PARK SLOPE BROWNSTONE
Brooklyn NY
In a gut renovation that included demolition of everything but the existing brownstone's masonry shell and floor joists, JCA transformed a dilapidated Park Slope brownstone into an open, light-filled home for its new owners.
The building's new layout features a parlor floor containing the home's social spaces in one grand room. Removal of an interior bearing wall - replaced with an exposed steel beam - takes advantage of the brownstone's width to make this floor feel as generous as possible. JCA's design creates resonance between preserved original details and new elements such as freestanding storage cabinets, and a playful pod that wraps the dining area's walls and ceiling. The pod gives this space its own presence within the larger room while concealing HVAC equipment and the building's plumbing risers from sight. Pantry cabinets, painted with blackboard paint, allow children to draw on the wall, or spouses to jot down what time they'll be back from the gym.
The garden floor contains a home office and a master bedroom suite that overlooks the rear garden through a large new picture window. On the top floor, the children's bedrooms - each with a private reading nook - flank a full bathroom and open play area. The rear yard has also been redone, including a new stair up to the kitchen, new fencing, and carefully laid out paved and planted areas.
Coverage: Brownstoner.