Welcome to Room Receipts, where we get real about the costs behind one well-designed room. From big budget spenders to thrifty thinkers, we’re talking to people from different worlds about their worth-it splurges, budget hacks, and purchase regrets. We’re always on the hunt for cool homes with a unique story, so if you’re interested in being featured tell us more about your space here.
Long before Brigette Muller could order new marble countertops, install a cast-iron sink, retile the backsplash, or paint the walls of her Brooklyn kitchen, there was something else she had to do: ask for her landlord’s permission. “I feel blessed that I can make these changes because I’ve never had a landlord that let me do whatever I wanted with a space before,” the 36-year-old content creator says. When she moved into the railroad-style unit in 2021, the paint on the cabinets was chipping, the laminate counters were dated, and the stainless-steel sink was functional though not necessarily pretty. It would take a lot of work—and a few notably pricey purchases—to turn the room into her preferred “classic French” style.
“People can’t understand why I would invest so much money into a space that isn’t mine,” she explains. “But this isn’t for my landlord. I’m not thinking of him. I’m doing this for me, and it makes me happy.” So far, Muller has spent almost $10,000 renovating and restyling her kitchen in Greenpoint over the past three years and has very few regrets about her choices. Here, she talks about designing her space, investing in rental units, and what she plans to do differently when she buys her first home.
Architectural Digest: What was the first thing you did when renovating the space?
Brigette Muller: When I first moved in, the two things I knew I wanted to change were the kitchen sink and the shower fixture. So I called my landlord and asked if it was okay to do that, and that moment changed my life because he immediately gave me the green light. He said “this is your apartment, any upgrades you want to make are fine by me.” Of course, the unspoken arrangement was that he wouldn’t pay for them. It’s funny, because I really only wanted to change the sink ($250) and faucet ($500), and I didn’t plan to add the backsplash ($250), marble countertops ($3,000), or cabinet doors ($350). Once I started, my vision kept elevating and I couldn’t help myself.
