A $500,000 Remodel Took Their Kitchen From ‘Fine’ to Sky-High

Condos overlooking Manhattan’s Central Park in the spate of high-rise buildings nicknamed Billionaires’ Row typically come with what most homeowners would consider a more-than-adequate kitchen. When designer Mick De Giulio’s clients, who had worked with him on two previous kitchens in Chicago and the Hamptons, purchased a 2,800-square-foot, two bedroom in a newly finished supertall in 2017, the standard kitchen wasn’t cutting it. “The unit had white lacquer cabinets and white countertops,” says de Giulio, who has been creating custom kitchens for over 45 years as founder of his eponymous Chicago-based firm. “As far as serviceability it was fine, but these clients wanted something that represented their personal style and worked for their lifestyle.”