Margaret's Nest

Home Sweet Home!

 

Welcome to the first Margaret's Nest post! I have a feeling this is going to be a wild but amazing ride. I've never done a renovation before and I've certainly never done one under the eyes of neighbors and a co-op board!

 

Back in January 2019 I made the radical realization that I could actually move back to the city. This dawned on me when I was doing a lot of self-reflection and thinking about what I wanted my life to look like and how my career would influence the decisions I made. You can read a bit more about why I left Manhattan back in 2011 and why I decided to move back here.

 

Once I sold my townhouse in Connecticut in June, I began the exhaustive hunt to find an apartment in the city. Here is the crazy thing... I'm not actually all that attached to real estate. For whatever reason I'm just not emotional about it! I like some places better than others and I've certainly loved some of the places I've lived in. But I've never been one of those people who gets their heart set on a piece of real estate. I think it's because wherever I am, I'll make it my home.

The truth is this was the first apartment I saw. None of the other dozen or so apartments had the pre war charm that this apartment and building had. I loved the architectural features and even though it was a bit rough, I knew I could make it my own. It has a fire place that is no longer working, a sunken living room with painted wood beams, original iron handrails, gorgeous floors, and good light.

So now begins the journey of renovating my kitchen and bath! I am absolutely dead set on lilac painted cabinets in the kitchen. Don't even try to talk me out of it! It's happening, get on board. The bathroom is probably going to be a bit more classic New York with a black and white look. I'm busy pouring over magazines and instagram images saving them like crazy for all my kitchen and bath inspiration. If you have any must have kitchen or bath features, small kitchen must haves, or general tips on renovating in a co-op, please feel free to share!

 

Check back next month for an update on my inspiration and hopefully a first draft of the plans!