Project Goals

• Combine the parlor and second stories into one family residence.
• Renovate the garden (basement) apartment and the fourth-floor apartment for rental income.
  
• Achieve strong acoustic separation between the family unit and the rentals.
  
• Preserve and highlight original brownstone character while introducing fresh interiors.
  
• Resolve long-standing structural decay, building code violations, HPD violations, and bring the building up to current energy standards.
  

Design and Implementation

Layout & Structural Work

• Complete removal and replacement of floor joists; new steel beams and columns in the cellar.
  
• Rebuilt main stair structure and added an interior spiral stair that can be removed when the family expands into the third floor.
  
• Extension at the rear reconstructed, paired with large new openings that frame the garden and bring daylight deep into the plan.
  
• Two large front windows and two restored working fireplaces provide balance front-to-back.
  
• Roof framing redesigned and insulated to code; a north-facing skylight now supplies glare-free daylight.
  

Materials & Finishes

• Custom kitchen and laundry millwork in ebonized wood, fabricated by a local artisan.
• PaperStone countertops.
  
• Painted pine floors inspired by British interiors.
• Concealed-hinge closets that sit flush with surrounding walls.
• Freestanding pantry cabinets in the dining room read as furniture rather than kitchen storage.
  

Key Elements

• Robust acoustic insulation between every floor.
• Walk-through closet on the second level.
• Laundry room tucked behind the kitchen wall.
  
• New rear deck only a few steps above the garden.
  

Challenges

• Budget limitations led to hiring a lower-cost contractor who required close on-site guidance.
• Hidden deterioration in the roof and stair framing demanded additional structural work.
• Asbestos abatement throughout the building.
• Owner-procured fixtures and finishes to stay within the $600 k spend (true market cost closer to $1 M).
  
• Ongoing problem-solving during construction, from foundation moisture to ordering long-lead items.
  

Outcome

The renovation delivered a comfortable family duplex with excellent privacy, healthy rental units, and improved energy performance. Passive cooling from the re-oriented skylight and new insulation has cut electrical loads, while solid acoustic separation means the family rarely hears their tenants. Published features (including articles on painted floors) have highlighted the understated kitchen, reclaimed interior details, and garden connection. A decade later the house remains dry, efficient, and adaptable—the family plans to capture the third floor when needed, proof that the design supports long-term growth.