Brooke and Sam knew they were home when they walked into this 1,800-foot, loft-style Brooklyn condo. The three-bedroom Fort Greene apartment was modern and gave them room to grow. That was good, because by the time they’d closed on it, they had one-week-old baby Leroy in their arms. Brooke, a digital media exec, and Sam, a tech specialist, loved the sleek two-floor space, but wanted to freshen up the kitchen and (three!) baths, and give the apartment whimsical style. While in contract, they’d posted their project on Sweeten, a free service that matches renovators with vetted general contractors. Soon, they’d chosen their contractor and had keys to the condo. Here’s how new mom Brooke took the designer’s seat and pulled...
Brooke and Sam knew they were home when they walked into this 1,800-foot, loft-style Brooklyn condo. The three-bedroom Fort Greene apartment was modern and gave them room to grow. That was good, because by the time they’d closed on it, they had one-week-old baby Leroy in their arms. Brooke, a digital media exec, and Sam, a tech specialist, loved the sleek two-floor space, but wanted to freshen up the kitchen and (three!) baths, and give the apartment whimsical style. While in contract, they’d posted their project on Sweeten, a free service that matches renovators with vetted general contractors. Soon, they’d chosen their contractor and had keys to the condo. Here’s how new mom Brooke took the designer’s seat and pulled...
As you gaze out to the glistening ocean through the vast floor-to-ceiling windows of this airy beachfront home, it’s hard to believe it was a rundown shack just a few years ago. But that’s exactly what it was: Dark wood–paneled walls, small pokey windows, and dated carpeting made the house feel more like a funeral parlor than a weekend retreat. But Lauren Charge saw beyond the wear and tear, and seized the opportunity to build a waterfront vacation accommodation with multiple units when she purchased the property in 2016. “My husband and I both have large extended families and we love the idea of being able to vacation together in the same place, but with separate self-contained spaces for our...
