This 1870s NYC Apartment’s Renovation Was Partially Inspired By a Famous Tugboat

Initially, Morgan, who showcases her work on TikTok, lived nearby the 1870s building because she appreciated being close to family. However, when a garden apartment in the building opened up, she jumped at the chance, as it was in a brownstone that hadn’t been renovated but was still “livable.” 

“I worked out of my basement as a stylist, but as I shifted my career focus to ceramics, I realized I needed more studio space,” Morgan, who owns Morgan Levine Ceramics, explains. “At the same time, the residents on the top floor decided to move, and it seemed like a perfect time to renovate that unit.”

So, six months ago, Morgan and Gregory bought and moved into the one-bedroom apartment on the building’s top floor. The abundant sunlight was one of the biggest draws of the new unit, but there were some quirks. 

For example, the new unit was slightly smaller, so the couple had to get creative with storage. Additionally, there was a strange layout (originally three bedrooms opened to one shared hallway), the kitchen cabinets were likely from the 1940s, and “previous residents would climb out of the kitchen window to access the bump-out’s roof, but there wasn’t a deck, and it wasn’t very safe for them or the roof,” Morgan says. 

Over the next six months, Morgan worked with Nick Caraguilo at Transcend Construction to reimagine the apartment. During that time, she found an unexpected source of design inspiration for the new space — specifically, the kitchen. 

“I took a ride on the 1930 Tugboat W.O. Decker with the South Street Seaport Museum while I designed the kitchen, and I wanted to capture that vibe: functional, decorative, and old,” Morgan shares. “It felt really consistent with a brownstone’s ethos, even though it’s nothing like a restoration.” 

Even though Morgan described the original apartment as “lived-in,” the renovation didn’t take that feeling away. Instead, it made the layout more functional (there’s tons of open and closed storage) and honored the feeling of the building. 

“We strived to keep everything very functional but maintain a handcrafted and considered sensibility,” Morgan explains. “I wanted anyone who entered to immediately see these people really love handmade functional objects, especially ceramics.”

• Walls — Benjamin Moore’s “Simply White (OC-117)”
• Trim — Benjamin Moore’s “Chantilly Lace (OC-65)”
• Peninsula — Benjamin Moore’s “Newburg Green (HC-158)”
• Bedroom walls — Benjamin Moore’s “Decorator’s White (CC-20)”
• Wardrobe — Benjamin Moore’s “Lakeshore Green (848)”
• Hallway book shelves and cabinets — Benjamin Moore’s “Dorset Gold (HC-8)”

• Hooks — Etsy
• Rod — Amazon
• Iron fireplace cover — New York Old Iron 70 9th St, Brooklyn, NY 11215

• Sofa — IKEA FINNALA (One day we’ll buy new covers. We used this in our old place with a chaise, and we’re thrilled we could just remove the chaise and use it again)
• Coffee table — Jim Dietrich, @bktafel on Instagram. He makes benches and tables from reclaimed wood. The dimensions were perfect, and we love knowing it’s a piece of lumber from a gutted Brooklyn brownstone.
• Overhead light — Wayfair
• Guitar rack — Etsy
• Amp/record player shelf — Turntable Lab
• Shelf brackets — Lee Valley
• Yellow cabinets — The Home Depot

• Table — Overstock, no longer available. Our contractor cut it down four inches in depth so it fit a little better in the new space
• Light over table — Bed Bath and Beyond
• Kitchen chairs x 4 — Vintage traded with friend for dinner plates
• Kitchen end chairs — Wayfair

• Cabinets — Omega full access in Vail, red oak, natural finish
• Knobs and pulls — Amazon and Wayfair
• Peninsula lights — Wayfair
• Trash cabinet — IKEA IVAR
• Materials for bobbin shelf — Woodpeckers Crafts

• Bedside lights — I bought the shell lights in Hawaii, and used these shelf brackets to mount them on the wall
• Headboard — I made it using a “Kutchi Indian Embroidered wall hanging” I bought on Ebay
• Quilt — Handmade by my mom 20 years ago

• Floor tile — Build
• Shower surround tile — Satin Cava Vallelunga tile
• Faucet — Build
• Toilet paper holder — Signature Hardware
• Showerhead and slide bar — Build
• Tub spout — Build
• Medicine cabinet — Bed Bath and Beyond
• Bathroom shelf — Etsy

Thanks, Morgan!

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

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