Mark & Joanna’s Clinton Hill Loft Renovation

Making some changes for a new addition

Joanna & Mark’s 1-bedroom loft in Clinton Hill was a perfect place for the couple to spread out and enjoy their work & hobbies –that is, until the day they found out they’d be having a baby! With a new addition to the family on her way, the mother & father-to-be needed to make some changes at home, including more storage options and, of course, a place for their daughter, while also keeping workspace available for Mark, a composer, multimedia artist & student. So, the expecting couple posted their project to Sweeten, a free service matching renovators with vetted general contractors and, after meeting their matches, chose a Sweeten general contractor for their renovation.

Before renovating, the 950 sqft loft had a lot of open space, including an area for Mark to practice music and store his equipment.

Here’s that same view right after demo of the master bedroom walls; the workers are mapping out where the new walls will go. More on the design and construction process for this project here. And here’s the finished space! The master bedroom stayed in the same location but was slightly reduced in size, and the new baby’s room is entered from the opposite side, near the bookshelf. Sarah was able to include a small nook for Mark’s music setup that opens to the living room or can be closed off & out of sight behind a gorgeous reclaimed barn door on sliding hardware. Looking back at an interior elevation drawing of the planned space before it was built –it’s so awesome to see how the design elements translated into real life! It’s also great that Mark & Joanna did not have to sacrifice their living space, yet their new home does so much more than before! Sarah designed this floor-to-ceiling bookshelf which stores the family’s book collection and highlights the high-ceilings found throughout the space. Working closely with Joanna & Mark, the designer also planned a future phase of their project which includes more ceiling-high shelving and a library ladder. Phasing their project out in this way gave the couple more opportunity to work within a budget. The curved wall of the baby’s room will make it such a fun space to grow into!

Big thanks to homeowners Joanna and Mark, and to Sarah Zames of General Assembly!

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