The seventh anniversary of Hurricane Sandy recently passed and there are still many people who are constantly reminded of its aftermath. Mile Square residents Ted and Megan felt the remnants of Sandy while they renovated their beautiful single-family brownstone in uptown Hoboken. Today, their uptown spot is the space of their dreams, but it didn’t come without a few renovation struggles, too. Read on to learn more about their home renovation errors and triumphs — and the beautiful interior that the couple created for their growing Hoboken family.
The Location
Nestled in the heart of Hoboken’s beautiful tree-lined streets is a stunning space owned by Ted and Megan, along with their three children. The couple has lived in Hoboken for just about eight years, previously living in Murray Hill, New York. Their first apartment in Hoboken was on Hudson Street {otherwise known as one of the most sought after streets in town}. Megan and Ted searched for years before finding their new home. Throughout the years of being on the hunt for their dream house, they were either outbid, not quick enough, or could not find what they were looking for — for almost four years. Then finally, they found a winner in uptown Hoboken that was being sold through the owners and viola — their 10-month renovation began on their current locale.
See More: 10 Easy Upgrades to Make Your Hoboken Rental Feel Like Home
Megan and Ted’s Top Tips
One piece of advice from Megan and Ted about starting renovations in Hoboken is trying to get as many recommendations as possible. Ask around, drive around town, be that nosy person, and get all the recommendations you can before making final decisions. “Know someone in zoning,” Ted shared as one of his other key reno tips.
This brings us to why Megan and Ted’s renovation took so long. The remapping of the flood zone of Hoboken after Sandy put the new home right on the border of needing to be completely internally rezoned with their utilities. A lot of back and forth with the town put a major halt on their work. On top of adding all-new electrical + plumbing, they configured the whole house to make it work for their family — and the town.
“Don’t question yourself, and go with your gut,” Megan said when she spoke about the final design. The home is a stunner no doubt, but Megan says she wished she went a little bolder in some areas.
The Interior Design
Starting with the entryway, you are welcomed by stunning custom-made doors from JC Amighini. They are from Argentina and cut down to fit the entryway. The beautiful artwork is from Hong Kong. Ted grew up in Hong Kong and his life there is represented in many unique pieces around the home. The large antique cabinets in the living space were a gift from his parents for their wedding — they are custom pieces from Hong Kong.
When it comes to decor and furniture, the family has pieces from all of your go-to stores and some international pieces as well.
They replaced the shell of the fireplace but the bones are original, as are the railings leading upstairs. The rug is from ABC carpets, chairs are Ballard, and the mirror is from Restoration Hardware.
“I want to change up the dining room decor at some point, but with three young children — it’s a pretty well-used area,” Megan noted about the space.
Their gorgeous table is from Crate and Barrel.
The granite in the kitchen is from GR Stone and the cabinets are custom from Sterls Kitchens Co. Their amazing blue star six-burner stove is ideal for cooking holiday meals — and the sub-zero fridge in the space completes the look of the modern-meets-cozy chef’s area.
Read More: What to Know + Ask When Looking for a High-Rise Home
Moving to the bathroom, the tiles are all from Fuda Tile and both vanities in the kids’ and master bathrooms are custom-made. The double sink with a blue-green hue and marble top makes the master bath just that much more chic.
The master and kids’ bedrooms are mixed with furniture from One Kings Lane, Gilt, Joss & Main, Pottery Barn, and some Restoration Hardware. As you can tell, pastels are a theme, and we’re not mad about it.
To complete the home’s look, there is a backyard that has a storage shed {and Edison bulbs/tea lights + a BBQ, of course}.
This is of course where the kids love to hang out {and draw chalk figures}. Megan and Ted laid down new concrete slabs and spruced up the shed to finish everything off.
“The renovation was a learning experience for the whole family and [hopefully] we don’t plan on having to do it again anytime soon,” Megan laughed. And with good reason, because seriously, their current home is stunning.
Want to submit your Hudson County home design to be featured? Email hello@hobokengirl.com photos + descriptions!
Did you know: We started a podcast about all things news and lifestyle in Hoboken + Jersey City! Listen to the latest episode of Tea on the Hudson here and subscribe.
We release new episodes every Tuesday, starting again January 14, 2020 for Season 2.
