A Duplex Loft Elevates to a Charming Rental
Walls go up in a sleek upgrade to a Williamsburg rental property
“After” photos by Kate Glicksberg for Sweeten
Appealing to the ideal renter
Originally when entrepreneur, we will call him AC, bought his apartment, he intended to live there himself. However, after a few months, he decided it would make an even better investment property as a rental. To make it more renter-friendly, he wanted to enclose the upstairs loft. Doing so would convert the apartment into a two-bedroom —opening it up to a whole new market. He also wanted the design of the space to reflect the neighborhood vibe and attract young professionals with a modern aesthetic and lifestyle. To take on this rental property upgrade, he needed a professional for the renovation.
Finding the renovation team
AC posted his project on Sweeten and hired this general contractor. Sweeten matches home renovation projects with vetted general contractors, offering guidance, tools, and support—for free..
“The contractor I found through Sweeten was great because he was very flexible with the changes to the scope of the work,” says AC. “Plus, the Sweeten team was accommodating and always on top of looking after my project.” 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 to live, Sweeten to thrive!
Choosing the finishes
To appeal to young professionals, AC chose on-trend luxe materials and finishes. He put in brass hardware that pops against the deep-blue kitchen cabinets. The cabinets weren’t originally this color, but AC knew that simply painting this rich hue would drastically change the look of the space. He was right. It went from drab to sophisticated.
He also made other smart paint choices. He brought the stair railing up-to-date with a new coat of paint and gave one of the bedrooms a masculine dark-blue accent wall. The bathroom was refreshed as well, adding interest with gray walls instead of plain white.
Creating a second bedroom
A lot of the renovation was more behind-the-scenes. The newly-enclosed bedroom required the electrical to be rewired and recessed lighting was added. They also changed the narrow hallway into a more useful space by configuring it as a small office area.
AC’s advice to those thinking of renovation? “Just to be realistic,” he says. “With little changes, you can make a big impact.”
Thank you, AC, for sharing the results of your rental property upgrade.
Style Finds: Paint: Farrow & Ball. Kitchen hardware: CB2.
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Check out another inspiring loft renovation.
Sweeten handpicks the best general contractors to match each project’s location, budget, scope, and style. Follow the blog, Sweeten Stories, for renovation ideas and inspiration and when you’re ready to renovate, start your renovation with Sweeten.
