Renovated 19th century house in Brooklyn
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26 Mar 2023
Young architects Andrea Fisk and James Clouder reconstructed their 19th-century mansion in Brooklyn's Bushwick
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Not so long ago, Andrea Fisk and Jess Thomas founded a small architectural firm Shapeless Studio in Brooklyn. Andrea is usually engaged in the design of residential premises, so in this project she took everything into her own hands. "We really liked that the building has hardly changed since it was built," the girl says, pointing to the original stucco, door and window frames in the style of Charles Eastlake's works and a luxurious carved staircase.
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
The renovation of the house turned out to be a difficult task. To pay the mortgage, the couple turned the first floor, which is located just below ground level, into an apartment for rent. The space where the living room and kitchen should be located was divided into bedrooms. The architects returned everything to normal and moved the bedrooms to the upper floor.
"This is our first house, so as soon as we made a deal, I began to study the history of the building and its owners. In 1900, it belonged to a married couple who moved to the United States from Ireland. They had five adult daughters and a son who, like his parents, worked as an accountant, and the girls were dressmakers. In 1940, another family of six people lived here."
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
During the work, the architects found a foundation block with the inscription "Sam, Mike, Mickey, 1891". "We think it's the signature of the builders," says Andrea. "The design of the building has Victorian details in the Eastlake style, which was popular at the time."
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
The most interesting stage of the renovation was the moment when the owners removed dozens of layers of paint from the portals for fireplaces and saw a magnificent green and pink slate. The stone became a source of inspiration for the color palette of the entire interior.
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
"I like that the dining room in the house is separated from the kitchen. I don't like to wash dishes, so I don't want to look at dirty plates during dinner," explains Andrea. The gray walls in the dining area may look blue or pinkish depending on the lighting. The dark green vintage carpet Revival Rug echoes the emerald color of the sofa and thereby unites the interior.
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
The upper floor is decorated in bright colors. "Benjamin Moore paints have more pigment. It is impossible to find just white or just black in the company's assortment: the colors have a subtone, so all shades look interesting and even unusual."
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
The bathroom floor is decorated with the same tiles with ornaments as in the hallway. "If something could be fixed, I would choose a slate coating. After the renovation, I found several companies in upstate New York and Vermont that sell exactly the same stone as on our fireplaces. It would look great in combination with white wall tiles. Sometimes it's difficult to be an architect: all the time you want to redo the space around you."
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
Photo
Kagan Hinshaw
