{"id":188774,"date":"2026-04-07T20:57:37","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T20:57:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/188774\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T20:57:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T20:57:37","slug":"a-former-tenant-bought-her-brooklyn-townhouse-and-its-rare-freestanding-kitchen-there-are-no-built-in-cabinets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/188774\/","title":{"rendered":"A Former Tenant Bought Her Brooklyn Townhouse and Its Rare Freestanding Kitchen (There Are No Built-in Cabinets!)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"A<\/p>\n

A Former Tenant Bought Her Brooklyn Townhouse and Its Rare Freestanding Kitchen (There Are No Built-in Cabinets!)<\/p>\n

ABOUT THIS TOUR<\/p>\n

HOME TYPE: Townhouse<\/p>\n

LOCATION: Flatbush, Brooklyn, New York<\/p>\n

STYLE: Bohemian, Eclectic, Vintage<\/p>\n

BEDROOMS: 2<\/p>\n

SQUARE FEET: 2000<\/p>\n

Ariella Mandel<\/a>\u2019s transition from tenant to owner of this Brooklyn townhouse is a remarkable story of turning setbacks into opportunities. The road to homeownership included bad cement, flood water, and even a lawsuit. But what began as a series of unfortunate events eventually allowed her to go from tenant to proud homeowner and entrepreneur.<\/p>\n

Ariella first started renting this 2000-square-foot Flatbush townhouse at the start of the pandemic. \u201cIt was a great deal at the time, definitely a COVID deal, and was about six times the amount of space I had previously,\u201d she begins.<\/p>\n

\"Wooden<\/p>\n

Built in 1910, the townhouse came with plenty of gorgeous architecture like original plaster walls and a completely freestanding kitchen (meaning zero built-in cabinets). \u201cI absolutely loved being a tenant here. The house was everything I wanted; it had original details like the arches and wood floorboards, I had my own garden, the kitchen was dreamy, and I had two entire floors of a house all to myself!\u201d<\/p>\n

But then, a flood upended everything. Contractors hired by her landlord to do work on a pipe ended up using the wrong cement to fill in the ground in front of the townhouse. Ariella writes that it \u201cturns out there is a crucial difference between indoor and outdoor cement, and after an overnight rain, the entire garden level of the house flooded with cementy-water!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Absolutely all of her stuff that had been downstairs had to be moved to the parlor level, leaving Ariella living among boxes and bags for months. \u201cIt was pretty dramatic, front to back, totally flooded, ruined my rugs and anything else sitting on the floor,\u201d says Ariella, who didn\u2019t want to leave the dreamy unit while waiting for the damage to be fixed.<\/p>\n

When the landlord eventually told Ariella he was going to sell the townhouse, she initially panicked. \u201cI had nowhere to go, especially with the amount of the things I had collected,\u201d she writes. But after chatting with her parents, Ariella, who was 25 at the time, asked her landlord an \u201cunthinkable\u201d question: \u201cHow much do you want for the house?\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A“My home is a traditional townhouse, and I am very happy to say most of the original details have been kept (arches between rooms, wooden floorboards, plaster wall),” Ariella writes. “So many townhouses these days are being stripped down and modernized inside, and that is something I would never do!” Credit: Rachel Nasvik<\/a><\/p>\n

The price was $900k. It\u2019s a lot of money for some, but there were two unique things about the state of Ariella\u2019s finances. \u201cI actually had a fair bit of money despite my young age because I worked five jobs during the pandemic simultaneously (everyone else seemed to become underemployed at that time; I was overemployed),\u201d she explains. And a legal settlement following an incident in 2020 helped Ariella transition from tenant to owner.<\/p>\n

Because of those unusual circumstances, Ariella had enough money to put a down payment on the home and get approved for a loan. And in the five years she\u2019s been in the space, she\u2019s not only create a home \u2014 she\u2019s also founded a business, Kitchen and Kitten<\/a>, where she rents out the space for film, photoshoots, and events.<\/p>\n

\"A“I used to be a very messy person \u2014 my sisters, Nina and Julia, whom I shared a room with growing up, and my college roommates can all confirm this! I am totally the opposite now, but I think my youthful messiness stemmed from my need to be constantly decorating. Even in my disorganized era, I was always collecting things. I would bring home treasures from the street and always be rearranging our room (I am the oldest so I was in charge!) all throughout my childhood,” Ariella admits. <\/p>\n

Credit: Rachel Nasvik<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI have had everything from feature films, to student productions, to brand photoshoots, to chef pop-ups, birthday parties, and even a wedding! This has been my primary source of income for the last two years, and I love being my own boss and my own landlord!\u201d she writes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I was little I remember staring into people\u2019s brownstones, dreaming of having my own,\u201d Ariella admits. \u201cAnd never did I believe this is how I would achieve it, but every day I am so grateful for the strange, and somewhat awful events that led me here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Resources\"AntiqueAriella says a lot of people ask about the 8-foot-tall antique mirror. “I found it on Facebook Marketplace for $300, a steal for a mirror of that size (let alone a vintage one)! I made my dad rent a U-Haul the very same day (because I am a New Yorker and therefore don\u2019t know how to drive) and we went up to Tarrytown to get it,” she writes. “I learned from the last owner that it is from a mid-19th century Brooklyn church and was rescued by his family in the mid-20th century when that church was being torn down. I wish I knew which church it was, but he didn\u2019t know since it had been in his family for a few generations. However it does feel good that this piece is back in its original home of Brooklyn!” Credit: Rachel Nasvik<\/a>ENTRY<\/p>\n

Entry Table \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

Rectangular Mirror \u2014 Craigslist<\/p>\n

Venetian-Style Mirror \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

Related: House Tour: Olivia Konys’ Maximalist 300-Square-Foot Artist’s Apartment\"CozyLIVING ROOM<\/p>\n

Elephant and Palm Tree Couch \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

Oriental Rug \u2014 Craigslist<\/p>\n

Mid-19th-Century Church Mirror \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

MCM Wood Bookshelves \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

Painting \u201cVoyers\u201d by David Martineau (1986) \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

\"DiningDINING ROOM<\/p>\n

Farmhouse Dining Table \u2014 Craigslist<\/p>\n

Art Deco Server \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

Rattan Trunk \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

1950s Theater Seats, originally from a Theater in Utica, NY \u2014 Gifted<\/p>\n

\"CozyKITCHEN<\/p>\n

Refrigerator \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

Black Hutch \u2014 Left by My Old Landlord<\/p>\n

Short Wood Hutch \u2014 Left by My Old Landlord<\/p>\n

Kitchen Island \u2014 Left by My Old Landlord<\/p>\n

Teak Bar Stools \u2014 Craigslist<\/p>\n

\"CozyBEDROOM<\/p>\n

Floral Pink \u201960s Couch \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

All of the Nude Paintings \u2014 By My Friend\u2019s Grandmother, Rebecca Rikleen, Gifted<\/p>\n

Nude Sculpture \u2014 By My Friend\u2019s Grandmother, Rebecca Rikleen, Gifted<\/p>\n

Wood Bench \u2014 Craigslist<\/p>\n

\"CozyDEN<\/p>\n

Gingham Blue Couch \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

Striped Red Couch \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

1960s Avery Fisher Credenza \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

Vintage Wood Desk \u2014 Craigslist<\/p>\n

Space Age White Chairs \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

Danish Tea Cart \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

Bar Cabinet \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

Drop Leaf Circular Wood Table \u2014 Gifted by My Old Upstairs Neighbors<\/p>\n

Vintage Wood Cabinet \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

\"CozyGUEST BEDROOM<\/p>\n

Subway Seats \u2014 MTA Sale<\/a>, 2025 Memorabilia and Collectibles Pop-Up Shop<\/p>\n

Vintage Child\u2019s Size Roll-Top Desk \u2014 Gifted<\/p>\n

Vintage Darkwood Dresser \u2014 Craigslist<\/p>\n

Pink and Green Plaid Curtains \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

Baby Blue Cabinet \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

Blue Floral Rocker \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

Pink Floral Arm Chair \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

Vintage Blue Floral Wool Rug \u2014 Facebook Marketplace<\/p>\n

\"CozyMUSIC STUDIO<\/p>\n

Secretary Desk \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

Bookshelf \u2014 Left by My Old Landlord<\/p>\n

\"ColorfulDRESSING ROOM<\/p>\n

Washing Machine \u2014 Street Find<\/p>\n

All of My Clothes \u2014 A Mix of Beacon\u2019s Closet, Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange, Goodwill, and Thrift\/Vintage Shops Around the World<\/p>\n

This tour\u2019s responses and photos were edited for length\/size and clarity.
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Further Reading<\/p>\n

7 Things Ridiculously Organized People Have at Home<\/a><\/p>\n

10 of the Best Folding Shopping Carts for an Easier Grocery Haul<\/a><\/p>\n

5 Things You Should Always Throw Into the Dishwasher If There\u2019s Room<\/a><\/p>\n

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