar layout.

Nice job boys!

I have always looked at that wrought iron hardware and admired it for its authentic characteristics, but had wondered how it could be applied without appearing too cutesy - you definitely got the right balance. I love the kitchen because its not the usual home-depot look, but rather something unique, well planned and well designed. Its fresh, original and personal. Good job in taking a cookie cutter apartment and making it something really special. Also the room divider is nice because it divides the space clearly without being visually too heavy.

this looks very cozy, and i really like the 'country' kitchen effect. the legs on the cabinet unit make it look a wee bit more modern, which gives it a more eclcectic vintage look than your typical chickens and ducks themed 'country kitchen' a la that guy on Trading Spaces.

and boo on whoever griped about resale value. i am so godamn sick and tired of people buying what's supposed to be a home and making all their decor choices based on the notion that someday they might sell it. in my opinion (and i know this isn't the prevailing one), buying a house and thinking about selling it from day 1 is like getting married and planning for your someday-divorce from day 1. if you want to buy property for investment purposes, buy something and renovate it for that purpose. don't limit the possibilities of your home because of a ridiculous thing like resale value.

also, i have to say that seeing this kind of makes me feel like living in jersey wouldn't be that bad.

i heart this crib, guys! great job. i love parts of jersey city, there's a section along the water facing manhattan, what's the name of it? it's lovely over there, almost a boston or uws feel to it... so pretty. is that where this place is located? i love historical property, and i love the nature inspired mid century vibe you have going on - and the tiled kitchen is great. you could replace those brown folding chairs with the swanky clear acrylic ones from target, also folding, i think they're $40 each on target.com and they'd look great in your space.

anyway, nice job, i really love it.

mad props to jersey city too. i love the stanley theatre, i'm a theatre buff and love old theatres, i toured that building for free after it was renovated, oh it's lovely. and the science museum, it's great - you have the best science museum ever.

holly

Just wanted to thank everybody for the nice comments. Also some great advice! To answer the counter top question: It is vintage linoleum and you lay it just like you would lay a floor, it has to be a smooth surface, we used 3\25" plywood. This is a great forum for really well thought out feedback, again, Thanks!
Keith and Brent!

YOUR WORK IS EXQUISITE. you should be on HGTV and redesign others interiors! What great use of classic/hip and craftsmanship. The wallpaper on that one sunny wall--ooh, the white shelving between bedroom and living--aah, the bathroom 50s vintage mirror, 30s lights and classic moulding--what a great twist of the unexpected. DID I MENTION the kitchen. omg, fabulous.
And the most interesting of it all is you did it yourself with quite a few barriers. Kudos to you. -Raelene and Jose

Keith and Brent ROOL!
they took a (rather hideous) blank slate and turned it into a clear reflection of their sensibilities. it not generic. it is not neutral. it is not for everyone.
I hate places that look like nothing more than glorified hotel rooms- all slick, shiny and totally devoid of any sense of place or person. K & B's home looks exactly like them- lovely, charming and absolutely original.

Keith and Brent,
The place looks AMAZING! All of your hard work paid off.
We are so glad to have you as our neighbors.

Such a pretty apartment! I love it: specifically, the wallpaper, the linoleum, the kitchen sink/cupboards. A very lovely vision, realized. The bathroom, though, doesn't live up to the rest of the place. It's as if the imagination ran out right there. Otherwise, this tour is one of the most inspiring.

Love,love,love the countertop!!! please share your resource,would love to try it in my kitchen and/or bath....

Beautifully executed and you guys obviously have some great construction talent.

I do question, though, the loss of so much counter space in the kitchen. The kitchen looks great overall, but doesn't seem very practical, or at least not if actually used for cooking very often. However, if you guys don't cook much and more often do carry-out, then I can see where it would work fine.

Something else you may want to reconsider, if it's not too late, is the location of the stove/oven right next to the refrigerator. Baking/cooking anything will warm that refrigerator right up and have its compressor running, running, running. It's just generally not a good practice to put those two appliances right next to each other.

Otherwise, good job overall.

Love the terrarium (SP!)

I really like what these guys have done - the kitchen seems so cozy, and I love the open shelves and lino counters, but I have to agree that the layout is pretty bad - I think I'd have installed an undercounter fridge with a counter over it, and built an open shelf/partition between the stove and dining area similar to what they did in the bedroom archway.

I also like what they did w/ the Bathroom, but the mirror is a bit 80's for me. I'd also like to see them enclose the shelf above the bathroom door to make a nice enclosed cabinet.

That bed is crying out for a cool headboard too - Can't wait to see what else these guys do with their place!

For my taste, the countertop linoleum, cupie doll sculptures?, slanted floor and barn door cabinets all = WTF?? The room divider on legs is gorgeous though.

Sure, a few details I'd adjust, but my impression is: stupendous job! Put me down as a big fan of your cabinets with the hasp hinges -- so much warmer than the usual safe choices.

Makes me want to live in a tiny space.

I don't care for the counter top, but overall it's cute!

Lots of hard work and nice details. The decoration part is too cutesy for me but the overall work is impressive. I have to say the bookcase room divider is a great feature, however the legs that are supporting it are too flimsy and cheapen the deal, so many other good options that won't cost too much.

To decor8 Holly:

If you happen to wander back to your posting, I saw your suggestion for new chairs "swanky clear acrylic ones from target, also folding." I am searching for a clear, acrylic folding chair and I searched the target.com website to no avail. If you can find the link to these chairs and could post it, that would be terrific.

Thanks,
Jen

You two do rock -- just in case it hasn't already been said. And even if it has been it's not for me to try and wax eloquent or witty -- to say I luv what you did to your place. Loverly!

Toniannette

OHHHHH, that bookshelf divider thing, drrrroooooollll.
I love the mid century tapered legs, and I was wondering if you guys built this piece yourself and added the legs- if so, where did you get them.

I like that it is not boring. But I think the fridge should be returned to the back kitchen wall--it looks like an afterthought and blocks light from the window.

I absolutely love the shot of the bedroom with the woods photograph above the desk. I hate the faux fireplace.

You two are incredibly clever. What a relief it is to see an original, interesting kitchen that actually reflects the owners' style. If I see another marble countertop, I'm going to vomit.

I love everything you've done. The space looks incredibly inviting and innovative. I love your mix of modern and very old looks, which does, completely work and isn't the usual combination of 2008 with 1964, but rather 1890 with 2008. Great job.

I know they'd probably hate me for saying this, but seeing what Keith & Brent have done with such a tiny space makes me regret living in a big 70s rancher in the country.

Very cute!