Finished Brownstone Bathroom, Bedroom, and Patio

Project: Manhattan Remodel and Cape Cod Affordable, Episode 18, Part 3



Bob Vila's Home Again wraps up its 15th season on a walk-though of the completed Manhattan Brownstone floor-through apartment. From the exterior facade, where 1890s Brownstone and wrought iron detailing have been cleaned and revitalized, to the grand living room where original cornice molding was uncovered and restored, this project has given 21st-century life to a 19th-century home. Bob looks at how symmetry was restored to choppy spaces that once housed two apartments. Height and space have been restored, with full 12 foot ceilings in the living room and beautiful quarter-sawn Ash floors from Bellawood throughout the space. A new fireplace surround was built on-site by Fort Hill Construction after the original fireplace was revitalized with a flexible steel liner. The kitchen now has a built-in bar and cupboards with the flavor of a butler's pantry, complete with architectural glass fronts from Bendheim. The office space, oversized island, and kitchen counters are all Basaltina stone. The brushed metal drawer pulls and handles blend the stone with the stainless steel appliances from Sub Zero and Wolf. All in all, this is the 21st-century luxury that maintains the legacy of the families who built these proud Brownstones more than 100 years ago.
Part 1: Facade Details and Windows and the Interior's Finished Cornice Molding, Flooring, and Fireplace
Part 2: Kitchen and Butler's Pantry, Venetian Blinds, and Luxury Kitchen Appliances, Finishes, and Cabinetry
Part 3: Finished Brownstone Bathroom, Bedroom, and Patio
Bob and Chris Vila continue the walk-through of the Manhattan Brownstone with a look at the new bathroom. The former bathroom was completely gutted, but the footprint remains the same. The new look is very clean and sleek with elegant, solid fixtures in the shower and sink. The Toto pedestal sink and toilet are contemporary with very clean lines. An oil-filled, electric wall radiator from Runtle will warm the space as needed and also serve as a towel warmer. The tile on the walls, floor, and shower are all from Porcelanosa. The wall tile is a white, large-format tile called Subway that is designed to replicate the feel of an urban subway station. The stone green tile on the floor is Durango Stone, which is an outdoor tile that was used on the patio as well. The glass shower tile flows like water across the walls and is called Glacier Glass. Bob and Chris Vila are in the back spaces of the Manhattan Brownstone floor-through apartment to check on finish details. The refurbished bedroom space has cove molding at the high ceiling, finished with bed and picture molding for visual interest. The boxy closets and enclosed daybed space have been removed to make a large, open bedroom, with symmetrical boxes at the back end to hide pipes and create a visual frame for the view through the French doors to the balcony patio beyond. Architectural details like the moldings, window framing and apron, and the custom radiator covers from Thomas Bump recall the grandeur of 1890s Brownstone living. Bob and Chris Vila step through the custom nine-foot Pella full-pane French doors onto the balcony patio of the apartment. The doors are hinged in five places, making them extremely secure. The masonry around the doors has been rebuilt and repointed, and will be painted come spring to match the surrounding brickwork. Old concrete and brick has been removed from the patio floor and replaced with frost-proof, Durango Stone for a clean, soft-green look. Bendheim's Satin Tech tempered, etched glass is used as a privacy screen for the patio, and will be supported by a stainless-steel railing that is invisible from the patio side. The installation is designed to look like floating glass. Alternating etched lines give an opaque look and provide visual privacy for the residents, who will enjoy stepping outside without leaving their city home. The patio is completed by Frontgate with a stainless steel grill, iron table and chairs, and a decorative planter to give a winter-garden feel to a year-round space. Bob and Chris Vila check out the Rinnai on-demand water heaters that will control the domestic hot water and radiators in the Manhattan Brownstone apartment. A Rinnai residential unit will heat the water for showers, sinks, and all domestic use. A commercial unit will heat the water for the perimeter radiant heating in the apartment.
This project deals with two very different notions of home. Bob begins on New York City's Upper West Side, where an 1890s Brownstone is revitalized through high-quality craftsmanship and sensitive design. New York's past meets its present, as the entire floor is recaptured and refurbished to create a spacious urban apartment on the doorstep of Central Park.

At the same time, Bob works with a Cape Cod developer to apply Massachusetts land use statute 40B to create affordable housing, and a neighborhood of homes in Mashpee, MA. These Energy Star certified homes show how quality building practices and reasonable asking prices can work together to provide livable, affordable homes and neighborhoods to those who work in our communities.

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