Name: Songyun and Jae
Location: Upper East Side
Size: 1000 sqft
Favorite: Shoe Closet, Shower, Place to put one's keys
"We specifically asked our broker for a place that needed a lot of work," says Songyun. She and Jae were ready for the challenge, and if you take a look at the before and after photos, you will see that they achieved great things...
They closed on this upper east side 2 bedroom apartment in January of 2004 (Songyun's sister lives in the second bedroom). The neighborhood was not their first choice but offered the most space at the best deal with the most potential for appreciation in value. An interior designer/architect, Jae claims that he and his wife enjoyed the renovation process and are about to start all over again if they can find another good deal!
The entire transformation of the apartment occurred over the course of 3 months and was handled by a female general contractor in Flushing, Queens. At every step of designing the space and choosing the materials, the goal was to maximize space by way of a minimal budget. Many corners were cut thanks to IKEA and its Canadian counterpart, EQ3. In addition, they saved a lot of money by using their contractor's suppliers in Queens, picking up and bringing home all the materials themselves.
At the same time, however, Jae was not afraid to make major structural changes to the apartment. Continuing a line established in the kitchen, Jae decided to reduce the size of the master bedroom in favor of lengthening 2 closets and creating an 18" wide built in nook for shelving. In the kitchen, he took over part of the original living room space to create an open plan with an island/bar/prep space that would easily be the envy of many a suburban homeowner.
By building every cabinet and detail up to the ceiling, Jae and Songyun created a rather influential illusion of high ceilings. By using light colors, natural wood and lacquered white as a consistent palette, the apartment reflects light off every surface and feels huge.
Sources:
BDI entryway mirror with storage on backside
DelRay Lighting in bathroom
EQ3
Copyright © 2008 Apartment Therapy
I love everything about this! Especially the mirror with storage in the entry area, the sliding glass closet door, and the shoe cabinet!
Lots of very clever design solutions with a very cohesive look. Great work.
You can tell when an architect or designer has been involved in the process because everything look so much more finished and integrated.
My favorite part are the shoe drawers. I wish I had thought of that myself! I have desigbed and buit various shoe storage solutions for myself but this is the best one I have seen yet.
I'm guessing that the bump out to the right of the EQ3 desk is where the bedroom shelves are located.
So where did they get this desk?
http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/photo/020806jae/a15
Didn't see it on the EQ3 site.
P.S. their mirror / storage thingie no longer appears to be carried by BDI.
I don't want to start another "shoes on/shoes off" debate, but I'm guessing Jae and Songyun are Korean, and the shoes closet helps them keep their shoes by the door. I'm so jealous!
Where can you get the free standing tension polls with shelving?
Songyun and Jae,
Awesome design solutions!
what is the brand of the under-the-counter microwave and what is the capacity?
Also, where can one get the papertowel dispenser behind the kitchen sink.
Thanks,
beautiful. where can you get the hardware and glass for the sliding closet door?
I am completely besotted with every piece of storage in that apartment.
In response to the first comment, yes, that is where the bedroom shelves were put in.
The "hutch" (desk) is from EQ3 and we purchased it about two years ago, so it may no longer be available, but I would call the store on 96th to see if they have it. We ordered three items from them and they delivered for about $40 including assembly. It's really a great deal.
The "Twister" mirror from BDI we bought at Lee's Art Shop on 57th. 220 West 57th St.,between Broadway & 7th Ave.,(212) 247-0110. They have a great selection of modern furniture and they will beat any price. If you find what they have cheaper somewhere else, they will give you that price. We're thinking about getting a new audio/video unit from them by BDI also.
GM! How did you guess we were Korean? Having the shoes in the shoe closet actually solves a number of issues for us. 1. Proximity to the entrance 2. Shoes won't smell up closet where clothes are (never thought shoes should be kept with clothes) 3. No space in closets for shoes.
Vivian, the free standing tension polls are from Ikea. They were not org. meant to be used as a book shelf. If you go on their website or their showroom, it is used as shelving for clothes or display shelving for stores. We chose that shelving unit because the space would seem even smaller if we used a traditional bookcase. Even Jae's long work desk is from Ikea and that we found in the Kitchen section!
I will have to get info. on the microwave. And as for the papertowel dispenser....don't have one. You must be refering to the faucet. ;)
The hardware for the glass door was purchased by our contractor. I'm assuming from the store where she purchased the glass in Flushing. I will have to find the info. on that.
Welcome anymore questions you all have.
What a beautiful home! It's comfortable and modern, I love it.
I would also be really interested in learning about the hardware used on the glass door. I think that might be a perfect solution for a very tricky space I am working with.
Thank you!
I love seeing beautiful projects that were done on a budget, since it gives me ideas and inspiration. Thanks for showing us your home.
I think the paper towel dispenser is in the "before" picture of the kitchen.
regards,
trillium
lovely! i love the brilliant use of space!
Where did you get the fat countertops? they seem fatter than usual - which I like very much.
Thanks, Songyun. Btw, you guys did an amazing job with creating storage while maintaining a spacious feel! Pretty tough task.
hey, we are about to buy a place. wanna come and assess?
melody
Your home is lovely, Songyun! I love how airy it feels, despite the fact that you managed to fit in all of your possessions. I particularly like the bedroom nook and the wheeled coffee table. I will also pipe in on the brilliance of the shoe cabinet. I'm going to see if I can work similar pull-out drawers into one of my closets.
i love the groovy carpet... and low coffee table w/ wheels.. and the sliding glass door...
do you think i could get one to cover my washer/dryer nook??!!
full disclaimer: jae is my architect and one of my best friends. My wife and I think he is BRILLIANT. Our home was designed by him; we're currently still in the renovation process. His taste is impeccable, and I'll imagine he'll be one of the most in-demand architects/designers in the city before you know it!
The before photo of the kitchen gave me conniptions - so cluttered!
The apartment looks wonderful: so light and airy and the fresh green on the walls is great. Plus, all of the storage solutions conceal the junk so that the pretty, interesting details can be appreciated (I liked all the little personal things, like photographs, little wooden stools, your books, that make the place feel friendly and warm and not too 'designed.')
Songyun, it takes one to know one! The "G" in "GM" stands for "Grace," which is right up there with "Eugene" in Top 10 Korean favorite names. Thanks for sharing your lovely home!
As James would say 'Awesome'. Looks great, I just can't get over that you managed to do all of that in 3 months in a high rise. Probably the norm over there, just not used of that over here in lazy cali.
you go! really impressive. as david would say, dood, flavor country! the spaces flow and there's an aesthetic that is coherent through each room. i love how every room seems to be carefully considered, each a little gem. NICE! are you around in june? we might be coming around to check it out ourselves...
Kind of a late post, but I am hoping you are still checking back because I too am full of questions. First and foremost, hoping to know more about the vanity in the master bath. I will be refurbishing my bath and that is the perfect replacement for what I already have. Also, would you be willing to pass on the name of your contractor?
Impeccable job. Thanks for sharing!
Meva,
The vanity in the master bath is a custom corian counter. We liked the 'chunky' look for the front edge so we turned the front side down 3" as opposed to typical 1-1/4".
As for my contractor - she's a GC based in Flushing, NY. Email me and we can talk more in detail about her.
Feel free to ask more questions. And thanks for the comments!
Just in case you can't find my email:
jaehyun.chang@verizon.net
Songyun and Jae,
PeaceLamp, the microwave is from GE Profile. Don't have the capacity on it, but it's part of their under-cabinet series.
Thanks Trillium - the papertowel dispenser, that was from the previous owner, so not sure where they got it. The Container store seems to have items that might be similar.
We're just waiting for the contactor to contact us about the glass closet door hardware.
Shra, just to add to my husbands response for the countertops, I got the idea from the "Fresh" stores here in NYC. If you go to their store, they have thick Corian counter tops and cabinets. I really like that look for the bathrooms and kitchen countertop.
Meva, if you're talking about the vanity cabinets, those are from Ikea. Extremely inexpensive and keeps all of our bathroom supplies off the counter.
Thanks for all the nice posts guys.
Hiromi, we are around in June! You guys can totally stay with us. And Mel, we're thinking of going to Boston soon! Love your new website!
Absolutely gorgeous!
love love the sliding glass doors for the closet. any more info on that would be appreciated! I'm out in the west coast, so i'm hoping to find something similar out here.
Beautiful, thanks for sharing. Your bedroom is exactly the apple green I want to paint mine! Might I ask what paint that is?
emily,
it looks like it was Benjamin Moore 2147-40, dill pickle
though you should probably choose a range of colors that sandwich that
We are so grateful to have Jae and Sonya in our lives. Their home is even more beautiful when you are there in person and has a special warmth and flow. Our new home is almost complete and we couldn't have done it without their help. From the very initial concept stages Sonya and Jae helped us figure out every tiny usability factor in creating our new layout. Jae even figured out how to put an island in our kitchen and make our entrance hallway a LOT more spacious. We are thankful and amazed at what our apt. has become. We can't wait to display this work soon on this site! Oh, and did I mention how NICE and generous Jae and Sonya are?? They even let us stay in their apt. for an entire week! And I can't believe I haven't seen Jae lose it ONCE in this whole crazy renovation process. We are fortunate to be included on Jae's list of celebrity clientele.
KCT Enterprise!!
Monica
Jae and Songhun,
Mind giving me your contractor's info? I am looking for a contractor to redo my kitchen and living room. I would appreciate it a lot. Thanks.
sorjen@gmail.com
I also love your shoe compartment. Can you describe how you built it? It looks very professional! I need to do something similar in my place so any tips will be helpful. thank you! -swy
I love your storage especially for the shoes. I've got to find a solution for my husband's size 14's.
I'm interested the bathroom tile. Is the mixed blue glass on one wall? or does it extend around to another part of the room? And, is it all glass or mixed.
The key to the shoe closet solution is to have enough width to encorporate the drawer glides on the sides. You'll need approx 3/4" of clearance on both sides, plus the thickness of whatever material you use for the drawer sides (1/2" plywood in our case)...also, attaching the glides to the side walls is sort of like installing a shelf - you'll want to use anchors strong enough to support the weight you're putting on them.
... the blue/green/white wall is only on the shower wall mostly for cost reasons...the blue and green tiles are glass (by Daltile) and the whites are simple white ceramic, glossy. the key is to get the same size tile for the glass and ceramic. then i had to sit down with the installer and mark out exactly where i wanted each blue/green/white tile (painstaking, but i used the green mosaic backsplash in the kitchen as a model)
I love your apartment. Very warm and cozy. My question is: Where did you find your pot-rack holder, in your kitchen.
It looks so big and like it is of good quality matierials.
You both have a place that you can be proud to show to anyone.
Thank you for sharing with us.
Lynda
lyndah2000@yahoo.com
what a beautiful apt! where did you find the glass and hardwarde for the closet door? also, who was your contractor? (we live on the UES).
dimitri.laddis@mac.com
soothing, relaxing, calming in the city too
This may be the nicest apartment I have ever seen on AT, or just about anywhere else, for that matter! I love everything about it. Fantastic!!
Warm and very inviting space. I especially adore the ittybitty stools under the desk. Where are they all from? I am sure each has a story. I love neat collectibles like that...
Thanks for sharing. (:
Kudos! Fantastic job! I, too, would appreciate the name of your contractor. Your reno is among the best I've ever seen; and surely the best I've ever seen done on a budget!
Kudos, kudos, kudos!!!
tgraves12@yahoo.com
Where did you get that pot rack? I picked one up exactly like that on craigslist a few months ago, and am looking for more hooks.
I love your place! Where did you get the white shelf above the couch with the small silver brackets? How long is it?
Love what you did for the closet door! I'm a little late to this but do you mind posting your contractor's info? I'm six months into my new place and alas, I've yet to get moving on my bathroom/kitchen/closet renovations...thanks!
ckny77@gmail.com
Fantastice place - actually, I think you guys are my neighbors - are you at 90th & 3rd? If so, I think that's my apt you see past the tulips.....what a funny small giant metropolis!
Cheers,
J
I really liked a lot of the solutions. I would like to know about the loveseat in front of the window in the livingroom.
Thanks to everyone for all the kind comments!
I'll forward separate emails for contractor info individually...but I'll try and answer everything else here.
The little wooden stools are from Beijing...we picked them up at an outdoor market there back in 98.
The narrow white shelf w/chrome brackets is from container store, 48" long
The love seat in front of the window is from BO Concepts and it's ultrasuede (it stains a little too easily!)...
hope that covers it!
Oh, sorry regarding the pot rack...I think that was in the before pic (w/shoji screen). So I don't have that info.
The dishrack (white w/little vertical poles) is from Oxo...
Yes, thank you for all the responses!
Just to clairfy, if you see a before picture then that was from the previous owner, so we don't have information on where they might have purchased their items.
We also cut a lot of costs buy purchasing most of the hardware and tile ourselves. Ikea was also help us cut costs with our kitchen cabinets.
We're happy to answer anymore questions you might have.
Oh, and Jess, we are on 90th and 3rd!
Awesome wouldn't describe your place! Very nice... Now...the sliding glass door...please tell us where I can purchase the hardware...
Again...BEAUTIFUL!
Beautful work!
One small thing.. where did you get the stand for your stereo and TV?
Nice simple elegant.
Thanks. Linda
looks great! very inspiring! i'm about to renovate my place and would love to know where to buy the hardware for the sliding glass door. i'd also love your contractor's number.
thanks so much, el
Thanks for the compliments. If you have any questions about the contractor as well as hardware for the closet door, you'll need to contact Jae via email. You can click on his name and that will send you to his website.
Oh, forgot to add that the unit that holds the tv and stereo is from Ikea. We were there recently and they still have it. We're actually not that happy with it because the access in the back is limited and it makes wiring difficult. We've seen some great pieces from Bo Concepts and BDI.
lovely...and my apartment is so similar to yours in the layout and bones of it- right down to where windows are and height and even the akward square column in the livingroom corner and my bedroom is the same layout with the same closet in the same spot lol- so maybe I can try to decorate in a simalar manner...with my own touch - at least this way I can "see" what it would look like -furniture placement wise...glad I stumbled upon your photos!
view dmoniq5's profile
Love the sliding glass door! Can you email as to where you purchased the hardware for it. Thanks!
Lisandrav1@gmail.com
view Lisyv1's profile
beautiful, brilliant, one of the best i've seen on AT.
thanks for sharing...very inspirational.
view STYLeyes's profile
What a wonderful home full of great ideas! This is what I come to AT for.
view Eve in Hochelaga's profile
Chal hes-so yo...
(did I say that right?)
view lightspeed's profile
I love this apt! So many great touches (that everyone's already gushed about...)
Always loving an e-challenge, I found the paper towel dispenser!
http://marketplace.hgtv.com/Product.aspx?Lid=2436-047738257955&From=iFP
view darcidoodle's profile
Just lovely and so well thought out, cleanly designed and also and personal. The space is restful and serene. Congratulations.
view mskk's profile
lightspeed,
yes - it took me a second - but you got it right!
thanks for the compliment.
darcidoodle,
while i love gadgets for paper towels - just wanted to note that that one was in the old apartment in a 'before' picture.
thanks
Jae
view Jae Chang's profile
jae and songyum -- wondering what contractor you used for your bookshelves. i'm interested in floor-to-ceiling bookshelves for my new place, and i'm not finding anything ready-made and as pretty. please let me know! thx -
tibetnchina@gmail.com
view tiBetnChina's profile