Before & After: New Life for a Sad Brooklyn Kitchen

Here’s a kitchen transformation where I think we can confidently say that no one will like the ‘before’ better. When Robyn and Alejandro bought their two-bedroom condo in Brooklyn’s Columbia Waterfront District, the kitchen was in distinctly sad shape (and had, apparently, a basketball in place of a refrigerator). I’m sure it was tough to imagine this space as anything near livable, but Robyn and Alejandro had a vision for what their apartment could be.

The old kitchen was tiny and cramped, restricted by a partition wall. Apart from, you know, replacing everything, the biggest change Robyn and Alejandro made was tearing down the old wall, which allowed them to expand the kitchen and add a lot more counter and cabinet space.

Paulina and Albert, the contractors Robyn and Alejandro partnered with for the renovation, expanded the living room’s re-surfaced and re-stained oak floors into the kitchen, matching the new wood to the old with a light stain. The light grey cabinets are a pleasant departure from the typical white, and custom toe kick drawers add even more storage. The new countertops are a white granite with grey veining that closely resembles marble. It’s the best of both worlds — all the durability of granite with the good looks of marble.

We love the extra bit of shine the stainless steel subway tiles add, and extending the tiles past the backsplash to frame the chalkboard wall is a nice touch. Paneling matching the shaker-style cabinets frames the edges of the kitchen, helping to give it a finished look when seen from the rest of the apartment.

Robyn and Alejandro found their contractors, Paulina and Albert, through Sweeten, an online resource that connects New York-area homeowners with architects, designers, and contractors. You can read more about this kitchen renovation and see more pictures on the Sweeten blog.

Re-edited from a post originally published 11.24.15-NT