Secrets You Can Learn From Kitchen Cabinets in New Hoboken Condos
Categories: Design
All new condo construction in Hoboken is billed as “luxury” - it’s interesting to take a closer look what “luxury” means. A quick look at the kitchens and bathrooms in the model units of these new condos show that luxury means different things to different people. What is considered luxury in new Manhattan condos is not the same as in Hoboken condos.
I love to cook but have a tiny kitchen in my home. So storage and multiple use cabinets are of major importance to me. Cabinet makers today offer an amazing array of special purpose cabinetry. You can choose from pot draws, cutlery trays, pull-out pantries, spice storage, lazy susans, wine storage and more. These special features are essential in small kitchens and helpful in larger ones too.
Then there are the draws themselves. If they are truly high-end, they should be fully extendable draws (so you can get at what is in the very back) and some have soft closing mechanisms so they don’t slam shut. Under-counter lighting is essential. They should be xenon lights - not the cheap hockey-pucks. If you have high ceilings you should have extra-tall cabinets or double rows of cabinets. I can’t tell you how many new condo units I see in Hoboken where the builder slapped some cabinets onto the walls leaving a useless gap between the top of the cabinets and the ceiling.
Almost none one of the “luxury” projects, not Maxwell Place or Harborside Lofts, not the Upper Grand or the Skyclub offer truly upscale features in their kitchens. There’s not a fully-inlaid door in sight. No special purpose inserts either. Very little under-cabinet lighting. One or two developments have Viking, Miele or Bosch appliances. Most offer GE Profile which is fine but nothing special any more. Appliances, unlike cabinetry, are easy to upgrade should a buyer so choose. To install better cabinets after the kitchen has been built usually requires a full demolition since they are attached to the wall, each other, and the countertops.
Of course, when a buyer walks in and sees the stainless steel appliances and granite counters they are “wowed” by the surface appearance of the kitchen. Once they move in and start unpacking or acquiring all those Williams & Sonoma and Sur La Table must-haves they will soon realize what is lacking in their new kitchens. Even if the doors have brushed chrome handles and maybe, maybe, maybe there is a pull-down faucet for the undermount sink so many other features are missing. It only takes one or two nights of trying to wash a pot or two in those little undermount sinks before you will start yearning for a nice, big farmhouse style sink.
While there was a time when a homeowner would have to purchase custom cabinets from a company like Smallbone or Rutt to get these great design features, now even Ikea includes them in practically every cabinet line. Why don’t the developers include any of these very standard amenities in their kitchens? That’s easy - they cost more than a plain vanilla box. If the buyers of these units don’t start demanding more, the builders will not provide more. So speak up, buyers, while the market is working in your favor. Here is a list of some of the features you should ask for:
- under cabinet lighting - xenon, not the cheap halogen hockey-pucks
- lazy susans in those impossible to reach into corner cabinets
- a cutlery/knife drawer
- pull-out pot drawers
- a pull-out pantry tall or half height
- full extension drawers (so you can get to what’s in the back)
- cabinet heights that reach the ceiling or double layers of cabinets
- pull-out garbage/recycling bins
- built-in wine fridge
- stainless steel dishwasher interiors
Then, of course, there is the bathroom.
Does a brushed stainless faucet and Home Depot tumbled marble really make for a luxurious bathroom? Some fussy buyers would have a list that includes many of the following:
- a steam shower
- frameless glass shower doors
- a rain shower head and multiple body shower jets
- radiant heat - of course, a marble or tile floor
- towel warmers
- a built in medicine cabinet
- a linen closet in the bathroom or nearby - (you’d be surprised how many bathrooms have absolutely no storage space!)
- a jacuzzi tub
- maybe even a bidet . . .
There is one new project, the Garden Street Lofts, that is getting it right. They’re offering Valcucine Italian Kitchens and some other nice features. At an appropriate price, of course.
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Did you see that gorgeous Hoboken condo?
Categories: Design, For Buyers
When Realtors get new listings they often hold what is called a “brokers open house” so all the agents in town can come see the new listing. Most of the time, the properties are quite ordinary but the lunch, especially if it is sushi, does get us out to see the place. Today, however, I saw two really beautiful condos.
The first was at the Shipyard, technically 2 Constitution, right on the waterfront in uptown Hoboken. Many of the Shipyard condos, while in a great location and one of Hoboken’s only full service buildings, are really dated looking. They have small, galley-style kitchens so the host is cut off from his or her guests or family when cooking. They have that awful square patterned parquet flooring. The ceilings are low with the ugly popcorn spray finish.
This owner, with the help of a clever architect, blew out an entrance closet and wall and opened the kichen up to the living space by wrapping the cabinets around the corner from the original galley. Not only that, they did it with taste! Beautiful country style custom-looking cabinetry in a lovely color coordinated perfectly with the granite counters and elegant fixtures. They chose nice and not too big stainless appliances, built-in wine cooler and wine rack and a second bar sink. The result is that the extension feels much like a bar or entertainment area and flows perfectly into the living space. Not to mention that the living space was sizable, has great windows and a southern exposure and a large terrace off the dining room. How often do we see balconies off the bedroom? What a waste. The owners also replaced all the flooring with nice plank hardwood, redid the bathrooms one in a subtle tumbled marble style with good lighting, and the other more country-like with a warm, cream-colored bead board. The key, I guess, is that none of it was overdone. Other touches like crown molding on the tops of all the walls, nice closet organizers and pretty wall paint and window treatments made this a real stunner. Priced near a cool million, it was actually worth it!
The other unit was just across the street on Hudson Street. A penthouse multilevel 2 bedroom unit with outdoor space for under $800K. Again, either the owner has amazing taste and skill at pulling things together or there was a decorator involved. While the furnishings and finishes were very unique and personal - lots of white and silver, mirrors, dramatic draperies and area rugs, it worked. The terrace, while small, was off the kitchen (yes - that makes sense for grilling) and had a nice river/NYC view. The bedroom was below and very private. While the closets were well organized they weren’t huge but there was a large storage crawl space in the unit. The living space flowed nicely and the upper level, used as an office, felt welcoming. This was another rare instance where I walked in and thought to myself, wow, I would really enjoy living here!
So while so much of the new construction around Hoboken looks cheap and flimsy, there are some really good properties to be had. A good realtor who knows the market can help you find them. Despite all the talk about the housing downturn, these beauties are few and far between and sell quickly. Lucky buyers!
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