Think about furniture ahead of time. Interior designer Penelope August, who’s worked on a number of fixer-uppers, suggests thinking about furniture choices early on, and also considering access for furniture while planning the construction. Photo 2 of 32 in Before & After: A Historic Tribeca Townhouse Gets a Magical Makeover

Before & After: A Historic Tribeca Townhouse Gets a Magical Makeover

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The biggest architectural maneuver in the renovation was moving the staircase to allow for a more spacious kitchen. In this view, you can see the little volume at the center that housed the refrigerator.