Name: Laura & Chris
Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, NYC
Size: 2,400 square feet, 4 bedroom brownstone triplex
Years lived in: 4 years
"I don't like brownstone's because they are dark." When Chris and Laura began their search for a larger apartment, this was the only thing Chris thought he knew about Park Slope and its housing stock. Migrating from Manhattan, they had never given brownstones much of a chance.
Friends convinced Laura and Chris to buy this house because they were able to see its potential. With professional intervention from an architect it went from a typical dark brownstone with great original features, to a loft environment with 1880-era detailing posing as novel design features.
The transformation came by way of a huge skylight placed in the center of the roof along with frosted glass to replace each floor's stair landing. Natural sunlight flows down each floor all the way to the main dining room on the ground floor. In addition, the main floor's light is substantially enhanced by a new glass rear wall that exposes the backyard and allows for an outdoor/indoor feeling. The brownstone is now full of natural light and feels very open rather than claustrophobic.
Chris and Laura were involved in the renovation process every step of the way. They had the rare benefit of help from a talented artist — Meir Gal — a good friend who was incredibly generous with his time! The first request was "the walls have to go!" From there, Laura and Chris worked with their architect to try to preserve as much of the original moldings and detailed woodwork as possible.
After a year and half of permitting and construction, Laura, Chris, and their daughter were able to move into a home they never imagined would be theirs. And now they can't imagine anything else!
Apartment Therapy Survey
Style: Practical, simple, open.
Inspiration: Light, organic living, artist friend Meir Gal.
Favorite Element: Frosted glass walkways and built in bookcases everywhere possible.
Biggest Challenge: Preserve original details and integrate with contemporary elements.
What Friends Say: Lucky you didn’t buy the condo in Manhattan.
Biggest Embarrassment: The basement. Friends and families have stored tons of stuff down there. Most of it isn’t even ours!
Proudest DIY: Ripping off the sheet rock on the parlor floor walls and discovering the gorgeous brick; growing fruit and veggies in the garden.
Biggest Indulgence: Skylight hatch in my office closet with frosted glass door to let light through.
Best Advice: Raise the ceilings on the top floor; renovate the garden apartment at the same quality level as the rest of the house.
Dream Source: Home Depot on Hamilton Avenue
Resources:
LIVING ROOM
- • Stools in kitchen from Knoll
• Steinway parlor grand piano from 1937
• Dining table custom made with antique barn wood (upstate New York)
• Dining chairs from flea markets (all over town)
• pipe lights made by Eric Lifton
FLOORING
- • Slate deck from SMC Stone (Brooklyn)
• Stone flooring Cinza in master bath from Stone Source (Park Avenue in Manhattan)
• Brazilian teak flooring throughout the house from Brooklyn Premium Wood and Floor (31st Street)
• Tile floor and walls in top floor bathroom from Stone Source
• Counters, fireplace surround, and kitchen floor: Fireslate
BEDROOM
- • Master bedroom king bed from DWR (Brooklyn Heights location)
• Master bedroom armoire and bureau from ABC Carpet
• Eames lounge chair and ottoman
• All lighting fixtures from Lighting by Gregory (on Bowery Street) except Tizio lamp in master bedroom from DWR
BATHROOM
- • Stone tile: Cinza from StoneSource
• Glass tile: Glacier from StoneSource
HOME OFFICE
- • Aeron chair, glass desk from DWR (Laura’s office)
For more details on the kitchen, check out The Kitchn | Laura and Chris's Brownstone with a Twist.
Images: Jill Slater
• HOUSE TOUR ARCHIVE Check out past house tours here
• Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour Submission Form.
• Are you a designer/architect/decorator interested in sharing a residential project with Apartment Therapy readers? Contact the editors through our Professional Submission Form.
The Ultimate Used Furniture Cleaning Kit
Ana Creates a Community at Home
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Z2 iPod Dock and Wi...
Soda Recipe: Homemade Ginger Ale
Recipe: Spring Fruit and Nut Tabouli
Just breathtaking architecture.
I'm having real-estate envy right now -
It's so good to see the interesting historical parts of the house such as the staircase and window casings retained - They work so well as a counterpoint against the modern updates such as the industrial lighting and glass floors/partitions as well as the typical "loft" elements of the exposed brick walls and floor beams.
And I'm loving the tub in the master bath - It's like a yacht with the (teak?)wood decking and the sliding panels covering the storage behind - a brilliant storage solution!
This is divine. I love the modern & industrial touches with that rich old wood. The master bedroom is so dreamy!
I don't usually go in for modern rehabs of old brownstones, but this is squirm inducingly superb. Kudos!
gorgeous trim & woodwork--just beautiful
This is my dream
Great job, fellow Lincoln Place resident. I love the master bedroom; the bed with the brick wall behind it is very inviting, very cool.
I wish my Brooklyn bedroom and kitchen looked half as good. Oh, then again, it's probably half as large. Nice job, guys!
Awesome, I love all the original woodwork.
i would never want to move out of this place
The lighting really complements the space. The brickwork looks amazing. We're going to have similar tube lights in our bathroom - I wasn't convinced initially, but thanks for showing that they can look great!
Amazing - when I first read 'from brownstone to loft environment' I thought 'oof' and kind of feared the worst. But that'll teach me for being presumptuous - this is absolutely stunning. The balance between the old and the new is spot-on and I guess all you've done is make your house work for you, which is exactly how it's supposed to be, right?
The master bedroom is stunning. And I love all the books stacked up either side of the bed, that's just like my bedroom (but unfortunately, the similarity ends there).
Great job - thanks for keeping it 'lived in' for the photos too, and for not staging the shots. Tours are just so much more believable and human this way.
I live in a rare commercial space in Prospect Heights and love taking my relatives on walks through Park Slope. Many people love brownstones, but they're not for me. This is fascinating peek into my neighbors' homes, though. Nice renovation job.
Absolutely Gorgeous! I am sooooo jealous right now. This is like a dream space and the icing on the cake is that it's in NYC!
OMG! This place is beautiful! You did a wonderful job. I love the exposed brick. Did you coat it with anything?
The woodwork is amazing! You did a great job mixing the original details with modern updates.
beautiful and grown up, not hipsterish like so many places here.
Wow, this is one of the very first house tours where I've just really liked everything. Great job! What a gorgeous place, congratulations.
My grandmother has owned a brownstone in Park Slope since the late 50's. Every time I visit, I get an itch to renovate - it's lovely to see what the possibilities can be! Really great job, love all the natural light!
amazing! all the natural light makes the woodwork seem lighter and easier to live with (for me). i love the frosted glass floor, although it would freak me out to walk on it.
the skylight was just a genius idea
Wow, what can I say that hasn't been said already? I'm in love. Great job and one of my new favorite house tours!
Blending the old & the new is great. Take what's best of the past, but change what you hate to put your own stamp on it. I love preservation, but there's something to be said for living in your own moment in history.
Keep in mind there should be no apostrophe in plural "brownstones" in the first paragraph. Please.
Wow, like really wow. Every single inch of this home is gorgeous. A brownstone would be my perfect home! An absolutely beautiful job. It doesn't seems dark or tight - very light filled and modern. Love it!
This. House. Is. AMAZING!!! I love everything! Excellent, excellent job! This is totally for me; the perfect mix of industrial and modern.
The woodwork and bricks look great with your modern touches and industrial accents. Great job!
Simply beautifully done.
it's ecstatically beautiful.
It's hard to feel camaraderie for people who basically said, "Oh no, I have to move to the trendiest neighbourhood in NYC and live in a brownstone! How will I overcome this tremendous hurdle?"
Still, it's a fine-looking home, especially those cylindrical lights and the crispness of the original woodwork.
this is a really really nice apartment! it's so elegant without showing off. maybe it's not my style in whole, but i could imagine living there without a problem :)
Daymed I'm jellus.
I am not usually a brownstone fan but this is a great transformation. Love the windows in the kitchen and the way the light comes in the large bedroom too. Beautiful.
The Designer Insider
want.... want so bad! lol beautiful! congratulations!
WOW!! So beautiful! I love the wood and all that light! Simply divine!
Gorgeous. Love the mix of traditional/original architecture with modern parts and components. It's nice to see timeless design integrated with current materials.
Can't imagine the JOY of cooking in a kitchen as well lit as this...even on an overcast day it must be flooded with light. Your whole place is fantastic!
hmmmm i waffled back and forth - at first I thought wow but then the huge sky light just instantly made me think of hotel or corporate building atrium - yuk - then seeing the original brownstone features (which was what was making me say wow) matched up with ikeaish type cabinetry and day at the spa features .....hmmmmm - wasn't really getting the landings either - not photographed well - something that would have to be appreciated in person
I love this. I love the kitchen -- gorgeous. That's really my ideal kitchen; cozy, brick wall, awesome range, and the countertops are lovely.
Very very lovely and TIMELESS. This has always been my dream and fantasy of the perfect life in New York. I'm glad to see it photographed and presented here in a personal way on AT, rather than in a magazine because this just makes it more real. The frosted glass flooring is absolutely brilliant and beautiful. I love the light fixtures. This is the American urban ideal. Only certain rooftop penthouses and mansions can compete.
This is beautiful in its architecture and simplicity. Love the plants, birdcage and wood work throughout!
Great job on the glass catwalk! We are currently working on a similar project in Manhattan, but the client changed it to wood instead of glass. :/
Kudos! Congrats on finishing!
Love many details about the place. In the bedroom, throw a sheep skin rug or something to cozy it up and break up the darkness. Over all..... awesome!
stunning work, well done!