Fort Greene Townhouse by Home Studios is the design firm’s second New York residential project following Bond Street Apartment, a stylish and contemporary family home completed in 2020. Located in a 176.5 sqm, three-story brownstone in Brooklyn’s Fort Greene neighbourhood, the vibrant and inviting home for four was gut and renovated to reinterpret the interior aesthetic of the family’s former West Village apartment but in a new, much grander space. The newly completed residence serves as an extension of Home Studios’ larger exploration of illuminating a client’s narrative through the use of thoughtful and attentive design details and expressions.

The renovation strategy was a reworking of the floorplan with the aim of allowing an airy and light-filled interior flow that gracefully knits together each of the residences’ rooms, including an open-plan parlour, kitchen, and powder room on the ground floor and a modern playroom, principal bedroom and bathroom on the upper floors.

The client — a celebrated restauranteur — is an avid cook and entertainer, so the design principles of “hospitality” ultimately informed the architectural and material decisions throughout the project.

The spacious kitchen, featuring two wine fridges and a classic Lacanche range, serves as the family’s gathering place and is anchored by an impressive centre island made out of Paonazzo marble and handmade ceramic tiling. The oak and brass hardware and cabinetry was custom designed by Home Studios.

In addition to the theme of “hospitality,” the goal of the project was to embrace the underlying tenets of “history” and “materiality” in an effort to create an updated environment that defies the conformity of a typical residence.

One major directive was to pay respect to the building’s original Italianate architecture, and Home Studios preserved historic details — including the charming entrance doors, the stair handrail, and the fireplace mantels — whenever possible. With this, the firm was able to achieve stylistic cohesion from room to room that feels congruous with and complementary to the home’s modern functionality.

Fort Greene Townhouse utilizes a wide range of materials, while simultaneously remaining unified as an entity. Material choices were achieved thanks to a creative alignment between the client and Home Studios, whose preference for natural expressions led to the inclusion of travertine, terracotta, brass, bronze, steel, glass, and walnut detailing; further use of oak can be found in the custom bed in the principal bedroom and the reclaimed oak floors that surface the 185 sqm space.

Thoughtful finishes and accents set apart the interior and are prominently on display in the townhouse’s unique bathrooms: Giallo Siena stone and Clé Slant tile decorate the parlour bathroom, while Travertine details make up the principal bathroom. Each bathroom also includes a bespoke Picasso-inspired mural by artist Kimmy Quillin, adding a spirited characteristic while creating a satisfying interplay between old and new.

Selected artwork is also integral to the atmosphere. Notable pieces include two Tyler Hays of BDDW’s puzzle piece paintings, which hang in the parlour dining room and principal bathroom, as well as a Hiroko Takeda textile that decorate the parlour living room. A Claire Oswalt acrylic painting hangs above the principal bed.

These unique details pop thanks to the home’s neutral colour palette. With all Home Studios’ projects, the deliberate use of muted and subtle colour remains a priority. Farrow and Ball’s soft Pointing shade covers the townhouse’s ceilings and walls, while the paint brand’s silvery Ball Green accentuates the parlour stair millwork.

Fort Greene Townhouse also includes a blend of vintage, custom and contemporary furniture, lighting and decor. Highlights found throughout the home include the 4 Bowl Pendant With Arch chandelier by Anna Charlesworth; custom pulls and vases by Eny Lee Parker; Palomino Stool by Chris Wolston; Poly Chair by Max Lamb; vintage Turkish flat weave rug by Rug & Kilim; and Pretty Please mirror by Home Studios’ furniture and lighting collection, Homework.

While the project presented a new typology for Home Studios, the fundamentals of the firm’s process remained the same. At large, Fort Greene Townhouse is a direct extension of the studios’ values — with a keen focus on the diversity of expression and playful curiosity; an edit of what is only essential; and an impeccable devotion to detail.

[Images courtesy of Home Studios. Photography by Brian Ferry.]