{"id":230761,"date":"2026-05-14T00:28:16","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T00:28:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/230761\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T00:28:16","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T00:28:16","slug":"a-dated-nyc-co-op-apartment-was-transformed-into-a-casual-yet-sophisticated-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/230761\/","title":{"rendered":"A \u201cDated\u201d NYC Co-Op Apartment Was Transformed into a \u201cCasual Yet Sophisticated Space\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\"Living<\/p>\n

Credit: Coldwell Banker Warburg<\/p>\n

One might assume that a spacious two-bedroom co-op apartment<\/a> in New York City with tons of natural light<\/a> would get snapped up quickly, especially in a market capable of attracting buyers with equally roomy budgets. But aside from having those deep pockets to afford a home on Central Park West<\/a>, there\u2019s another thing that buyers apparently needed more of when it came to one unit that was languishing on the market: imagination.<\/p>\n

\"Modern<\/p>\n

Credit: Coldwell Banker Warburg<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one thing that home staging has taught me, it\u2019s that many homebuyers (including yours truly<\/a>) have a tough time seeing the potential within four walls. And despite the numerous windows in this unit \u2014 there\u2019s even one in the kitchen! \u2014 that filled the co-op with sunlight, the mostly empty space wasn\u2019t doing much to woo buyers.<\/p>\n

\"Bright<\/p>\n

Credit: Coldwell Banker Warburg<\/p>\n

\u201cThe space was not necessarily designed in a way that really showcased the space or made it feel roomy,\u201d says Jeremy Kamm<\/a>, agent at Coldwell Banker Warburg & founder of RubriK Staging Co<\/a>, who was tapped to stage the listing by Svetlana Choi<\/a>, an associate real estate broker at the same firm.<\/p>\n

\"Cozy<\/p>\n

Credit: Coldwell Banker Warburg<\/p>\n

The former owners had already moved on, leaving behind a few pieces of furniture, but it wasn\u2019t enough for buyers to envision its full potential. \u201cBeing able to imagine yourself in this space is critical, so I furnished it in a way that I thought would speak to your Upper West Side buyer,\u201d Kamm says.<\/p>\n

How This NYC Co-Op Apartment Was Transformed<\/p>\n

While the co-op was in good condition, it hadn\u2019t been updated in years, so it wasn\u2019t exactly turnkey in terms of new finishes. \u201cIt was dated but digestible,\u201d Kamm says. His goal was to create a casual yet sophisticated space. \u201cThis is not like some over-the-top, prewar, elegant kind of thing,\u201d he adds. \u201cIt had a cozy, warm, very relatable, and approachable kind of feel. So I really leaned into that.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Bright<\/p>\n

Credit: Coldwell Banker Warburg<\/p>\n

Stage the Second Bedroom as a Children\u2019s Room<\/p>\n

Not all stagers are also licensed real estate agents, but it\u2019s a dual setup that works well for Kamm. \u201cI am very much dialed into the likely buyer pools for different neighborhoods,\u201d he says. \u201cTaking that into consideration as a home stager, I think, is critical.\u201d It\u2019s why he then staged the second bedroom as a children\u2019s room; though there are certainly many professionals in the area who could use the second bedroom as, say, an office, he knew that there were families with children in the potential buyer pool. He also placed the two beds on the longer wall, making the room seem even more expansive.<\/p>\n

\"Bright<\/p>\n

Credit: Coldwell Banker Warburg<\/p>\n

Rearrange the Layout of the Dining Area<\/p>\n

The challenge Kamm had wasn\u2019t the size of the space but the layout of it. He typically loves working with horizontal rooms because they offer more options for furniture layout. However, with this property, the middle entry posed a challenge, as did the need to maintain access to the corridor leading to the bedrooms.<\/p>\n

\"Bright<\/p>\n

Credit: Coldwell Banker Warburg<\/p>\n

The solution? Move the dining area<\/a> to a new spot to make even better use of the expansive living area. Prior to staging, a six-seat dining table was placed in front of the window, which shifted the living area away from the view. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t a poorly lit apartment, but you are looking at something entirely interior,\u201d Kamm explains. \u201cI do think flipping the arrangement helped alleviate that.\u201d By switching up the layout of the dining area, he portrayed a new story to potential buyers: \u201cMore meaningful living space that permitted conversation and gathering \u2014 not so much for eating but more for multiple people living in the home \u2014 was more important,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\"Bright<\/p>\n

Credit: Coldwell Banker Warburg<\/p>\n

Bring in a Warm Color Palette<\/p>\n

For the rest of the home, he brought in more furniture, new linens, and tasteful decor in a warm color palette featuring browns, grays, and yellows that created a cohesive design flow from the living room to both of the bedrooms.<\/p>\n

How Staging Helped This Listing Get Sold<\/p>\n

Kamm\u2019s staging essentially revived the listing that had been lingering for more than six months on the market. Once the listing photos were updated, the co-op went into contract 45 days later, and the deal was closed.<\/p>\n

Further Reading<\/p>\n

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