DIY Projects · April 21, 2024

How These Pro Renovators Avoided Stripping Any Wood During This Brownstone Remodel

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couple with dog and baby

Barry Bordelon too Jordan Slocum, the designer couple amend known every bit the Brownstone Boys, unremarkably have a estrus gun in addition to metal putty knife at the ready on the commencement solar day of a brownstone renovation. But their latest Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, remodel didn’t call for the exhaustive varnish stripping technique they’ve come up to perfect over the years. This 3-level space, owned by immature dyad Taylor in addition to Moore, had wood bones inwards pretty firm condition. “We were fifty-fifty able to salve the original floors, which is 1 of the coolest features,” says Bordelon, who also served as the couplet’second existent-estate agent at the outset of the process.

space under construction

space under construction

Moore too Taylor struck gilded once again when they realized they’d live able to salve money by living on the earth floor spell the construction took home (a perk given they were expecting their showtime child, Harry, at the time). So afterwards giving the garden-degree kitchen too bathroom a low-cal bear upon-up, Slocum together with Bordelon got to run on the summit 2 floors. Ahead, the designers unwrap the new (too assort-of-novel) updates. 

Some Things New

white kitchen

First upward: add a kitchen on the principal parlor grade where there previously wasn’t one. Slocum and Bordelon started amongst a production they swear by (Semihandmade’sec paintable DIY Shaker cabinets) in their favorite neutral hue (Shaded White by Farrow & Ball). “We’ve used it several times—it’s this creamy shade of white that besides has around gray tones,” explains Bordelon. The vent hood is some other signature Brownstone Boys act: It’sec simply a elementary drywall box amongst a 2-inch radius corner bead that’s painted the same color as the walls. They kept the silhouette going in the side by side dining surface area inward the form of custom open up shelves built by Brooklyn Builders Collective.

white kitchen

curved open shelves

“The tricky matter almost design a brownstone is that they are long together with narrow,” notes Slocum. “You ever need additional storage.” So the designers too snuck inwards hidden cabinets underneath the isle that are exclusively fifteen inches deep merely simply large enough for belongings rarely used appliances. For something totally fresh, they sourced the pendant lights hanging to a higher place from Taylor’sec ceramist female parent. The rust shades twosome perfectly alongside the Paonazzo stone counters, which sport subtle flecks of chocolate-brown-gray. 

zellige tiled shower

white slatted vanity

When it came to the principal bath, the designers drew on the clients’ by experiences rather than their ain. “Moore is originally from California; Taylor is from Commonwealth of Australia; together with they spent a lot of time in North Carolina together, and so there’sec coastal things happening inward that infinite,” notes Slocum. While the pinkish terra cotta Roman Clay backdrop behind the tub was a bespoke touch on, the slatted white vanity is an off-the-shelf slice (it’s from Signature Hardware).

Some Things Borrowed

dog in living room

In truthful restorer mode, the designers had to make roughly outsourcing for elements that were probable a part of the home when it was built inwards the 1800s but had since been removed at close to indicate. The large missing piece? Fireplace mantels. Just when Bordelon in addition to Slocum had proposed the thought of buying marble surrounds novel, they got an Instagram DM from soul inward New Jersey who was doing a remodel as well as had only what they were looking for. “We’ve become form of known for e’er wanting marble fireplaces,” says Slocum. “It was just at the right time.”

Some Things Old

black stairs with vintage runner

While the domicile’s master copy staircase was inward skilful enough condition to proceed, the designers gave it a glow-upwards past painting it Tricorn Black by Sherwin-Williams too covering the steps alongside a ane-of-a-sort runner. Taylor collected a bunch of Moroccan rugs, which they eventually had sewn together to brand a long stretch of rug. 

two toned zellige shower

A skylight on the peak floor was another existing item worth salvaging—with a few strategic tweaks. Previously it was a ii-past-ii-foot interior shaft with windows flanking it on multiple sides (dorsum inwards the day, it would accept provided natural ventilation for the bath). Nixing those extra panes made it possible to construct a shower stall at that place instead. “We were able to reclaim that infinite, as well as and so the skylight that was at the peak of the shaft only looked onto the shower,” shares Bordelon. Taking full advantage of the sun-drenched corner, they opted for a moody, ii-note expect using Zia Tile’second 4-by-four-inch zellige tiles inwards Tidepool in addition to Aegean—a perfect union.