Brooklyn has the largest concentration of nineteenth century buildings made with the building material known as brownstone. Members of the aspiring upper middle classes of the day, sought out the dark sandstone rich with red iron oxide, creating the deep brown to red coloring. But as many as there are, they are still highly coveted. I used to own one from 1860 in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn (with my friend who later bought me out) and it was full of period detail having been restored from the previous owner. I’m all for respecting the detail but living in a 19th century vertical house, does not necessarily suit everyone’s needs in the 21st century.
This family in Cobble Hill worked with architect Francis D’Haene, of D’Apostrophe Design, to update their townhouse while still keeping a sense of the building’s original detail. They did away with the layout on the top two floors remaking the area for their three children. A skylight and a glass-enclosed concrete staircase was added to connect to the attic studio. As for the parlor floor, the kitchen was inserted almost as furniture, not touching any side wall, beneath the 13 foot ceilings and the original plaster moldings. D’Haene told New York Magazine;
“The kitchen always becomes the center of activity. Why not put it in the center? …it becomes a balancing act, how many interventions you do. To make it contemporary and beautiful and modern while respecting the architecture.”
To me, this strikes the perfect balance.
