A 134-Year-Old “Worn” NYC Brownstone Was Revived with Smart Renter-Friendly Tricks

“We toured six places before we found this one. It was a cold day, and we met separately at the apartment so we could each get a feel for the commute,” Jake continues of the apartment with two bathrooms, 13-foot ceilings, and a “certain charm we couldn’t ignore.”

“From the outside, it wasn’t much — a worn brownstone with little curb appeal. But behind the emerald curtain was a gem of a parlor floor apartment. The moment I walked in, I felt it: this is it,” Jake admits.

Being a designer, Jake initially had big plans for the space. He dreamt of “lacquered walls and ceilings in bold color, freshly painted kitchen cabinets, updated fixtures, even a new shower door.” But unfortunately, Jake says their landlord wasn’t open to them doing any major renovations to the 134-year-old space.

So Jake and August got creative to add their own personality to the space in more renter-friendly ways: They swapped out the overhead light fixtures in the bedroom, office, and living room. They gave all the walls a fresh coat of Benjamin Moore’s “Super White” paint. And they added in storage “wherever we could.”

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• Desk — Vintage
• Chair — Vintage
• All Paint — Benjamin Moore “Super White OC-152”

• Elise Sofa — ABC Carpet
• Gray Accent Chairs — Vintage 
• Ciccio White Marble Side Table — CB2
• Jakob Leather Lounge Chair — RH 
• Custom Drapes — Amazon
• Bernaby Coffee Table — Sunpan 
• Colin King Bronze-Finished Nesting Side Tables — West Elm
• Tesso Black Metal Wall Mount Bookshelf — CB2 
• Coffee Table Vase — CB2
• Hutch — Vintage 
• Black/White Vases — Runaway Poppy, Michele Varian, Vintage
• Lamps — Vintage
• Sisal Rug — Custom Pottery Barn
• Zebra Rug — ABC Carpet 
• Tray — West Elm
• Pillow — CB2
• Pillow — RH Similar!
• Pillow — H&M Old but so close! 
• Light Fixture — Bed Bath and Beyond

• Dining Table — Vintage
• Sideboard — Vintage
• Mirror — Custom
• Acrylic Lamp — Vintage (Switched out shade for black!) 
• Placemats — ABC Carpet 
• Plates — Crate and Barrel 
• Bamboo Silverware — Vintage
• Wine Glasses — Crate and Barrel
• Drinking Glasses — Crate and Barrel 
• Salad Plates — CB2
• Bowls — CB2 
• Napkins — Maison 140 
• Side chairs — Thrifted but available on WAYFAIR
• Branches — 28th Street floral district!!
• Giant Hurricane Vase — Thrifted!! (Best way to collect multiple vases for hosting!)

• Drinking Glasses — Crate and Barrel 
• Bowls — CB2 
• Salad Plates — CB2 
• Dutch Oven — Le Creuset 
• Striped Towels — Williams Sonoma
• Indoor/Outdoor Rug — Wayfair 
• Plants — The Old Yew
• Cabinet — IKEA

BEDROOM

• Custom Roman Shades — Amazon
• Light Fixture — IKEA
• Bedframe — CB2
• Settee — Vintage 
• Dresser — IKEA
• Dresser Knobs — CB2
• Marble Side Table — Vintage
• Brass Table Lamp — Vintage 
• Heart Artwork Print — Runaway Poppy 
• Colin King Striped Rug — West Elm
• Geometric Grid Blanket — West Elm

• Custom Roman Shades — Amazon
• Desk Drawers — IKEA
• Desk Top — Custom
• Desk Chair — EuroStyle
• Lamp — Louise Poulsen
• Settee — Vintage 
• Ottoman — Meridian Furniture
• Rug — Amazon
• Plants —The Old Yew
• Light Fixture — West Elm

• Striped Towels — H&M
• Artwork — Erna Kuik
• Artwork — Society 6

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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