Daisy Huang

New York City  ·  2024

Studio Renovation

I bought a small, outdated studio in New York and had the full vision the moment I walked in. I planned for months, then brought a hammer to closing. What followed was one of the most humbling, rewarding things I've ever done.

Timeline

4 months

Scope

Full gut & rebuild

DIY

Demo, cabinets, flooring, paint, simple electrical

The Vision

Most people saw a cramped, dated studio. I saw wainscoting on every wall, a dramatic navy kitchen, a moody all-black bathroom with brass fixtures, and that incredible arched window finally getting the room it deserved. I spent months deep in YouTube tutorials, Pinterest boards, contractor forums, and tile samples before a single nail was pulled.

Before
The arched window was love at first sight. Everything else had to go.
The arched window was love at first sight. Everything else had to go.
Floor-to-ceiling built-ins in every corner. Functional, not mine.
Floor-to-ceiling built-ins in every corner. Functional, not mine.
An original kitchen untouched since the '80s.
An original kitchen untouched since the '80s.
I like baby blue but just not in my bathroom.
I like baby blue but just not in my bathroom.
The Work

I did all the demolition myself — floors, cabinets, walls. Then came cabinet installation, wall painting, and flooring. I installed new outlets and light fixtures. The bathroom was my design, handed off to a contractor to execute. I failed constantly, redid things more times than I can count, and more than once thought I had bitten off more than I could chew. I never gave up.

Day one after closing. Hammer in hand, kitchen counter was gone.
Day one after closing. Hammer in hand, kitchen counter was gone.
Demolition was fun at first, but then it got messy.
Demolition was fun at first, but then it got messy.
First cabinet installed, it started feeling real.
First cabinet installed, it started feeling real.
Fourteen cabinet doors, spray-painted on the living room floor.
Fourteen cabinet doors, spray-painted on the living room floor.
A lunch break with my friend who came over to help.
A lunch break with my friend who came over to help.
After
Then it arrived: wainscoting, sconces, marble, modern Parisian vibes.
Then it arrived: wainscoting, sconces, marble, modern Parisian vibes.
I had great time hosting dinner parties here.
I had great time hosting dinner parties here.
From brown laminate to Gentleman Gray and Carrara quartz
From brown laminate to Gentleman Gray and Carrara quartz
A simplist's bathroom
A simplist's bathroom
I like black and gold.
I like black and gold.
I picked each tile and each fixture.
I picked each tile and each fixture.
What I Took Away

Research is load-bearing

Every hour I spent in planning saved three hours of rework. The renovations that went smoothly were the ones I had over-prepared for.

Failure is part of the method

I repainted the cabinet doors several times. Redid the kitchen island a few times. Every failure taught me something the tutorials couldn't.

Constraints breed creativity

A 400 sq ft studio with one arched window forced me to design intentionally. Every inch had to earn its place.

Finish what you start

There were nights I wanted to walk away. The version of this place that exists today is proof that grit outweighs talent.

A personal project by Daisy Huang  ·  New York, 2024