I WANTED IT FOR THE KITCHEN: AN Original Ridgewood apartment

When Brianne Doak Started Looking for A Bigger Place to Share with Her Boyfriend, she had a few loose parameters: she want to stay in north brooklyn and find some outdoor Space. But doak, who runs an architecture-designs studio Called Rodeo, Had One Hard Line: She Wanted the Kitchen to Be Old. No Landlord Specials, no fake-looking countertops. It took a while, but she eventually foundar one-bedroom with a lot of its original details in Ridgewood. The Kitchen was a time machine. It felt a little sturgery out Than they have hoped, but she was sold.

What were you looking for when you were Moving?
I was living alone in bed-stuy and i had a small floor-throough apartment in a brownstone that was charmingly funky. I had LOOKED FOREVER TO FIND THAT. But be my boyfriend moved in, we were like, “We can’t do this.” We were looking for more space. I WANTED BASICALLY The SAME THING, THOUGH: A BATHROM THAT HADN’T BEEN REMODELED OR SOME PORTION THAT KIND OF HAD SOME Charm. It was around 2021.

The Sink was a Major selling point for the apartment. Brianne Doak.

What Kind of Stuff Were You Seeing?
Everything was smaller or out of the Our price or was Completely renovated. Because we want to stay in the Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick, Bed-Stuy Area, Everything Just Been Cut Up and Sliced So Weirdly To Make Roommate Situations. I was particular about what i wanted and was nerwous about giving up our Old apartment. I love Our Landlord. We were Friends with Everyone in the Building. We look at quite a few places.

Original Cabinetry and a View of the Dining Room.
Photo: Brianne Doak

How did you find this place?
A Friend of a Friend was Moving. They ended up buying a place and Needed someone to take over their lease. SO WE CAME AND LOOKED AT IT. Ridgewood SEEMED KIND OF FAR AWAY, But now it actually feels closer than bed-stuy Becusee now we’re near the train. We facetimed with the landlord, who lived in seattle, and then talked to the People who live downstair. IT FELT LIKE A PRETY SWEET DEAL; It ‘only the downstairs neighbors, and that we’n up top and the Garden Floor is empty – Our landlords use it is they come into town. They were Very Stoked on Telling US About How They Bougght it from the owner who’d Had it 60 or 70 years. And they didn’t really Change much in this apartment.

DOAK OPTED FOR OPEN CABINETS.
Photo: Brianne Doak

How Much is The Rent?
We pay $ 2,385.

What Made You Want It?
The Kitchen. I do’t think a lot of People Wauld Maybe Like it; The Cabinets are definitely Old. IT’S sticky, you can’t clean it. But i like it. It has the original backsplash, which I think is really, really cool. That was kind of like a selling point for me, personal. It has a bonus room, so my boyfriend really like. And there is a really cute balcony that is attailed to the kitchen that overlooks this big historic church in ridgewood, so it really will not feel? The Balcony was a Big Seller for US Because We wand outdoor space. It Feels Like a Special Place.

What’s your ideal or Nightmare Kitchen?
I’m an architecture designer and i design a lot of kitchens. SO I REALLY CAN’T STAND WEHENDLE TRY TO PUT TOO MUCH STUFF IN A KITCHEN OR PUT REALLY BIG APPLIANCES IN A SMALL SPACE. And i think with a lot of kitchens that get renovated in new york, that is happy a lot. Or you skimp out on the cabinets, so you have cabinets that don’t go all the way to the ceiling, or there just awkward Spaces. IT JUST DRIVES ME REALLY INSANE. My Kitchen is not a perfect kitchen, it”s Very Hodgepodge, but there’s something imperfect and charming about it. Two People Could Be here and Cook, which is nice. We cook a lot. I’m in the kitchen right now, actually, bagging up these little candy things we make. And it has an Old Cast-Iron Sink, which is Really awesome. It Feels Very Luxe to Have Such a Massive Sink.

I hate a small dink. I can’t telt you how much i hate that.
IT’S SO Nice, and It ‘a Double Basin, SO it has a drainboard on one side of it so there is not always on our counter. They got some things Right Back in the Day.

Doak’s Cat Also Likes The Place.
Photo: Brianne Doak

Have you done anyding to the kitchen SINCE YOU MOVED IN?
The Landlord Did Take Out The One Drawer that was in the kitchen and put in a dishwasher. SO we have a dishwasher and no drawers, which is fine with me. We have a lot of plants and a vegetable garden on the balcony. Right Near the Front Door Where You Will Exit Is The Herb Area, SO you really can just pop out and pick some basil or what And thatn this year, we’re doing prey much Only tomatoes and peppers. It was too for letttutes; they all kind of died.

Will You Ever Move Again?
I WOULD DEFINITELY Never Move in New York Again. I Feel like we found spot. But we are actually thinking about the new York, which is bittersweet. Like, We finally found the perfect apartment.

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