All articles by Emily Nonko

Emily is a Brooklyn-based writer who has covered New York City real estate, architecture and design for Brownstoner, The Wall Street Journal, Dwell and other publications. You can follow her on Twitter @EmilyNonko.
This Windsor Terrace townhouse reno by Barker Freeman was inspired by the owner’s love of books
February 10, 2017

This Windsor Terrace townhouse reno by Barker Freeman was inspired by the owner’s love of books

By
Barker Freeman Design Office got creative with this townhouse renovation in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn by taking the interior structural columns of the home and transforming them into bookshelves. The result was a win for architect Alexandra Barker's book-loving clients Gayle Forman, a prolific author of young-adult books, and Nick Tucker, her musician-librarian husband. Barker told Brownstoner that the shelving system is essentially a "low-cost design feature." And she noted, "They add visual interest using something most people already have." But that was only one element in an overhaul that modernized the main floor of this historic 20-foot-wide wood frame house.
See the full renovation
Brazilian supermodel Caroline Trentini lists her East Village duplex for $2.65M
February 10, 2017

Brazilian supermodel Caroline Trentini lists her East Village duplex for $2.65M

By
Brazilian supermodel Caroline Trentini is hoping to unload her East Village condo, a 1,355-square-foot, two-bedroom duplex, for $2.65 million. She purchased the pad, which is located at 311 East 11th Street, in 2010 for $1.715 million, according to LLNYC. For a glamorous supermodel the interior is pretty tame, although the garden-floor apartment does boast an enviable 750-square-foot private backyard.
Take a look
Greenwich Village studio with wall of windows and private backyard gets a price chop to $995K
February 10, 2017

Greenwich Village studio with wall of windows and private backyard gets a price chop to $995K

By
This charming Greenwich Village studio costs just a hair under $1 million after a recent price chop. Located at the cooperative 45 West 10th Street, the pad first hit the market last summer asking $1.075 million and the price has whittled away in the months since down to $995,000. (It last sold in 2007, for $495,000.) This studio does boast some perks, like a separate bedroom nook that creates space for a charming, bookshelf-lined living room, as well as a massive private backyard.
Take a look
MKCA transforms 225-square-foot West Village pad into a super-multi-functional home
February 8, 2017

MKCA transforms 225-square-foot West Village pad into a super-multi-functional home

By
The master of small apartment design in New York is at it again. The architecture firm MKCA managed to transform a 225-square-foot space that connects to an adjoining five-foot-tall storage attic into a highly functional apartment. MKCA has made a name for itself by designing claustrophobically tiny spaces into enviable apartments through creative and space-saving techniques. (Read more about the firm's design style in this 6sqft interview with MKCA's founder, Michael Chen.) This apartment, located in the West Village, is no different--a customized wall of storage created space for a bed, table, hangers and shelving that can be taken out and tucked away as the owner desires.
learn how the apartment works
$8.8M Flatiron duplex boasts customized features, from a floating staircase to millwork closets
February 8, 2017

$8.8M Flatiron duplex boasts customized features, from a floating staircase to millwork closets

By
An intensive re-design of this massive, lofty condo at 10 East 22nd Street, in Flatiron, left the 4,000-square-foot interior with tons of customized details. Asking $8.8 million, the duplex apartment boasts a grand living room with 17-foot-tall wood beam ceilings, a customized kitchen, crazy closet space, and a dramatic floating staircase. Best yet, a "terrace oasis" off the main floor comes with views of the Flatiron Building.
Take a look
Freestanding home in Bay Ridge with many of its historic details intact asks $2.15M
February 7, 2017

Freestanding home in Bay Ridge with many of its historic details intact asks $2.15M

By
It's hard to deny the stateliness of this three-story freestanding home at 8525 Colonial Road in Bay Ridge. It's located on a 52-by-78-foot corner lot with both a front and back yard. (The large lot also boasts a two-car garage.) Inside, charming details abound, like a wood-burning fireplace and built-in window seat. For this four-bedroom, four-bathroom home, it'll cost a cool $2.15 million.
Take the tour
Concert pianist Inon Barnatan looks to unload his Harlem loft for $2.25 million
February 6, 2017

Concert pianist Inon Barnatan looks to unload his Harlem loft for $2.25 million

By
When concert pianist Inon Barnatan was on the hunt for a Manhattan apartment, it had to satisfy one big requirement: enough space to hold a grand piano. He found this lofty condo at 140 West 124th Street, in Harlem, paying $1.182 million back in 2007, according to a profile in the Wall Street Journal. Located in a former warehouse built in 1906—that was allegedly used as a speakeasy during Prohibition—the two bedroom boasts historic barrel ceilings and a spacious living room fit for a piano.
Take a look
A new construction carriage house in Red Hook boasts plentiful indoor and outdoor space
February 5, 2017

A new construction carriage house in Red Hook boasts plentiful indoor and outdoor space

By
A unique property in a unique neighborhood has hit the market for a cool $1.9 million. 97 King Street, in the waterfront neighborhood of Red Hook, is a newer construction building inspired by the carriage house design. The three-story property holds a 270-square-foot garage on the ground floor--currently home to the textile company Artemisia--and living space above. It's topped with an impressive roof deck that looks over Lower Manhattan and the surrounding waterfront.
Go inside
Rich wood details abound at this $5.75M sixth floor loft in Tribeca
February 2, 2017

Rich wood details abound at this $5.75M sixth floor loft in Tribeca

By
There's nothing timid about this three-bedroom loft apartment, perched on the sixth floor of the Tribeca condo 28 Laight Street. The sprawling living room is dominated by exposed wood ceilings, with wide-plank ebonized oak floors below. Massive windows framed by exposed brick bring light into the bold and striking space. Such an impressive interior design will set a buyer back $5.75 million.
Look around the apartment
This ‘car-lover’s dream retreat’ was expertly designed in the woods of Hudson Valley
February 1, 2017

This ‘car-lover’s dream retreat’ was expertly designed in the woods of Hudson Valley

By
Nestled in the woods of the Hudson Valley is this stunning home designed around a unique focal point: the generously sized garage. Architect Marcia McKeel, of Studio MM Architect, explained in ArchDaily that the garage "is the locus of the design, generating space for car storage and maintenance as well as a spacious wine cellar and a furniture workshop." The rectangular home, partially embedded in the hilly landscape of the Hudson Valley, juts out from the lower-level garage. Inside, a striking open plan living space was designed for everything from entertaining to relaxing by the fire.
Take the tour
Furnished full-floor loft with an art collection asks $6,250/month in Tribeca
January 31, 2017

Furnished full-floor loft with an art collection asks $6,250/month in Tribeca

By
This sprawling 1,700-square-foot apartment takes up the entire fifth floor of 91 Franklin Street, a five-story, five-unit rental in Tribeca. Having the top-floor unit means the space is outfitted with skylights, as well as exposures to the north and south. Any renter ready to pay $6,250 a month will also get this pad fully furnished, which includes art from the owner's extensive contemporary collection.
Time to tour the space
Daughter of rock legend Peter Gabriel lists sunny East Village co-op for $1.65M
January 27, 2017

Daughter of rock legend Peter Gabriel lists sunny East Village co-op for $1.65M

By
Rocker Peter Gabriel's daughter, Anna Gabriel, is unloading her East Village pad for $1.65 million. Gabriel, who has shot music videos that include notably Beyonce’s “Countdown” and “Sweet Dreams,” purchased the apartment at 303 East 8th Street in 2006 for $1.05 million, according to public records. (You can see some photos of her living space here.) Now the two-bedroom unit--which boasts 17 windows across four exposures--is looking to find a new owner.
Take a look
1894 maps show a Manhattan densely populated with immigrants
January 26, 2017

1894 maps show a Manhattan densely populated with immigrants

By
New York has always been a city of immigrants, and these historic maps—dug up by Slate—attempted to illustrate the population density and nationality in 19th century Manhattan. With data from the 1890 census, the New York’s Tenement-House Committee and Frederick E. Pierce released the maps in 1894. They tracked immigrant communities by striping each of the island’s sanitary districts (which are small service areas designated by the sanitation department) with different patterns. The stripes show the national origin of the New Yorkers that live in each area, while the width of the striped signifies the proportion of the population represented by each group.
See the full map
Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh lists Tribeca loft below Taylor Swift for $5.75M
January 26, 2017

Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh lists Tribeca loft below Taylor Swift for $5.75M

By
Now's your chance to get in at Tribeca's celebrity heavy condo, the Sugar Loaf Building at 155 Franklin Street. Rangers captain Ryan McDonagh has listed his $5.75 million three-bedroom apartment, which is situated right below Taylor Swift's palatial, lofty pad. And at 155 Franklin, all things revolve around Taylor Swift: Sir Ian McKellen was staying in Peter Jackson's apartment and got evicted when Jackson sold the unit to Swift; and Orlando Bloom sold his apartment soon after Swift moved in with rumors of paparazzi annoyance. But if you don't mind the crowd of fans, this unit boasts 2,450 square feet as well as the same exposed brick and timber-beamed ceilings that decorate Swift's nearby abode.
Time for a tour
Socialite Georgette Mosbacher lists luxurious full-floor, Fifth Avenue co-op for $29.5M
January 23, 2017

Socialite Georgette Mosbacher lists luxurious full-floor, Fifth Avenue co-op for $29.5M

By
This grand Fifth Avenue co-op belongs to the socialite and political fundraiser Georgette Mosbacher, who has hosted everyone from King Juan Carlos I of Spain to Tom Hanks to Presidents George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Donald Trump at her apartment. It occupies the entire fifth floor of 1020 Fifth Avenue, a prestigious limestone cooperative, and it's now asking $29.5 million. Mosbacher, who has lived here since 1992, told the New York Times, "It’s come to a point where I want to make a change in my life, and it won’t happen unless I shake it up." So now the palatial pad could be yours.
Take the grand tour
$12,000/month to rent this triplex townhouse beauty in Boerum Hill
January 20, 2017

$12,000/month to rent this triplex townhouse beauty in Boerum Hill

By
Renters can enjoy Brooklyn townhouse living in all its glory here at 306 State Street, a Boerum Hill property now asking $12,000 a month. The 25-foot landmark home spans three floors and holds five bedrooms, four-and-a-half bathrooms and an upgraded chef's kitchen. Better yet, a dramatic glass extension was added to the back of the home, making for a sunroom you don't see in many historic New York townhouses.
Check it out
Perfectly preserved Victorian with a dreamy wraparound porch asks $785K in Hyde Park
January 19, 2017

Perfectly preserved Victorian with a dreamy wraparound porch asks $785K in Hyde Park

By
It's hard not to crush on this Upstate Victorian, perfectly preserved since its construction in 1879 (h/t CIRCA). Located at 21 Curry Lane in New Hyde, both the architecture and location impress: the white house, with its original slate roof and wraparound porch, sits on a hill overlooking the Hudson River. It's a 15- minute drive to the Metro North station in Poughkeepsie for city dwellers, and it's $785,000 price tag is quite impressive.
See the grounds and interior
New renderings and photos show Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5 uplands are almost complete
January 19, 2017

New renderings and photos show Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 5 uplands are almost complete

By
You won't need to see more than a few renderings and photos of new park space slated for Brooklyn Bridge Park to feel ready for summertime. First posted by Curbed from the park's landscape architect Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, renderings show the final design for one of the last undeveloped sections of the park between Montague and Joralemon streets. Known as the Pier 5 uplands, the hilly green space will be comprised of a stepped lawn, shaded grove, waterfront seating and new entrance off Joralemon Street. A sound-dampening berm will reduce noise from the nearby roadways. And it's all on track to wrap construction right before summer.
More images and details this way
Interview: Greystone Development’s CEO discusses development in emerging neighborhoods around New York City
January 19, 2017

Interview: Greystone Development’s CEO discusses development in emerging neighborhoods around New York City

By

Jeff Simpson, the CEO of Greystone Development, is due to celebrate his ten year anniversary with the company this February. In his decade with the real estate firm, founded in 1992, he has overseen Greystone’s reemergence into the New York market by tapping into emerging neighborhoods around the city. Before he joined Greystone, Simpson worked with […]

Insane roof deck tops this $2.65M Tribeca penthouse
January 18, 2017

Insane roof deck tops this $2.65M Tribeca penthouse

By
The next buyer of this Tribeca penthouse will not have a hard time impressing anyone with its sprawling private roof deck and three-story interior space. It's located at the condo loft 356 Broadway, a prewar building constructed in 1864 and converted to 18 apartments in 1984. This top-floor residence is the only unit in the building now on the market, asking $2.65 million.
Take a tour
UWS one bedroom asking $3,950/month is loaded with prewar charm
January 17, 2017

UWS one bedroom asking $3,950/month is loaded with prewar charm

By
In this Upper West Side cooperative at 245 West 74th Street, you can rent an apartment that embodies all that prewar co-op charm. This one bedroom comes with a formal foyer and details like a fireplace, decorative mantle and high-beamed ceilings. A formal living room, dining room and kitchen also make for a classic floorplan that's hard to beat. It's just been listed for rent asking $3,950 a month.
Take a look
In the historic West Village Bank Building, a $3.45M condo boasts a 17-foot window
January 16, 2017

In the historic West Village Bank Building, a $3.45M condo boasts a 17-foot window

By
This unique condo was designed by and for the renowned international designer Tui Pranich. As the listing says, his principle was that "good design takes into account not only the aesthetics, but how life within that space will actually be lived." Pranich had a lot to work with: the two-bedroom apartment occupies the historic Bank Building at 300 West 14th Street in the West Village and is decorated by one of the building's original arched windows that soars nearly 17 feet tall. It's now hit the market for $3.45 million.
See the rest of the impressive interior
Pitch a story icon

Pitch a Story

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Interested in seeing the property in person?

It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544

Interested in seeing the property in person?

It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo

Distinctive Post Form

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544
Contact us image

Get in Touch

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Send us a tip image
Delivering New York stories focused on design, lifestyle & real estate.

Send us a Tip

We love to hear from you!

"*" indicates required fields

Interesting in learning more about purchasing a new home?

Let us know what you are looking for and we’ll help you find the home of your dreams. It’s free, with no obligation.

CityRealty Logo
or Call (212) 755-5544

Thinking about selling your home?

We’ll provide current market comps and connect you with a trusted expert.

CityRealty Logo

Sell a Home (Footer)

"*" indicates required fields

or Call (212) 755-5544

Before You Move On
from this Page.

Subscribe for NYC's Lastest Design, Lifestyle,
and Real Estate Trends!

No Worries. We Don’t Spam.

By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Your Daily Dose
of NYC Life!

No Worries. We Don’t Spam.

By providing your email address, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You can unsubscribe at any time.