Manhattan Pre-War Apartment Renovation | 895 West End Ave

About This Renovation

For this Manhattan pre-war classic six renaissance palazzo apartment renovation, the clients wanted to pay homage to the original historic details while mixing in contemporary touches. The apartment is a classic six on the Upper West Side and was in estate condition, having been untouched in some 50-60 years, but the appealing address and architectural charm made this large-scale NYC gut renovation worth the undertaking. At the same time, the clients were keen to utilize budget-conscious decisions where feasible. We worked closely to determine their design priorities and make practical recommendations without losing sight of aesthetic considerations, while also bringing to life their vision for a modernized home with nods to its pre-war roots.

Fun Fact: Our renovations added nearly $1 million in value to this apartment, which was featured in the New York Times.

Job Type
Full Pre-War Apartment Renovation
DESIGNER
Design By Gallery
LOCATION
Upper West Side, Manhattan
Building/Street
895 West End Ave. NY, NY
SQUARE FOOT
1650
DURATION
18 weeks

Design Details

The transitional aesthetic, which pairs classic choices with modern touches, is ideal for pre-war apartment renovations. In this kitchen renovation, in-set Shaker-style cabinets open and close flush with the frame instead of over it, a design feature of pre-war English-style kitchens. The champagne-colored pull handles offer a contemporary sense of contrast, while the matching quartz countertops and backsplash pull the look together. 

For the final touch of our luxury kitchen design, we built a breakfast nook into the kitchen area, opting for an open shelf along the sink instead of another hanging cabinet. The openness creates design cohesion between the kitchen and nook, enhancing the usability of both. Many of the upgrades, such as the crown and base moulding, are brand new, but crafted to be visually period-specific.

We also updated two bathrooms in this Manhattan pre-war apartment renovation. The shimmering modern subway tiles bring a timeless New York City sensibility, while the glass-paned shower and floating double vanity creates a spa-like atmosphere in one bathroom. In the other, large marble tiles visually animate the main floor, while penny tiles offer smaller-scale contrast in the shower.

Forgiving Flooring

The Manhattan apartment renovation required new floors in the kitchen, new tiles in the bathrooms, and refinished floors throughout the rest of the space. A darker stain was chosen for the refinishing, providing a nice contrast against the overall lighter tones throughout the apartment that’s also accurate for the pre-war period. 

The refinished flooring is one area where we were able to guide our clients toward a smarter use of budget, as refinishing existing floors is a fraction of the cost of putting in brand new ones. The dark stain was specifically selected for its forgiving nature, hiding the scratches and other wear-and-tear of 100 years spent lining an apartment floor.

From Pre-War to Modern Day

Virtually all pre-war renovations which have not been previously remodeled in any way share the need to replace outdated plumbing and electricity. To add to the undertaking, this particular Manhattan pre-war apartment renovation was also in estate condition, necessitating a complete redo of all plumbing and electrical. The original walls were also fairly damaged, requiring a great deal of skim coating. As usual, replacing plaster walls and dealing with the unpredictable effects of inconsistent or nonexistent upkeep were challenges par for the pre-war course in this renovation, allowing our expertise in New York City’s pre-war properties to shine.

Some Highlights

  • In-set cabinets for a classic pre-war English kitchen look
  • Newly built-in areas, including a breakfast nook in the kitchen and custom closets
  • Recessed lights throughout the space
  • True gut renovation from estate condition, meaning almost everything was completely redone
  • The apartment’s amazing views of the Hudson River!

Considering a pre-war apartment renovation in NYC? View our portfolio of pre-war apartment renovation before and afters, learn more about Gallery, or contact us today.

We are an award-winning design-build firm in New York City with a full-service approach to residential renovations in Manhattan and Brooklyn that includes everything from interior design and architectural services to facilitating building management and board approval, to construction and construction management. We’re experts in renovating kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, millwork, and all that falls in between. Let us bring your dream home to life.

BEFORE

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Our success stories

Forget about any horror story you have heard about contractors. Stop right here. This is the design-build contractor you want to HIRE. It was a breeze working with Gallery on our apartment combination project. We looked at quiet a few design-build companies and chose Gallery because of the great communication and the fact that they were able to manage material purchasing and product selection for us. They were honest, took responsibility and pride in their work.”
Zoe C
Upper West Side, Manhattan, NY.
Gallery KBNY has been absolutely amazing with my renovation. As a complete newbie, I was expecting a stressful process, but they made everything incredibly smooth—and I learned so much along the way. They’re truly a concierge-level service that genuinely cares about both their clients and the quality of their work. I know I couldn’t have chosen a better team. Colin, Morgan, and Leo were fantastic with logistics; Kate is a brilliant designer; and Alex was, hands down, one of the most responsive and professional contacts I’ve ever worked with. The entire experience was marked by ease, efficiency, quality, and grace. 10/10 recommend!
Irene G.
Manhattan, NY.
We used Gallery KBNY to re-design our kitchen and other rooms. Avi Zikry's design was amazing. His vision enabled us to create a whole new look and a better functioning space. That was a year ago, and we are very happy with the results. I highly recommend him. View full renovation: https://www.gallerykbny.com/our-work/manhattan-apartment-renovation-91-central-park-west
Shivraj B.
Upper East Side, Manhattan, NY.
We loved working with Avi and the whole team at Gallery Kitchen and Bath. From our very first meeting, we felt like we were in great hands. Avi is so responsive—always available, quick to come up with solutions, and he and his team helped us pivot whenever needed without losing momentum. Renovating in NYC is complicated, but they handled all the logistics seamlessly and made the process so much less stressful. They do everything—design, architectural work, and managing every detail and skilled trade needed for a full gut renovation of our loft apartment —so we never had to worry. They are in full control of their workers, which allows them to stay on track and adapt quickly. They were creative and helpful when we needed to pivot on design unexpectedly. We felt like we had true partners that genuinely cared about our project and our well being! The finished space truly exceeds our expectations—we are so proud of our beautiful new home. It’s hard to put into words how positive our experience was overall. We would not hesitate for a moment to recommend Avi and the entire team at Gallery. They will be our very first call if we ever need to renovate again in the future… and you should call right now if you’re considering a renovation! View The Renovation: https://www.gallerykbny.com/our-work/chelsea-co-op-renovation-107-w-25th-st
Jason C
Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, NY.
I enthusiastically recommend Gallery, who did a superb job renovating our once decrepit 2-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn Heights. The project involved a full kitchen and bathroom renovation, as well as new electrical, refinished floors, new doors, new baseboards, and some rearranged bedroom closets. What is more, when I have them the wrong paint color for my daughter’s bedroom, and the team started to paint that color, they got the paint I wanted and corrected the “mistake” (which has actually been my mistake) and didn’t charge me for that either. I’d choose them again 100 times over and definitely recommend them to anyone considering a similar project.
Jane M
Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NY.
We interviewed about 8 different companies before hiring a contractor for our apartment renovations. Although Gallery was not the cheapest option, we chose them based on their upfront billing format, high client reviews, and depth of knowledge. We loved how it was a “one stop shop” and were paying one bill, up front. Everything was very transparent and we could not be happier with the results! Our apartment looks exactly how we imagined. Thank you!!
Fiki K.
Gramercy Park, Manhattan, NY.
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