This is the project that started our story - a total gut renovation of our own 150 year old brownstone.

When my husband and I decided to start our house hunt, we had already been in Hoboken, NJ for several years, but needed more space for our growing family.

Over the years, I had fallen in love with Hoboken’s brownstones. There is something magical about brownstone living; it is like having your own private oasis in the center of a densely populated city. We ultimately settled on a four-story fixer-upper. The house needed a total overhaul, but…it had the most beautiful bones (original moldings, plaster ceiling medallions, a spectacular winding staircase and other amazing architectural features common in brownstone homes).

The house had a lot of small, sectioned-off rooms. The kitchen was relatively compact and separate from the rest of the house. The front parlor was closed off and ornate, historically used for entertaining. Bathrooms and bedrooms were modest, functional and often dark, with minimal storage space. The house just didn’t flow for a modern, active family that enjoyed cooking, entertaining and simply being together.

And so we completely renovated the house. Inspired by Parisian architecture and the elegance of modern Italian design, we aspired to create a space that evokes a timeless elegance, while being highly functional and including all of the comforts for a modern family.

On the parlor floor, we opened up the space into a single, dynamic space where people could flow effortlessly across the kitchen, dining and lounging areas. We used wall moldings, lighting, built-in cabinetry and ceiling medallions to visually define each space, while still making the space feel open. We took down the back wall and installed french doors which flood the space with light and connect the inside and outdoor spaces. We used Parisian inspired moldings throughout the floors to celebrate the history and the beauty of the Browntone era and give elegance to the space. On the upper levels, we created beautiful spa-worthy marble bathrooms on each floor. We modernized the bedrooms, creating beautiful and functional built-in closets in each room for clothes and other storage needs. We created a top floor suite, complete with walk-in closet, a home office and spectacular master bedroom. We installed state of the art skylights that illuminate the entire house.

On the garden level, we wanted a beautiful space for larger social gatherings. Inspired by several chic NYC lounges / bars, we designed this level to be a fun, sexy, warm and moody speakeasy kind of space. In the main space, a black oak and glass cabinetry bar anchors one side of the room, and a warm, gray and wood-toned TV room with a six foot long fireplace graces the other side for movie nights. We installed sliding floor to ceiling glass doors that completely open to a covered patio (also with fireplace) for close to year-round entertaining. In the outdoor covered terrace we built a walkable skylight in the ceiling to allow ample light onto the patio and through the sliding doors. In the backyard we added guest seating for 10-12 around a fire pit through the use of built in bench seating and chairs.

The bathroom is tiled in floor to ceiling nero marquina marble slabs convinced with the same stone in a herringbone pattern. Making this gorgeous space, sexy, moody and oh so very chic!