A Co-op Renovation With Gray Cabinets and Art-Led Rooms
After a leak from several floors above flooded their Central Park West Classic 7 co-op, the homeowners found their general contractor through Sweeten and began the long process of restoring the home they had owned since the 1970s. The renovation brought the apartment back with custom gray kitchen cabinets, a remodeled dining area, and more.
Read on for the full details!
- Homeowners: A Manhattan couple who had owned their Classic 7 co-op since the 1970s posted their renovation on Sweeten
- Where: Central Park West, Manhattan, New York
- Primary renovation: The renovation restored the apartment’s floors, walls, and ceilings while refreshing the kitchen with custom gray cabinets, new countertops, a statement backsplash, better lighting, and improved storage. It also included the hallway pantry, laundry room, formal dining room, guest room, guest bath, a bedroom converted into a study, another bedroom turned into a lounge and exercise space, and landmarked window replacements.
- Homeowner’s quote: “Sweeten was so supportive. They called periodically when we were getting very disheartened. They sent us three contractors to interview, which was a huge relief. I’m doing this for the first time, and I was totally out of my comfort zone. We had no idea how to pick people, so Sweeten was incredibly helpful.”
When a repair became a larger renovation
This Central Park West renovation began with an unexpected call. While the homeowners, a Manhattan couple who had owned their apartment since the 1970s, were away on vacation in the summer of 2016, their resident building manager told them their white-glove co-op had flooded after a leak from several floors above.
At first, the damage seemed manageable. The homeowners thought it might only require cleanup and repairs, but the situation became more serious during remediation. Dehumidifiers were brought in to dry out the water damage, but high moisture levels remained in the walls, ceilings, and floors. In the summer heat, mold developed, and the apartment went through three rounds of remediation before it was finally cleared for renovation at the end of 2016.
The process became even more complicated from there. The homeowners had to work through insurance negotiations, permit applications, and approvals from their co-op board, the Landmarks Preservation Commission, and the Department of Buildings. By September 2017, the actual renovation began in their Classic 7 home, a seven-room layout common in prewar apartments.
When the work was finally ready to move forward, the couple posted their project on Sweeten and were matched with general contractors before choosing the Sweeten contractor they would work with closely. That same contractor had also been recommended by Jean Brownhill, Sweeten’s founder and CEO, who happened to be a friend of a friend. Jean visited the apartment and saw both the extent of the damage and what remained of the homeowners’ remarkable art collection, gathered over a lifetime of travels and including Picassos, ancient sculptures, and other treasured pieces.
A kitchen refreshed with gray cabinets and custom details
The scope of work included more than renovating the kitchen, where the leak began. It also covered the adjacent hallway pantry, laundry room, guest room and bath, and formal dining room. As the project developed, the homeowners also decided to convert their now-grown son’s bedroom into a study and their daughter’s former room into a lounge/exercise space.
Their Sweeten contractor gutted the floors, walls, and ceilings before beginning the restoration. The homeowners wanted to bring back what had been there before, while giving the apartment a fresher, more open feel through new materials and finishes.
For homeowners comparing gut renovation costs, this kind of scope shows why pricing can depend so much on how much of the home needs to be opened up and restored.
The kitchen, which had a stainless steel backsplash, outdated cabinets, and inadequate lighting, was refreshed with custom gray cabinets, white quartz countertops, and a unique quartzite backsplash. The gray cabinets bring a calm, tailored look to the space while letting the backsplash stand out. Their clean panel fronts and simple kitchen cabinet hardware keep the kitchen feeling classic, while the tall storage and lower drawers make it more practical for daily use.
The design of their kitchen backsplash was chosen with just as much care. “We visited the stone yard with the contractor and marked the piece out,” the homeowner said. “We wanted it bookended and to come together in an inverted V over the sink.”
The same detail was carried into the walk-through pantry, giving both sink areas a more finished look.
For readers planning similar updates, kitchen renovation costs can vary based on cabinetry, countertops, tile, lighting, and layout changes. In this kitchen, new pendants were added above the breakfast table, where the couple usually eats unless they’re hosting a larger group.
“If we want to have more people over, we use the dining room, but otherwise we eat in the kitchen,” the homeowner said.
The homeowners also designed the oval-shaped table and radiator cover, which their contractors had made. Storage was improved with a dedicated spice drawer and a movable cart with a cutting board that can be shifted wherever it’s needed. The refrigerator was also moved from the hallway pantry into the main kitchen, making it easier to access, while a smaller secondary refrigerator was added nearby.
“I’m a big condiments person, so we made sure to add room for them,” the homeowner said. 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
A dining room restored around existing art
In the formal dining room, the homeowners restored the space to its original condition so it could serve as a quiet backdrop for their artwork, records, organ, and harpsichord. Their eclectic collection spans works on paper and canvas, bronze and wood sculpture, ceramics, and ceremonial objects gathered from around the world.
One of the most rewarding parts of the renovation was creating enough space and light to let those pieces stand out. The dining room became more than a place to gather; it became a setting for the art and objects the homeowners had collected over a lifetime.
The guest room, originally designed as servant’s quarters, was completely transformed with new hardwood floors, a wall-mounted sink, built-in closets, and an adjacent bathroom. The guest bath, which once had an awkwardly placed and unusable bathtub, became a small but polished space with slate-colored floor tile and marble-like tile on the shower walls.
For a compact space like this, having the right budget for a small bathroom remodel can help homeowners decide where to prioritize tile, fixtures, and layout changes.
On the other side of the guest bath, a multi-purpose room now houses the washer/dryer closet along with the homeowners’ books.
A former bedroom becomes a cozy study
In a part of the renovation that was not driven by necessity, the homeowners converted a bedroom into a study for relaxing and watching TV. A leather sofa opens to accommodate visiting family, while a custom built-in wall unit, designed by the homeowner and built with their Sweeten contractor, combines open shelving with closed cabinet storage.
Their now-grown daughter’s former bedroom became a calm lounge and exercise space. The lavender walls were inspired by an acrylic and paper painting by a friend, which fit a larger theme throughout the home. As the homeowners explained, “We wanted to give the artwork room to breathe, and to be the inspiration for the color palette in each room.”
Because artwork guided the palette in several spaces, an interior painting budget would be a helpful planning detail for homeowners considering a similar refresh. Paint can have a big impact in a room like this, especially when the goal is to create a softer mood without changing the room’s main layout.
Concurrently, they also decided to replace all of their landmarked windows. This alone took 3-4 weeks, and the Sweeten contractor had to make sure to protect the built-ins and previous renovation work. He also topped all of the windowsills with Caesarstone.
Coming home after a long renovation
The homeowners were relieved to be back in their apartment after more than two years of negotiations, paperwork, approvals, and renovation work. Looking back, the experience also changed how they thought about quality and communication. “You come to realize that what one person thinks is a good job is not what another person might consider a good job,” the homeowner said.
Sweeten’s support helped them feel less alone during the process. “Sweeten was so supportive. They called periodically when we were getting very disheartened. They sent us three contractors to interview, which was a huge relief. I’m doing this for the first time, and I was totally out of my comfort zone. We had no idea how to pick people, so Sweeten was incredibly helpful.”
For homeowners taking on a large co-op renovation, finding the right team of contractors can make the process feel less overwhelming. Even though the couple felt like giving up more than once, they kept going because this was their home. In the end, one of the best parts of the experience was their Sweeten contractor, who delivered what he promised and more.
Thank you for sharing the reveal of your Central Park West renovation!
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Renovation materials
KITCHEN/PANTRY RESOURCES:
- Calacata Silver floor and wall tile: Porcelanosa.
- Kitchen cabinets: custom.
- Cabinet paint in Colonial Revival Gray, #SW 2832: Sherwin Williams.
- Countertops in Misty Carrera, #4141: Caesarstone.
- Quartzite Corteccia Azerobact Leather quartz backsplash: EGM Corp.
- Sink: Elkay.
- Bridge faucet: Rohl.
- Radiator covers: custom.
- Stove: Viking.
- Dishwasher: Miele.
- Refrigerator: Sub-Zero.
- Wine fridge, #SWC530LBIST: Summit.
- Hardware: Simon’s Hardware.
GUEST ROOM RESOURCES:
- Sink: MTI.
- Paint in Glacier Lake, #867: Benjamin Moore.
GUEST BATH RESOURCES:
- Deep Grey Nature floor tile, Calacata Silver wall tile: Porcelanosa.
- Fixtures from Spa Shower and Country Bath collections: Rohl.
- Toilet: Toto.
LAUNDRY ROOM RESOURCES:
- Paint in Hawthorne Yellow, #HC-4: Benjamin Moore.
- Washer, #WAT28402UC, dryer, #WTG86402UC: Bosch.
DINING ROOM RESOURCES:
- Paint in Hancock Green, #HC-117: Benjamin Moore.
- Chandelier: Olde Good Things.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Classic 7 apartment?
A Classic 7 apartment is a prewar apartment layout with seven main rooms, typically including a living room, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms, and a smaller staff room. These apartments are often known for their formal room layout, older architectural details, and separation between living, dining, and service areas.
What colors pair well with gray kitchen cabinets in a classic home?
A couple of colors that pair well with gray kitchen cabinets are white and blue-green tones. White countertops can keep the kitchen feeling bright, while a blue-green backsplash can add color without taking away from the home’s classic feel.
What are landmarked windows?
Landmarked windows are windows in a building with historic or architectural significance, so replacements often need to match approved style and material requirements. For homeowners, that can make window replacement a more careful part of the renovation plan, especially when nearby finishes and built-ins need protection.
