Rehab Diary: Monochromatic Luxe in Park Slope

Julie Carlson August 6, 2018

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.

park slope townhouse sheep stone branca co 16 — Above: The exterior of the townhouse is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Skimming Stone; the trim is Benjamin Moore’s Black.

park slope townhouse sheep stone branca co 18 — 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.

park slope townhouse sheep stone branca co 19 — 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.”