This modest renovation elevated a dumpy house in Queens to the heights of clean-lined modernism. For starters, the kitchen–once wedged into a back porch–now fills the center of the house with sleek lacquered cabinets and generous soapstone slabs. Likewise, our new entry door is a lacquered slab of horizontal boards. Next, a partial-height wall defines the foyer and frames the living room cabinetry. Lastly, where the main rooms once turned their backs to daylight, new runs of strip windows embrace the outdoors.
Upstairs, we upgraded bedrooms and bathrooms into stylish suites. And at the top floor, we repurposed an old storage attic as a guest room, with a new cathedral ceiling, exposed tie beams, and a cushioned window seat. For a serene vibe, we unified its walls, ceilings, and doors with continuous painted bead board.
Outdoors, new concrete stoops get integral tread lights. And ipe planters wrap an outdoor dining area. For the exterior finishes, new fiber cement clapboards and a terne metal roof will last forever. And we matched all those finishes on the little freestanding garage. A garage? Let’s move to Queens!
