Which is the lesser of two NYC evils: A shower in the kitchen or view of a brick wall?

By Mayra David | September 21, 2015 - 1:59PM

Like them or not, apartments with “quirky” features are part of the real estate landscape: shared bathrooms, no kitchens, funky layout—we have them all. We asked six New Yorkers to weigh in on some quintessentially New York quirks: Would you rather have a shower in the kitchen, or have your windows look out to a brick wall?

Crack eggs, not your noggin! I’d rather stare at a brick wall than have a shower in the kitchen. Cooking and showering don’t mix. You want somebody showering while you’re cooking? What happens when you step out of the shower? You drip water all over the place. I guarantee, it would only be a matter of time before you’re not cracking just eggs in the kitchen. That’s dangerous. —Cosmo, Wakefield, Bronx (pictured at left)
Light and airy does it I’d rather have a real window, and a shower in the kitchen, than have to stare at an ugly brick wall than no light at all! I want as much natural light as possible. Maybe that’s because where I’m living now, it’s pretty dark. My room stares down an alley way, with brick buildings lining my “view.” It makes you feel like you’re in prison. A shower in the kitchen compared to that is nothing. Feel Free! —Bea, Upper East Side
A room with a view I need a view—and I get claustrophobic sometimes in apartments with no views. And why not a shower in the kitchen? It’s different, but okay. Why not? You can have some fun with that. —Frank, Bronx (pictured at left)
Yes, we got it. Why would anyone ever want a shower in the kitchen? Why? You know what weirdness happens in showers! If you have roommates, or are even just living with somebody you love, having them sing at the top of their lungs while you’re making morning coffee is NOT pleasant. And you know other things go on in showers that are less benign than signing. I do not want that near my food. It’s a recipe for disaster! Get it? Recipe for disaster! —Harry, Harlem
Smell hell Ew. Gross. A shower in the kitchen? I’d rather be staring at brick wall. Frankly, I’d rather have a kitchen window that’s been bricked shut than have a shower in the kitchen. I shower and wash my hair sometimes because I smell too much of food from my own cooking or restaurants. Can you imagine how gross it would be to have the smells coming in all the time? Fried eggs and my lavender oatmeal body scrub? Chicken roast and Ocean Breeze Shampoo do not mix. —Bambi, Upper West Side
When life hands you lemons… I think a shower in the kitchen can be fun, you know? You can make the best of it and have fun with it. Plus, you know if the kitchen has a shower in it, the rent is going to be cheaper! —Barry, Washington Heights.

Verdict: Even Split!

For New Yorkers, not all neighbor noise is equal (sorry, kids)

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