The post-flood plan for the already stripped house included an all-new kitchen, staircase, bath, and white oak flooring.
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The precipitating incident that led to the top-to-bottom renovation of this rebuilt vintage row house was, well, precipitation — water, at least. It began with a burst pipe on the top floor, causing extensive damage that eventually trickled down through all five stories.
“Over Christmas in 2023, an uninsulated pipe in an exterior wall froze and burst while my clients were away for a week. A neighbor realized water was coming through” and alerted the vacationing homeowners, recalled designer Paulina Hospod, a founder of the design/build firm Aha!nteriors. The outfit took on the huge restoration job that followed.
In many ways, Hospod said, the disaster was for the best. Her clients, a couple with two children, had purchased the house after it was totally rebuilt in 2011, with original detail thoroughly scrapped and an extra floor added atop the narrow building. “It was a developer renovation, with cheap, low-quality materials,” Hospod said. The developer cut corners extensively, and the kitchen and baths were nothing to write home about.
Aha!nteriors began its work soon after a mold remediation company completed theirs. The Queens-based company is a family affair. Hospod and her brother-in-law, Albert Rutkowski, a master millworker, cofounded the business 12 years ago. Hospod’s father, Andresz Hospod, a skilled electrician, and her mom, Danuta Hospod, the office manager, are key members of the seven-person team.
“When we came in, walls and floors had been stripped down to bare bones. But there was still a lot to demo,” Hospod said, including removing a shaky staircase that had not been built to code. Hospod worked with her clients’ insurance company to secure funding for the renovation. The homeowners got rid of all their soggy furniture and moved to a nearby rental for almost a year.
The Aha! team built out the entire 3,500-square foot interior, with an all-new kitchen, a brand new staircase, a spa-like primary bath, and new white oak flooring throughout. The windows were salvageable, as were three glass doors at the far end of the parlor floor, overlooking the backyard.
All furnishings, lighting, rugs, and window treatments throughout the house are brand new, from a variety of accessible sources like ABC Carpet, Restoration Hardware, and CB2.
Existing long window openings were retained on the parlor floor; new solar shades cut down on UV rays.
In the living room, the Aha! team created a new fireplace surround of marble and wood where an existing gas fireplace stood.
The art installation above the sofa — metal tubes with colored acrylic inserts — is by Canadian artist Samantha Sandbrook.
Thirteen-foot ceilings on the parlor level necessitated a landing in the new staircase, which created an opportunity for shoe storage underneath. “New York City code says if it’s over 12 feet, you have to have a landing,” Hospod said.
The simple stair rail is composed of black metal spindles; the treads match the new white oak flooring.
A marble island with rounded edges, Viking range, 48-inch-wide refrigerator, farmhouse sink, and hidden warming drawer bring professional-level function to the new kitchen.
The navy-stained ash cabinetry was custom-made at Aha!nterior’s woodworking shop in Richmond Hill, Queens.
Square white ceramic tile measuring 4 by 4 inches, arranged in a staggered pattern, reaches all the way to the tall ceiling. “We wanted something New York style,” Hospod said.
A peninsula-shaped counter and generous banquette seating encourage gathering. Hospod snuck in additional storage with push-to-open drawers under the banquette.
The luxurious primary bath has a separate wet room with a freestanding tub and steam shower. The walls are clad in Dolomiti marble; the beige-veined marble floors have radiant heating beneath.
A second-floor lounge with a TV and an enormous sectional has no walls or door; it’s conceived as an open space at the top of the stairs.
[Photos by Rayon Richards]
The Insider is Brownstoner’s weekly in-depth look at a notable interior design/renovation project, by design journalist Cara Greenberg. Find it here every Thursday morning.
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