A Brooklyn Townhouse Reimagined

Frederick Tang Architecture redesigned this Georgian-style townhouse in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill to be a geometric, intimate and adaptable family home. Here directors Frederick Tang and Barbara Reyes tell us more about the project

Design Anthology: How did you first meet the client?

Frederick Tang (FT): We were introduced by a mutual friend, a real estate broker who was familiar with our work and was helping the clients look for a home. He initially asked me to join a walk-through with them to brainstorm about changing aspects of the home that didn't quite suit their needs or taste.

Can you tell us about them and their lifestyle?

FT: They're a young family living in Brooklyn. They needed a space that was kid-friendly but also with areas that could be their refuge and relaxing space. 

Barbara Reyes (BR): Both come from big families who like to entertain and cook, so it was important to create a space that would work to host their friends and their families during the holidays. 

What was their brief to you for the project?

FT: We immediately knew that we needed to make some changes to the staircases, fireplaces, railings and the overall vibe. It's a newly built home, but in a traditional style. I would describe the exterior as neo-Georgian inspired but the interior was a collage of Italianate, colonial and other traditional references. We wanted to remove some of the faux ornaments and replace them with softer, sculptural and geometric elements. We also knew we had to reorganise some of the spaces and find ways to utilise awkwardly proportioned areas. 

The 350-square-metre home has some unexpected, dramatic double-height spaces. These were real show-stopper moments, but we knew they had to be redesigned so that the scale wouldn’t overwhelm the space.

BR: The clients wanted to shift away from the faux traditional details as well as the cold, cookie-cutter finishes — like the subway tile, Carrera marble and chrome hardware — for a more modern aesthetic with a new colour palette.  

How did you approach the project — what design references did you try to incorporate into the space?

FT: We started by playing with material palettes and finding areas that we wanted to sculpt, like the undersides of the staircases, the railings and the fireplaces. We looked to French sculptor Valentine Schlegel’s plaster fireplaces for inspiration for softening the entrance space and adjusting the proportion of the fireplace.  

BR: We opted for an updated Art Deco style with a touch of 70s, mixed with opulent colours. The heart of the palette is black and cream, with integrated jewel tones of peacock blue, rust, oxblood, mulberry, wine and blush.

Please tell us a little about the material choices for the space.

FT: We replaced railings with fluted glass so that light could filter through while still concealing some of the spaces behind. We also used a lot of brass in the edge detailing. 

BR: Stone defines the main moments in the space. For the kitchen backsplash, we used Hurricane Black marble to add movement to the existing cream millwork, while in the powder room and at the penthouse bar, the Breccia Pernice marble custom sink and vanity offset the vibrant wallpapers. At the entrance, brown quartzite complements the entrance millwork in oxblood and the plaster sculpture of the fireplace.

Which of the features are custom designed? 

BR: We designed the second-floor bar millwork and bench, as well as the main bed. In the entrance, the custom millwork doubles as functional storage and seating. We also created a new pill-shaped marble island as a casual seating area and additional counter space. The hand-painted wallpaper was customised for the double-height space on the top floor.

Images / Gieves Anderson