The 1890 Victorian townhouse in Park Slope was in rough shape when Lindsey Branca and Mike Grosshandler of Branca & Co., a residential restoration and renovation firm, bought it as an investment property. For the interiors, they turned to NYC/UK-based designer Sheena Murphy of sheep + stone, whom they had worked with on a previous project. When it came to the architectural design, Sheena suggested Brian Papa and Lauren McCuaig of Frances Mildred; “I had also worked with them on a previous project,” she says, “and so the team was born about 18 months ago.”
“Our vision was to restore the house to as close to its original layout and details as possible while breathing new life into it to make it a beautiful, comfortable historic home for a modern Brooklyn family,” Sheena says. “The biggest overall challenge was taking the house from its then current state of disrepair and transforming it into a high-end home with authentic details and high-quality finishes without totally breaking the bank. It was important that the house be restored with integrity and without cutting corners.
“We spent a lot of time working on the layout of the home, and really understanding how it would be experienced in reality versus on a floor plan. We wanted the spaces to feel appropriately proportioned and would flow nicely for the way a family lives today.”
Join us for a tour, and for more information on the house, go to Branca & Co. or StreetEasy (the house is currently available for rent, furnishings not included). Photography by Nicole Franzen.
Above: The exterior of the townhouse is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Skimming Stone; the trim is Benjamin Moore’s Black. Above: “To honor the original features of the house, we salvaged as many doors and pieces of crown molding as possible during the demolition,” Sheena says. “Although the staircase needed reinforcing, we were able to retain the original treads, balusters, and handrail, which was a huge win and has exactly the visual impact we were hoping for.” The interiors are painted Sherwin Williams’s Origami White. Above: In the living room, a pair of vintage chrome-framed chairs are reupholstered in Rebecca Atwood’s Taupe Shibori Fabric. The vintage chandelier is from Morentz and the floor lamp, also vintage, is from Greenpoint, Brooklyn, shop Porter James. The Haynes Mirror from Egg Collective hangs over the mantelpiece; the coffee table is from Houston-based Year of None. The rug is from West Elm and the sofa is from Restoration Hardware. “When it came to the furnishings, we kept the palette neutral and mixed old and new, so every piece feels at home in the space and works with the architectural details,” Sheena says. “We also blended high and low pieces to help manage the budget, and sourced vintage lighting to draw attention to the restored ceiling details. The furnishings were a mix of pieces from big-box stores and local designers such as Egg Collective, Vonnegut Kraft, and Allied Maker.” Above: The Arc Globe Pendants are from Allied Maker and the marble countertops are from ABC Stone. Above: The kitchen cabinets are from Ikea, with cabinet fronts from Semihandmade painted in Farrow & Ball’s Pigeon. The Perrin & Rowe Bridge Kitchen Faucet with Sidespray is from Rohl (for more ideas, go to 10 Easy Pieces: Architects’ Go-To Traditional Kitchen Faucets). And for the rundown on our favorite farmhouse sinks, go to 10 Easy Pieces: White Kitchen Farmhouse Sinks. Above: The cast concrete Dune Candelabra anchoring the dining table is from Brooklyn-based design studio Vonnegut Kraft. Above: The dining table is from Crate & Barrel and the chairs are from &Tradition. The Dot Line Sconce is from Lambert et Fils and the framed Paule Marrot print is from All Modern. Above: The Nest Storage Bed is from DWR and the bedside Pigalle Sconces are from Allied Maker. The bedding is from Parachute and the bed throw is from the Joinery. Above: The bedroom rug is custom by StudioFour, the Stump Table is from Sawkille, and the black leather folding Saxe Chair is from By Lassen. The framed Biddew Noir Textile Piece above the mantel is by Johanna Bramble and is available from St. Frank Textiles. Above: In the master bath, the sconces are from Cedar & Moss and the Leather Pulls are from Spinneybeck.
Above: The architects created a wet room with tub and shower enclosed behind a glass partition. Above: The desk is by Vonnegut Kraft, the Deadstock Catherine Lamp is from Castor Design, and the Morrison Credenza by Egg Collective is available from DWR. The framed woodblock paper prints are by Blockshop Textiles. For more urban townhouse overhauls, see:
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