Sweeten brings homeowners an exceptional renovation experience by personally matching trusted general contractors to your project, while offering expert guidance and support—at no cost to you.
“It’s an amazing feeling to walk into our apartment and feel like it’s our ‘home’ — and we owe much of that to Peter and his team.”
–Marie Clare K., Homeowner
When Park Slopers Marie Clare & Peter purchased their first home together early this year, the couple, along with their daughter Tessa, knew the space would need some improvements in order to make it the perfect retreat for their active lifestyle. Marie Clare, a copywriter for Bobbi Brown, and Peter, who works for Mayor Bloomberg, planned to modernize the 2 bedroom home, focusing on the living space & bathroom. With a great sense of style and a clear, modern vision, they posted their project ideas to Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors, and chose a Sweeten general contractor for the renovation. Firm owner Peter Ramirez impressed the new homeowners by completing the project in only 3 weeks to meet their March 30th move-in — and the results are as charming as little Tessa!
Before: Woodwork detailing throughout the home made the spaces feel dark and outdated — and those yellow walls weren’t helping either! The homeowners wanted to create a brighter and more open space, starting with the removal of a large archway that separated the living and dining spaces.
Removing the fretworked threshold and adding a fresh coat of BM super white on the walls & trim worked wonders to create a brighter, more open space that remains true to the home’s traditional character. Marie Clare & Peter are long-time subscribers to shelter blogs & magazines — and their enthusiasm shows through their curated material selections and collection of furniture, lighting & decorative accessories. We love the ceiling fixtures they chose for the dining and living spaces: a white/wood Turning Pendant by West Elm and an Artemis Fan by Minka Aire.
Marie Clare’s favorite furniture pieces are the Bo Concept ottoman/bed — a take-home from Apartment Therapy — and the Klein blue armchair from Thrive. She says that the double-wide chair is perfect for taking in the beautiful view of the treetops outside her living room windows. At the far left we can see a new radiator cover that was built by NYC Pros to match the home’s traditional aesthetic.
The fireplace also looks great after a creative update — NYC Pros stripped & painted the woodwork, removing 2 wooden columns that supported the mantle, and refaced the tile surface with classic Ruscello mosaic tiles in Fosso Piccolo from Nemo Tile.
“Peter Ramirez of NYC Pros delivered on every single one of his promises. He showed up when he said he would; he stuck to our budget (even suggesting areas where we could cut costs); and most importantly, he was always reachable and quick to respond to any questions or concerns we had throughout the renovation process.”
Before: The hallway also seemed dark and cramped as an effect of the abundant wood trim, and a louvered folding door to the master bedroom made this space look more like a closet.
Marie Clare & Peter had NYC Pros whitewash the hallway as they had to the living space; they also installed new doors and a bright new Capiz shell pendant from West Elm.
“[The NYC Pros] team was incredibly professional and they worked double-time to make sure that our apartment would be ready for our move in date; they finished work on a Friday and we moved in the next morning!”
Before: The bathroom was also dark and outdated; the new homeowners liked the layout, but wanted to gut and modernize the fixtures & finishes.
The new bathroom is a huge improvement! We love the super soft accent of BM sea foam as a compliment to the classic black & white scheme. The floor was done with Embarcadero tiles in Market, and Metro subway tiles in Ultra White are used in the shower; both are by Nemo Tile.
We’re so impressed with the improvements — great work by Sweeten member Peter Ramirez of NYC Pros; and many thanks to Marie Clare, Peter & Tessa for letting us share their new home!
Inspired to renovate? Post your project to Sweeten!
“It was great to work with Sweeten. They provided excellent choices, and were honest with us when we asked questions. We recommend them for others like us with no previous experience.”