Brooklyn Brownstone Update
This sweet Brooklyn brownstone was a home ready for an update. Victorian homes have tons of character, but are woefully short on storage containers. My client loves color but couldn’t quite figure out how to bring it into her home. She had wonderful art and antique furniture- all with strong family connections- but they didn’t really reflect her current lifestyle. Here’s what she said about her design quagmire, “What do you do if you live in a Brooklyn brownstone with white marble mantels, have a mid-century kitchen, an antique mahogany dining table, two Asian cabinets and inherited a drab settee from your favorite aunt?” What did we do?
After a lot of discussion, we came up with a bold game plan. I chose a pinky lavender shade for the darker ‘middle parlor’ room. Against this backdrop, we brought in a sumptuous velvet sofa and chair, purple glass lamps with silk shades and prints. Lots of printed patterns and trims in purple, teal and citrusy green. It’s a fun, comfy room to hang out in, watch TV or entertain friends and is a wonderful transition room between the front parlor and the kitchen.
The front parlor, where you enter the house, was painted in a super glossy lilac. Everything is lilac including the bookshelves and the newly created walk in closets. This closet was meticulously tricked out to store everything needed on the parlor floor including coats, boots, scarves, the vacuum and a ladder. It’s all there, tucked out of sight. Next, the family antique furniture was reupholstered. The cabinets were updated by installing custom cabinets laguna (read this article if you need the cabinet and furniture options). Auntie’s settee was given a plush, graphic cut-velvet cover and the chairs received an English multi stripe. Instead of functioning as a hallway, this room is now a destination for a cup of coffee and a quiet read. What makes my client happiest is to turn on the table lamp on winter nights and show the lilac glow to neighbors passing on the sidewalk. Victorian charm, indeed.