Apartment tour: 2BR in Red Hook

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Using his penchant for carpentry, architect Keith Keaveney transformed his boxy, concrete studio apartment, located in an old luggage factory in Red Hook, into a homey two-bedroom party pad. The apartment overhaul was a solo endeavor that took the frequent HGTV home-makeover guest expert three months to finish. "I had a cocktail napkin and drew the entire plan off of that," he says.

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Keaveney's ambitious renovations included erecting a staircase, creating a lofted bedroom and office, constructing a downstairs guest bedroom, adding an island in the kitchen and building a fireplace---all in a day's work for "the kid who was always playing with Lincoln Logs and LEGOs," he jokes.

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As the founder of architecture firm KK Designs, Keaveney had no trouble crafting his own furniture, including the dining-room table made from discarded punched-out metal templates. "When you build it yourself, you have more of an appreciation for the space," he explains.

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Keaveney loves using "raw materials that have an industrial feel," like wood, steel and the perforated Plexiglas he used to construct the full-service bar stocked with liquor collected from his travels. "I love to entertain," he says. "I grew up in a family where my parents were always having parties."

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"I'm not only a designer, I'm also the guy who will pick up the tools and make it," boasts Keaveney. He created this coffee table, which serves as a functional artistic centerpiece in his living room, by assembling copper and steel sheets with steel cables.

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The skilled craftsman carved out a shelf in which to display his fiance's collection of traditional dolls from the Dominican Republic, where she was born. "What better way to get a sense of who someone is than through their space," notes Keaveney.

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"I like to use lighting to help create a warm, inviting and livable space," says Keaveney. "It's all about creating feeling." He scours New York's Flower District for home accents, like these branches he backlit with an orange glow to add an earthy vibe to his apartment.

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Keaveney prefers simple and accessible solutions; he frequents chains like Lowe's and Home Depot to find unexpected materials, like the chain-link fence he creatively incorporated into the base of his staircase to give it an unfinished look.

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"It's all about earthy tones," admits Keaveney, who chose an overstuffed taupe couch from BoConcept (locations throughout the city; visit boconcept.com) for his living room and accented it with his own photograph of a 1950s motel sign he saw while vacationing in Fort Lauderdale.

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Since Keaveney enjoys decorating for the holidays, he hung fake fall leaves purchased in the Flower District on the kitchen backsplash for festive flair.

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"I'm from the mountains of Colorado, and every house back home has a fireplace," notes Keaveney, referring to the modern-looking hearth he constructed with a faux flue. "It really livens the place up." The ceramic log uses a special fuel gel that burns with a real flame but doesn't need to be vented or exhausted.

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Keaveney's lofted bedroom is a cozy nook for sleeping. "You don't stand on the bed," Keaveney quips when asked about hitting his head on the low ceiling. When his fiance moved in, he added open closets and extra shelving to accommodate her clothes.

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"I want it to feel like a home," explains Keaveney of the framed photos of friends and family on display in the guest bedroom.

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Keaveney enjoys creating every detail in his abode, right down to the wall art. He photographed a series of pressed flowers, then mounted them on handmade metal frames to enliven the dining area.

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SPIN THIS STYLE

Maple Burl horizontal 3" x 5" frame, $65, at ABC Carpet & Home, 888 Broadway at 19th St (212-473-3000, abchome.com)

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SPIN THIS STYLE

Roost birch glassware, set of six for $75--$85, at greenergrassdesign.com

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SPIN THIS STYLE

Spencer Peterman round cherry bowl, $69, at The Conran Shop inside ABC Carpet & Home, 888 Broadway at 19th St (212-755-9079, conranusa.com)

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SPIN THIS STYLE

Fishs Eddy Artist Crystal champagne flute, $8, at Fishs Eddy, 889 Broadway at 19th St (877-347-4733, fishseddy.com)

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SPIN THIS STYLE

Milk & Cookies designer handmade pillow, $25, at milkandcookies.etsy.com