When Elizabeth Maletz of Maletz Design was called in, this Brooklyn kitchen was old, dated, and not at all representative of what the rest of the apartment looked like. 

“It was a shabby builder-grade kitchen from the 90s, complete with broken tile,” she recalls. “The rest of the space was gorgeous, but the kitchen simply didn’t fit in.” 

While a modernized aesthetic was at the top of her client’s list of wishes, the main goal was to maximize storage. The galley-style kitchen was typical of what you find in the city—cramped, dark, and borderline dingy, but BOXI offered the perfect solution. 

Though just as attractive as custom cabinetry, BOXI cabinets were more affordable, plus had an enviable lead time. 

What’s more, the semi-custom cabinets fit the sleek and minimalist look they were going for. Plus, the option to have floor-to-ceiling cabinets made all of their storage dreams come true without splurging on a fully custom kitchen, says Maletz. 

To add to the wow-factor, Maletz installed a few custom touches like special panels to the BOXI Salt Slab cabinets, custom-built slots and shelves to work around bump-outs in the wall, and a few extra inches of what would otherwise be dead space. The finishing touch: brass hardware from Schoolhouse Electric.  

Maletz also took some creative liberties in the rest of the space via visual interest and texture. “In the materials, we were looking for something a little different than a plain neutral backdrop, so we used the herringbone tile from Cle Tile.” 

She also selected an olive green tile from Heath Ceramics for the backsplash. “It sounds like a strong color, but it looks earthy and natural,” Maletz says. It also grounds the otherwise white space, giving it an element of warmth that makes it a cozy room you actually want to spend time in.  

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