The Brownstone Boys Answered All Your Renovation Questions!
In case you missed it, the Brownstone Boys joined the community to talk all things design, DIY, and renovating. Catch up on the conversation and check out this thread to get all their great ideas and advice for your home!
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what are some of your favorite places to find vintage hardware? I'm renting in a historic building where they've added some renter-grade knobs and fixtures, and I really want to replace them with something more true to the home…but I'm not sure where to start!
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I loved reading about this Manhattan apartment's kitchen makeover (and then seeing the rest of the renovation on your website!). I read that the apartment is only 500 square feet. Can you share some tips for maximizing small spaces?
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My 1920s home has beautiful stained glass windows in the living room, and they could use a good clean! What would you recommend for that? Soap and water? I don't want to do any damage because they're in great shape, but maybe they need something stronger?
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so excited for the discussion!! what's one little thing that you think belongs in every room?
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What are some best practices for shopping vintage home goods, especially in NYC! It's hard to find great thrift shops or secondhand stores that aren't clothing-focused. Are there any spots you like for furniture or decor?
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Hi. Do you have any ideas or tips on how you approach a room's furniture layout? Specifically large open space rooms that need zones and flow?
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Who/where are your biggest sources of inspiration?
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What are some of your best tips to help maintain an old home (from the 70s and before?) What fixtures are good to keep/renew versus ones that should be updated/renovated?
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Where do I start if I want to redo my apartment galley kitchen?
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Do you have a renter-friendly way to upgrade boring overhead lighting without dealing with wiring?
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Hi there! What is the most affordable design tip you have that will create the biggest impact in your home?
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What are your favorite go-to renter-friendly hacks to help modernize a dated apartment?
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Please help me. i dont know how to make it look nice. My problems are:-
- I want to paint my wall/wallpaper but dont know what color suitable for my not-enough-sunlight tiny hall.
- I dont know how to re-arrange the furniture around the hall due to space constraint.
- Im changing my floor to brown/beige colored vinyl flooring tomorrow.
Thank you for your help.
Much love. ❤️
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Good afternoon,
We’re buying a new build home that only comes with 4in backsplash in the kitchen. Is peel and stick tile an option that will stick to flat paint?
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Love this! Is there a home project that you're most proud of, or one that was most meaningful to you?
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What's the best way to add more light to a rental apartment with little sunlight?
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Can you share any inspo ideas for a big blank wall over a sofa besides one big piece of art or mirror? I'm struggling to decorate above my couch! Thank you!
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Hi! I currently have a big blank white wall in front of my bed. I didn't opt-in for a TV because I have a projector so I was wondering if you have any tips/ideas that can make the space below more aesthetically looking? I can have a wooden dresser but it certainly takes a lot of space is quite bulky so any inspo would be a great help! Thank you!
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So excited for this Q&A! If you had to select one thing worth investing in during a restorative reno what would it be? Alternatively, what's one thing that you can save $ on?
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What is the most unlikely place where you've found inspiration?
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How often do you source antiques or vintage from places outside of NYC? Do you have any tips for scoring a dream item virtually?
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Do you have a favorite design "rule" you like to break?
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What are your favorite resources for renovations that have a vintage vibe? Any favorite shops we should check out??
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Which DIYs do you think are EASIER than they seem, and which are harder? Are there any DIYs you'll never do again?
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What are your tips for curating furniture and decor pieces that feel timeless/won't go out of style in the next 2-3 years? (Aka how to not be overly tempted by trends or strike the right balance between new vs. old!)
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What's the first project you do in every home?
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Hi Everyone! We are so excited to be here with @Apartment Therapy ! Please drop in any renovation, design, DIY or restoration questions here and we'll be sure to answer as many as possible. Thanks so much for being here. Barry & Jordan, The Brownstone Boys
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Hi Rachel! Great question. Hardware can totally tranform a space and we've seen plenty of rentals with renter-grade options that can easily be changed. In NYC we love Olde Good Things but if you need a place to get new hardware that has character like vintage check out House of Anitque Hardware (.com). We also still love ebay!
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Looove your approach to restoration. What's your favorite historical architectural feature?
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Thank you! The key is definitely organization. When a space is small , you need to make sure everything has it's place. One of the biggest ways we did that was creating an epic bedroom millwork closet we created out of inexpensive kitchen cabinetry. This allowed the client to hide stuff they wanted hidden but still accessible. In the kitchen we went up and added an extra row of cabinetry. So here's some tips:
- Think about where you can add in creative storage (i.e - extra row of cabinets up high, a coffee table that includes storage, under bed storage, etc.)
- we like to add open shelves because it doubles as additional storage & aesthetic vibe
- dont be afraid of color! Color can make the room appear larger too!5 -
OOOoo we love a stained glass! Especially if restoring. The key thing while cleaning stained glass is to spray with gentle cleaners. Spray onto the micro fiber towel rather than directly onto the window to avoid saturation. Ideally you want to mix water with a mild/neutral PH soap (go Dr. Bronners!)
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Any tips on how to mix different decor styles in a home so everything looks cohesive and intentional, and not messy and thrown together?
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Ahh thank you Hollis for being here! Hmmm we both differ a little around this but I (Jordan) think a personal memory (an old photograph, a seashell you found on your favorite beach trip, something passed down) belongs in every space. And Barry thinks good lighting belongs in every space. The amount of time he spends on finding the perfect vintage floor lamp is quite comical!
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So happy you're here, @brownstoneboys!!! Do you have any tips for making a rental feel more charming when you can't make permanent changes to the structure and layout? Would love any ideas!
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Agree! Some of our favorite places for Antique and vintage furniture shopping in NYC are:
- Horseman Antique on Atlantic Ave.
- Humble House on Atlantic Ave.
- Olde Good Things on the Upper West Side
- Demolition Depot in Harlem- We love architectural salvage yards most! Check out Old Iron Salvage under the 9th Street bridge in Gowanus for some finds! Make sure to barter :)
- We also get overwhelmed sometimes with NYC pricing so take tons of pictures of your finds in the city and then look on Facebook marketplace and ebay before purchasing!
5 - We love architectural salvage yards most! Check out Old Iron Salvage under the 9th Street bridge in Gowanus for some finds! Make sure to barter :)
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I live in a cookie-cutter rental, what is your favorite renter-friendly way to give a temporary space love and character?
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We get inspiration from everywhere around us. We love the historic architecture of Brooklyn and our design always starts there. We also get inspiration from our travels, hotels and restaurants! An activity we love to play with our clients is have them create a playlist of song how they want to feel in their future space. It really helps us design once we hear the vibe of their future room!
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Hey Vixon! Thanks for your question! The works never ends in an old home! We pretty much move from one project to another in our house. We like to create routines around our maintenance on things. Repainting wood windows, servicing a boiler, checking the roof for leaks should all be done regularly. Set up an annual (or more often if necessary) schedule for maintaining everything. Also, have your resources on the ready when needed. If you have a good plumber, painter, plasterer….etc ready to go it won't be as stressful when you need them.
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Hi Karis! Thanks for your question! We totally agree that it you will want to create zones in those large rooms. Think about how you want to use the space. Do you need a dining area and a living area? You can create zones with rugs and lighting. Don't street about the overhead lights, you can always add a floor lamp or a wall sconce (even if it has to be with a cord). We like rooms and the zones in them to have purpose. So start with the purpose and design around them.
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We always start a kitchen design with the layout. That is especially important with a galley kitchen! We are doing a petit one now and we shrunk almost every appliance. It was a tiny kitchen with a big range and fridge. We sized them down so that we have room for more storage and counter space. Once we had that set we could fill in the design around it. Good luck!!
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Yes! Fortunately changing a light fixture is usually a pretty easy DIY.. Obviously you need to be careful with any electrical work (turn off breaker box!) but if there's existing lights in place and you're wanting to swap out then it really is just having your replacement fixture ready and a helping hand to help you hold the fixture. Check out our blog post about replacing light fixtures!
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We’ve started stripping the wood in our rental apartment, what are your best tips for getting paint out fine lines without damaging the wood?
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HI Karis, Thanks for your question! We definitely agree that you'll want to create zones in those large rooms. Start by deciding what you want to use the room for. Do you need dining and living in the same space? You can create zone with rugs and lighting. Don't sweat where the overhead lights are, you can always add lighting with floor lamps and wall sconces (even if they are on a cord). We like rooms and zones in the them to have purpose. So start with that and then you can design around it.
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Hi Haley! Good question and we had to think about it for a few. You know what, it costs the exact same amount to paint a wall a deep, rich, color as it does white! In fact, while you're at it color drench it by painting the walls, trim, and ceiling all the same color. It will make a big impact!
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ooh do you have a favorite go-to paint color?
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Love this question! We are HUGE fans of making a rental apartment your own!
- Change the light fixtures
- Change the door hardware
- Add picture frame moulding to the walls (this one is a bit bigger of a project, but we've done it in a rental!)
- Paint the walls (color drench by painting all of the walls, ceilings, and trim the same color).
- Add a built-in-like shelving unit on a blank wall.
- Add an architectural element (maybe a marble faux fireplace, crown moulding, new baseboard)
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The bones are here! Ok this space is screaming for color. Once your floors are in (congrats btw!) take any leftovers and check out Farrow & Ball. We love their curated colors so much and might just inspire the right tone and color for the space. We would paint the whole room including the ceiling! That medallion would be gorgeous in a color!
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Hi there! Thanks for your question! YES there are some really nice peel and stick tile options out there now. We redid a rental apartment and peel and stick tiled an entire column in a black glossy tile and it looked great .
Check out Wallpops, they have some great options!
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Definitely! Our first DIY project as a couple and in our home (right after we purchased) was stripping our woodwork. We're talking stair bannister, wood shutters, and doors. It was a labor of love and somehow we survived and didnt kill each other. lol. We still look at our woodwork 5 years later and are just so pleased with it. We never did anything of this scale before so it came with a lot of sweat and tears but we conquered and set it up for the next 100 years!
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Hey Rebecca! Try adding a large mirror. This really helps reflect the natural light in the space and will even make your space appear larger! And if all else fails lean into the dark and cozy design moment.
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