Case Studies

West End "Grand Five"

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Live-Work “Grand Four”

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East Side Fix

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Fire Island Bungalow

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Upper West Side Townhouse

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West End Avenue “Grand Six”

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AKA Sweet Spot

Residential complete renovations in Manhattan optimized for your experience

NYC Pre-war Expert

We transform apartments built for pre-war living into light-view-space filled apartments with more useable (enjoyable!) space.

We understand the culture that created the pre-war homes of NYC, and know how to revitalize those homes for 21st century life. We are intimately connected to the limitations and opportunities of pre-war buildings and know how to communicate with the DOB, coops, and condos to get the approvals you need.

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Prioritize Communication

We are a relationship-first company. What that means is that we’re here for you when you have questions.

We have a delightful-process that prioritizes communication. We ask you what would make your project delightful, and we get your feedback. We act on your feedback every month.

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Value Creation

We create joy from raw materials; you start with a pile of commodities and end with your home.

We focus on your experience of being in the space and put your construction budget to its highest and best use. Our value creation is experienced when the work is complete. It is the joy you will have in your new home.

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Your Project

We create a plan for your home that is fully optimized for light views and experience

Scope + Budget

Your goals. Your budget. Your schedule.

We listen to what you want to accomplish in the time and budget you have. We create time and money estimates and guide you through the decisions and tradeoffs that are an integral part of the process.

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Design Only

Design

Accomplish more.

Your new home will optimize your goals, and will maximize your Light-Views-Experience. We listen to what you value and how you want to live. And we create great storage!

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Complete Renovations

You want long term value you can experience.

You have found a home you love in Manhattan – great neighborhood, the right amount of light – and you want to improve the layout and make it suit your needs.

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Insight

What Our Clients Say

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Client-Centric Architectural Vision

The one thing that she does that I really appreciate is there’s a human side to the design piece. She brings in value, she brings in a lot of data. And I haven’t seen most architect use data the way she uses data, and then the other thing that I think she does, it’s different for most architects and designers out there, there’s that element of nurturing what she calls the optimism of that customer. And I think it’s impressive.”

Dr. Lilian RESULTS
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Preserving Prewar Heights: HVAC Success

“I worked as the mechanical engineer with AKA, designing the HVAC for a classic-seven apartment. I was very impressed with AKA’s elegant and intentional architectural design; I have never been part of a HVAC upgrade for an apartment in a prewar building that preserved the ceiling heights so well! AKA developed the architectural details wonderfully to enhance the perspective of height rather than diminish it.”

Ray RESULTS
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Day-to-night flexibility

“My apartment can silo into work zones and expand again into partial or ALL entertaining. I love that a guest observed how my apartment goes from festive and glamorous to intimate and relaxed.”

Allegra & Scott RESULTS
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Lockdown serenity in AKA-designed apartment

“We believe a big part of our relative serenity right now, during the 2020 COVID lockdown, comes from living in the beautiful apartment [AKA] designed for us. Being sequestered here is not at all a trial, and I think of you daily.”

Maria & Bill RESULTS
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AKA’s options and process were welcome

“Architectural lighting turned the entry, living room, and dining room into welcoming and impressive spaces after dark. All [of Allegra’s] suggestions as to lighting, furniture layout, paint colors, and interior design were presented in the form of value-neutral options. She directed me toward excellent choices, and gave me the space to truly be a partner in the design process.”

Maria & Bill RESULTS
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Classic apartment transformation

“Allegra became a dear friend over the course of the cosmetic redesign of our rented classic six. Her advice came from carefully listening to our needs and desires for our move to the city from a suburban home. She helped us decide what to keep and what to give away, which allowed us to keep more old favorites and buy less.”

Maria & Bill RESULTS
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Efficient and meticulous design collaboration

“Working with Allegra was a pleasure. She spends a great deal of time figuring out how to make an apartment feel like a home. Utilizing every square inch to add storage space, and improving the function in every room, actually makes the apartment larger. She always made time to supervise the work and demanded perfection from our contractor. We will continue to work with Allegra on future projects.”

Amy & Bruce RESULTS
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Apartment sold quickly despite COVID

“Thanks to AKA our apartment sold quickly in a very early-COVID market.”

Becca & Charlotte RESULTS
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Innovative & decisive renovation

“We did a gut renovation with Allegra and her team. They were fantastic to work with. AKA was innovative and creative when planning out our apartment. I made decisions decisively, and AKA kept the process moving on time and on budget. AKA offered options for how the space would be laid out, and approximate relative budgets, which helped me know what was possible and make the right choice for my family and me.”

Becca & Charlotte RESULTS
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Enjoyable process & perfect apartment

“Allegra was the architect of our total apartment renovation, and …it was a pleasure to work with her from start to finish.  Allegra listened to what we wanted, took time to understand how we live and who we are as people, and then designed our perfect apartment – maximizing the light, the view, and the amount of space we have.”

Alan & Carol RESULTS
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Stress-free & great results

“Allegra made this process as stress-free as possible for us, and we are more than delighted with the results!”

Alan & Carol RESULTS
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Well-managed & innovative designs

“Allegra managed the construction project beautifully, was always organized and on top of everything, and scheduled design meetings at convenient times for us. Her presentations of various design options were amazing. Allegra and her staff also provided excellent assistance with interior design.”

Alan & Carol RESULTS
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Grateful, Grateful & Grateful

“We appreciate our apartment more than ever and are so thankful to you for creating this wonderful sanctuary. It has sheltered and nourished us with its open and airy space [and its] capacity for us to be separate when we need to be when we are each on our respective Zoom calls. I can cook (which I am now doing most nights) and still talk to C. it’s really great. You gave us a marvelous gift and we are so grateful.”

Alan & Carol RESULTS
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Functional & Elegant

“Suddenly our space has opened up and created whole new living opportunities…We love the way the whole apartment came together: new rooms, new storage — everything is so functional and yet so elegant… Our teenaged [sic] children now put all of their belongings away … that is no small accomplishment!  (OK ..this is a bit of an exaggeration, but the space is so much neater!)”

Peter & Betsy RESULTS
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Ingenious solutions stand apart from the norm

“Over the last 25 years in the real estate industry I’ve worked with many talented architects, but Allegra’s work truly stands out. Allegra combines an amazing sense of style with an uncanny attention to detail that sets her body of work apart from the norm. Most importantly she truly shines in her projects’ functionality. Each room she creates becomes a jewel box of ingenious solutions to brilliantly handle all eventualities.”

Kenny RESULTS
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An apartment with soul

Visiting an architect’s own home is a special thrill! I am a friend of Allegra, and the transformation of this apartment was truly astounding. Before the renovation, this apartment had some beautiful original details, and there was a great view, but it was in terrible condition, and the layout didn’t make sense. AKA preserved the old-world soul of the apartment while bringing it into the 21st century with a flexible, expansive layout and luxurious modern storage, lighting, fixtures, and appliances. Somehow the apartment feels as though it was never touched, as if it was always meant to be exactly how it is: light and bright, and gracious and gorgeous. I recommend AKA highly!

Caroline RESULTS
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Practical AND aesthetic

“I am really loving what AKA did with our space, how creative they were in figuring it out and making it practical, which is always Steve’s concern as well as aesthetic, which is more my concern. You did an exquisite job.”

Marcia RESULTS
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Gorgeous & brilliant

“We love the design, the place is gorgeous. It’s brilliantly executed.”

Marcia & Steve RESULTS
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Grateful

“I wake up every morning. I look up at the cove lights. I look down at the baseboards, I look at the door, I look at the knobs. I look at the windows, I look at everything, and I think, how lucky am I? And how blessed, I’m so grateful to AKA. Every morning, every afternoon, every night. I love, love this apartment!”

Marcia RESULTS
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Project coordination & stay-cation

“We’re so blessed that Allegra & team were able to mastermind this with us and that it incorporates really the best of us. AKA worked with other people to help make it happen and it’s beautiful. We don’t even want to go on vacation because we just want a vacation in our own home. And that’s the truth.”

Marcia & Steve RESULTS

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