This 520-Square-Foot NYC Apartment Can Host 12-Person Dinner Parties

“One was recently renovated but not necessarily my vibe, one was unlivable without a full gut renovation, and this apartment was somewhere in the middle — immediately livable, but definitely needing a fairly big renovation,” Larry explains. 

The idea of making a mark on his apartment appealed to Larry mainly because he has several architectural friends. In fact, on the second visit to the one-bedroom livable apartment, Larry brought his friend Drew Powers, of DRYY STUDIO, to see if the space had “good bones.” Drew gave his approval and would begin reimagining the space with the help of SDC Construction Ren Corp. 

“Before the renovation, the apartment was nearly all original to the 1960s,” Larry explains. “The kitchen cabinets were metal and rusting. The kitchen was closed off from the rest of the apartment with swinging saloon-style doors. There was a plastic chandelier over what was previously the dining table.” 

Drew and Larry started mapping out the renovation in 2019. Even though the COVID-19 pandemic started eight months into planning, they carried on, and the DRYY STUDIO team, which included Drew, Ryan Donaghy, and Mikhail Kim, pulled together a full drawing. Even though Larry and Drew have been friends for a while, they work together well, too. 

“The whole DRYY team really helped with making the choices easy. Instead of having to choose from the thousands of paint colors, they made recommendations of three to four to choose from,” Larry says. “For all items, they guided me through the process.” 

In 2023, the renovation was complete and Larry was able to move in full-time (he was living outside the city during the transformation). It looks completely different now — walls that were once without color are now vibrant, and the closed-off spaces feel airy and spacious. 

• Bedroom: Wall and ceiling paint — Benjamin Moore’s Vanderberg Blue (721)
• Living Room and Entry: Primary wall paint — Benjamin Moore’s Sterling (1591); ccent wall paint — Benjamin Moore Vanderberg Blue (721); ceiling paint — Benjamin Moore Super White (OC-152)
• Bathroom: Wall paint — Benjamin Moore’s Mount Saint Anne (1565); ceiling paint — Benjamin Moore’s Super White (OC-152)

LIVING ROOM

• Sliding door wallcovering — Knoll Textiles Bespoke Wall in color “Ficus”
• Media Cabinetry — IKEA Besta
• Shelving standards and brackets — Rakks Wall-Mounted Shelving
• Sofa — West Elm
• Lounge chair — West Elm
• Rug — Poly and Bark
• Coffee table ottoman — Room and Board
• Laptop Table — EQ3
• Stacking side tables — IKEA Kyrre
• Drop Leaf Table (also used to further extend the dining table for a party) — IKEA Norden

• Dining Table — West Elm
• Chairs — Article
• Light Fixture — West Elm

• Stools — Pottery Barn
• Floor — Nemo Tile
• Counter and Backsplash — Caesarstone
• Gray Cabinetry — Formica Color Core 2 Laminate in color “Fog”
• Wood Cabinetry — Decospan Shinoki in Frozen Walnut
• Cabinet Pulls — Sugatsune Black Stainless Edge Pull
• Fridge/Freezer Pulls — Emtek Bar Pulls
• Sink — Ruvati Roma Stainless Steel Undermount Sink w/ integral cutting board
• Faucet — Kohler
• Range — Haier
• Refrigerator — Liebherr
• Dishwasher — Bosch
• Light Fixture — Kuzco Lighting

BEDROOM

• Bed — IKEA
• Nightstand — Walmart
• Ceiling Fan — Modern Forms
• Linear Floor Lamp — Vax Lamp
• Wall Sconce — Barn Light

• Floor Tile — Nemo Tile
• Wall Tile — Nemo Tile
• Vanity — IKEA
• Sink Faucet— Kohler
• Showerhead — Kohler
• Toilet — Toto Aquia and Washlet
• Light Fixture — DweLED Brink Slim Bath Bar

Thanks, Larry!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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