It's not often that the ceiling makes the house. But the cinematic parlor floor in a 1899 brownstone in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, is an exception. "It's got some of the most ornate, gorgeous plaster medallions and molding that we’ve seen," Barry Bordelon says. And he has seen plenty. Together with his business and life partner, Jordan Slocum, Bordelon is cofounder of the Brownstone Boys, a Brooklyn design firm. In this case, he says, "The ceiling set the tone for the entire home."
The trouble was that the rest of the grande dame had been whittled down into three separate units. "It went through a whole bunch of renovations over the decades," Bordelon says. "There were kitchens everywhere, louvered doors on the laundry rooms. It was a hilarious mix of these beautiful, ornate [original] medallions and a tiny, little 1980s flush mount fixture on it. A landlord special!" Blessedly, the parlor floor remained mostly intact, complete with that Sistine Chapel of a ceiling, a grand staircase with a coffin corner, and marble fireplaces that recall bygone Brooklyn. The designers' clients agreed they should integrate the rest of the home around those elements. "We love building modern design into a historic home," Bordelon says. "I remember early meetings with the contractor where we told them, 'You have to save this plaster ceiling at all costs.'"
Another priority: brightening up the home, especially since scaffolding on a construction site across the street cast shadows over the house. "Keeping the whole space light and airy was a challenge, so we went with a lot of whites and neutral tones throughout," Bordelon notes. They also installed a curved steel-and-glass door to the terrace and opened the wall that once split the staircase from the parlor with an archway, creating a sight line to the back windows.
Bringing the revamped rooms on the upper floors in line with the home's history, the Boys added picture-frame molding to echo what's on the parlor floor and secreted away a modern HVAC unit within a custom slatted oak wood cover. Now, from the primary bedroom, one can glance toward the trees growing in Brooklyn through what looks like an enfilade of archways. "The owners wanted a really special bedroom," Slocum says. "I think we achieved it."
Entryway
Refreshing the staircase meant stripping off "layers of paint," Bordelon says. Paint: Tricorn Black (staircase) and Pure White (walls), both Sherwin-Williams.
Parlor
Pictured above.
"The homeowners can add sections to the modular sofa if they expand their family," designer Jordan Slocum says. Sofa: Castlery. Rug: Loloi. Art: Victoria Jasp. Chairs: Interior Define (blue) and Burke Decor (rust). Chandelier: Mooielight.
Kitchen
The cabinets, Bordelon says, "bridge the gap between modern and traditional design." Cabinets: Devol. Stools: Stowed Home. Chandelier and sconces: Blueprint Lighting.
Bistro seating doesn’t "block that gorgeous window," Bordelon says. Table: Pottery Barn. Chairs: Williams Sonoma Home. Mirror: Arhaus. Art: Larry Greenberg.
Dining Area
Replacing a wall with the archway at left allowed light from the windows to flood the floor. Table: Maiden Home. Rug: Lulu and Georgia. Vases: West Elm.
Primary Bedroom
To create a sanctuary, the designers painted everything "a very subtle tone." Paint: Chill, Clare. Bed: Design Within Reach. Art: Allison Strickland. Ceiling light: Anthropologie. Sconces: Global Lighting.
Primary Bath
A view through an archway leads from the bedroom, through the walk-in closet, and past another archway into the bathroom. Tub: Victoria + Albert. Pendant: Global Lighting. Rug: Bente Vintage.
Rear Garden
The designers added the curved door on the landing as "a gorgeous feature" to bring light into the home. A custom cover conceals an unsightly radiator. Table, chairs, umbrella, and planters: West Elm. Paint: Tricorn Black (staircase), Sherwin-Williams.
