A Financial District Co-op Opens Up With Wide Oak Floors
Sonali and Shalaj hadn’t planned on buying an apartment when they first started exploring Manhattan’s Financial District. After discovering Southbridge Towers on one of their neighborhood walks, they began attending open houses and eventually landed a two-bedroom, one-bath co-op with its original 1970s design.
Becoming homeowners also meant figuring out how to update the apartment from top to bottom. They wanted a more open kitchen, better storage, refreshed finishes, and an interior that felt personal to them, with wide plank oak flooring extending through most of the home.
The couple turned to Sweeten to find a general contractor who could manage the renovation, including the building and city approvals needed for removing walls, while working within their budget and schedule. What followed was an apartment-wide renovation built around practical layout changes, carefully chosen materials, and a few compromises along the way.
- Homeowners: Sonali, a consultant, and Shalaj, an investment banker, posted their Financial District apartment renovation on Sweeten
- Where: Financial District, Manhattan, New York
- Primary renovation: The 1970s two-bedroom, one-bath co-op was renovated throughout, including a new kitchen, new flooring, additional bedroom and bathroom storage, updated finishes, and removal of the original popcorn ceiling.
- Homeowner’s quote: “Working with an experienced and responsible contractor makes the process much smoother.”
Finding a home in an unexpected Manhattan neighborhood
The Financial District wasn’t originally where Sonali and Shalaj expected to buy. But after spending more time walking along the river and exploring nearby restaurants and shops, they grew attached to the neighborhood and became curious about Southbridge Towers.
They attended several open houses and lost out on multiple bids before their offer on a two-bedroom co-op was accepted. Once the excitement settled, they began looking closely at the apartment’s original 1970s interior and realized just how much they wanted to change.
Their plans reached across the apartment. Along with removing the popcorn ceiling, they wanted to take down walls, change the kitchen layout, rethink storage, update the bathroom, and replace the flooring. Because some of the work required both building and city approvals, finding a contractor comfortable managing that process was an important part of getting started.
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Opening the kitchen to the living room
The kitchen was one of the couple’s biggest priorities because they both enjoyed cooking and having friends over. Removing the wall between the kitchen and living room opened the two spaces to each other and addressed the cramped feeling they had wanted to change.
For the finishes, they chose a largely white palette. White cabinets were paired with white subway tile and white quartz countertops, while dimmable LED lighting beneath the upper cabinets highlighted the backsplash. They also selected a drawer-style microwave instead of placing one above the range.
A Wolf gas range was another priority. It initially exceeded their appliance budget, but their contractor found a discounted floor model that allowed them to include it. The existing gas-line location meant the stove had to remain at the kitchen peninsula instead of moving to the couple’s preferred location, but the final position allowed them to cook while facing guests in the adjoining living space.
Wide plank oak flooring connects the apartment
Outside the bathroom, wide plank oak flooring became one of the materials carried through the renovated apartment. The material list identifies the selection as Pinnacle Plantation Hamptons eight-inch-wide oak flooring.
Sonali wanted a wood tone that landed between very dark and very light. Set against the predominantly white kitchen and bathroom finishes, the oak introduces a natural wood surface that continues from room to room rather than changing with each space. The couple also appreciated an unexpectedly practical detail: the flooring color blended well with their cocker spaniel Tyson’s fur.
The flooring is especially relevant to the renovation as a whole because it wasn’t limited to a single feature area. While the kitchen received white cabinetry and quartz, the bedroom gained new storage, and the bathroom used contrasting black tile, the wide oak boards provided a recurring material across most of the home. 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. Renovate expertly with Sweeten
Rethinking closets to add storage where it mattered
Storage was another major part of the plan. In the primary bedroom, the couple doubled their closet space by taking over the closet that had previously served the adjacent guest bedroom. A new closet was then built for the second bedroom.
That change addressed an issue they already understood from their previous rental, where there hadn’t been enough bedroom storage for both of them. They considered installing lighting inside the custom closets, but the added cost pushed them toward battery-operated lights instead.
The bathroom received its own storage adjustment. A closet that had originally opened into the living room was closed on that side and reopened inside the bathroom, giving the bathroom additional storage while eliminating underused hallway space.
Giving the mostly white bathroom a darker contrast
Like the kitchen, the renovated bathroom centered on a mostly white palette. Instead of continuing that look across the floor, Sonali and Shalaj chose black hexagonal porcelain tile for contrast.
According to Sonali, the finished floor became one of the details visitors frequently complimented. The materials list also shows white wall tile, stainless-finish shower fixtures, a Kohler toilet and medicine cabinet, and a Grohe faucet.
Together with the relocated closet, the bathroom update addressed both its appearance and the way storage was arranged within the apartment.
Narrowing down materials without losing track of the budget
The number of material decisions surprised Sonali and Shalaj, as did how quickly those choices could affect the budget. Their contractor simplified the process by organizing possible selections into budget, standard, and higher-end categories and providing samples when possible.
That gave the homeowners a clearer set of options rather than asking them to sort through every available product themselves. Even then, they chose to spend more in certain areas, particularly the kitchen, where the range and other materials became important parts of the finished design.
Their experience also reinforced advice they’d received before construction began: leave extra room in the renovation budget. The couple ultimately went over their original amount by roughly the same 30 percent buffer a friend had recommended, partly because of items outside the initial scope, including replacing the AC unit, as well as additional spending on kitchen materials.
Working through the final stretch of the renovation
One of the most stressful points came just a week before Sonali and Shalaj planned to move in. Appliances still needed to be installed, electrical work had yet to begin, and the apartment didn’t look close to move-in ready from their perspective.
Their contractor reassured them that the project wasn’t as far behind as it appeared, and the apartment was ready in time for their move. Looking back on the experience, Sonali said that “working with an experienced and responsible contractor makes the process much smoother.”
The contractor also managed key parts of the process, including obtaining building approval and keeping the renovation moving toward the couple’s deadline.
By the end, Sonali and Shalaj had a home in the neighborhood they’d grown to love, with a more open layout, more useful storage, and materials they had chosen for the way they wanted the apartment to look and feel.
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Renovation materials
FLOORING RESOURCES:
- Pinnacle Plantation Hamptons 8-inch-wide oak floors, #PLT808: DWF.
KITCHEN RESOURCES:
- Kitchen cabinets: Custom by Sweeten contractor.
- Successi cabinet pulls, #A832-MC: Atlas Hardware.
- Statuario Nuvo countertops, #511: Caesarstone.
- Whisper White 3-inch x 6-inch backsplash tile: The Builder Depot.
- Sink and faucet: Kraus.
- French-door 17-cubic-foot refrigerator, #RF170ADX4_N: Fisher & Paykel.
- 500 Series dishwasher, #SHP865WD5N: Bosch.
- 30-inch gas range, #GR304: Wolf.
- 24-inch built-in microwave drawer, #SMD2480CS: Sharp.
- Glossy range hood, #33GLAS30SS300-B: Faber.
- Barstools: Wayfair.
BATHROOM RESOURCES:
- Mode Hex porcelain bathroom floor tile, 11.8-inch x 13.6-inch: Ottimo Ceramics.
- Rittenhouse Square bathroom wall tile: Daltile.
- Parkfield sink faucet: Grohe.
- Vero shower fixtures in Brilliant Stainless, #T17253-SS: Delta.
- Santa Rosa 1.28 GPF toilet: Kohler.
- Verdera medicine cabinet, 40-inch x 30-inch: Kohler.
BEDROOM RESOURCES:
- Hale Navy accent wall paint: Benjamin Moore.
- Chantilly Lace wall paint: Benjamin Moore.
Frequently asked questions
What is wide plank flooring?
Wide plank flooring is wood flooring made with boards wider than traditional narrow strips, which creates fewer seams across the floor. Sweeten notes that wide planks are available in both engineered wood and solid hardwood and can help establish a consistent look throughout a home.
What are the benefits of using the same flooring throughout the home?
The benefits of using the same flooring throughout the home are a more cohesive appearance and a stronger visual connection between rooms. Sweeten renovation examples show how continuous wood flooring can help unite adjoining spaces and provide a consistent foundation for different finishes and furnishings.
Is wide plank flooring expensive?
Yes, wide plank flooring can be expensive, particularly when you choose solid hardwood, although the final cost depends on the wood species, material, finish, and installation. Sweeten notes that engineered wood can be a more cost-effective choice than solid hardwood while still providing the wide-plank look.
