Brownstone Renos: A Contrast In Styles
The House & Home today section compares the renovation approaches of one couple who went for a bold modern approach to renovating part of their brownstone overlooking Fort Greene Park with that of hardcore preservationists and Clinton Hill old-timers Jim and Sharon Barnes. Here’s what we had to say about the modern reno after seeing…
The House & Home today section compares the renovation approaches of one couple who went for a bold modern approach to renovating part of their brownstone overlooking Fort Greene Park with that of hardcore preservationists and Clinton Hill old-timers Jim and Sharon Barnes. Here’s what we had to say about the modern reno after seeing it last May on the Fort Greene House Tour:
Clearly the boldest departure from brownstone tradition on the Fort Greene House Tour was the parlor floor renovation at 203 Washington Park which featured poured and buffed concrete floors as well as an open-plan loft-style kitchen/dining/living area. We thought the modern approach was largely successful but agree with an earlier commenter that the juxtaposition to the shlubby traditional hallway was a little jarring. Perhaps the coolest part of the design, though, was the giant wall of windows overlooking the garden.
Interestingly, modern and spare does not mean cheap: The Phillips spent $400,000 renovating the bottom two floors.
By contrast, the Barnes have painstakingly restored their Clinton Avenue house over the past twenty years, along with seven other rental properties in the neighborhood. Preservation, to the Barnes, is a kind of calling. Every one of the people who I met over the years who’d bid on this house were going to tear it to smithereens,” says Ms. Barnes. “What is unique about this house is that it is intact.
A Flood of Foreclosures, but Should You Invest? [NY Times]
FGHT: Modern on the Park [Brownstoner]
Photos by John Lei for The New York Times
I htink people are less “afraid” of odern design, primarily because its familiar. But like anon at 10:10 says, the problem is with the character and craft. Modern design can be classic- or vry cheesy- its very heavily dependent on the quality of the materials because a lot of the craft is hidden. When you see a gorgeous carved marble fireplace, the craftsmanship is up front/in your face. It seems to me antique furnishings or homes are as much about the artistry of the craftsman as about the finished product. You are meant to see it. Modern showcases the product more than the process- but you are supposed to recognize the quality of the product by what you don’t see. The more “perfect” or “clean” looking it is, the better it is.
It really isn’t easier to design in a modern style- it just looks that way because the lines are simpler. But to doing it well- that stands the test of time.
I have a hunch that if you can afford radiant heat in your custom cement floors, you don’t have to worry about a ‘hiccup’ in your Con Ed bill! (Thanks for joining the discussion, kphillips, and may your prosperity be blessed!)
Two thoughts: 1- Why can’t we all judge homes and architecture in the context of whether they accomplish the goals of the people who live in the homes?
2- I love modern design. But then walking along today plotting out what sofa to try to get and realizing that they all look the same in each and every shop I started to wonder if perhaps the popularity of modern design now has to do with how accessible it is, both in terms of the whole cheapening of consumer goods internationally (hello china) and also the fact that when you do get something or build something with modern lines it is not so easy to screw up. And I say this with the utmost respect for modern design because it’s what I’m in to as well. But just wondering if I like it ’cause it’s easy.
The problem with modern isn’t the modern, it’s the lack of character and craft.
Once in a while I come across a modern interior — the dutch and belgians are great at this — that feels really cozy and warm while being simple and light. The lines aren’t necessary angular or retro-60s, as most of NY’s “modern” is (that corporate office look someone mentioned, which at this point is really as traditional as victoriana, including the polished concrete floors, etc.) How do you make a modern interior have character and warmth? You use really beautiful materials, and you hire craftsmen to make things. This is really expensive, and that’s why it’s rare to see. But god, is it gorgeous to see the natural beauty of great materials mix with the masterful work of a great craftsman. Plus, Europeans are way less control-freaky about their environment — they’ll actually use old stuff and new stuff together, but each piece is great in and of itself, and not because it represents a look.
And that kind of home ends up lasting and lasting. Quality and character are ageless.
kphillips!
Thanks so much for adding a comment. It really gets tired and old hearing people complaining about someone’s design, as if it should be designed with the intention on opening your doors to the masses. Good Grief!.
A question for you though. Do you see a hicup in the con-ed bill with the radiant heat? I want it. I really really want it. In the bathroom… The marble floors are ICE COLD.
Well, I am one of the owners of the modern house. To the person interested in the rug, we got it at Kia Carpets on Atlantic Ave (I can’t remember the exact cross street – fairly close to third ave.). I hope this came through in the article, but we are big fans of traditional brownstones. This whole thing of sort of pitting the modern against the traditional was the Times – we just agreed to talk about our renovation and why we chose to do something modern. For us to something traditional would not have involved “restoration†– it would have involved entirely recreating period detail inside a house that (on the two floors that we renovated) was a rental building that had been gutted many times, most recently in the late 90s low-end Home Depot mode. Maybe someone has done it successfully, but I have never seen anything built brand new that has the same charm that original brownstones have. In any case, over the time we lived in the house we also were drawn more and more to modern houses, mostly because of the openness and light. I fully agree with the many comments that destroying a lot of traditional detail would not make sense. It’s not a moral issue – it would just be stupid to destroy something rare and valuable when you could build something modern somewhere else. Where the line is as to how much does there have to be to justify saving it, I don’t know. Luckily we didn’t have to deal with that issue because there were literally no details left at all.
We are really enjoying the modern design. It is very bright and sunny, and when the doors are open in the summer it is almost like being outside. The key to livable concrete floors is radiant heat – without it I think the room would feel cold. With radiant heat the floor feels great. It also isn’t much like an industrial floor – it is highly polished and very smooth. It is actually very warm in the winter because of the heat system (warmer than our Home Depot wood floors used to be) and cool in the summer. That said, the room does echo a bit, concrete is slippery when wet, and the completely open parlor floor is such a big space that it does not feel “cozy†exactly. Our bedrooms downstairs are more traditional sized and provide some contrast to the big open room.
It may be that tastes will change and at some point this renovation will look dated, but we didn’t think of this as a pure investment play or a statement about architecture – it is our home, where we live. Neither of us are particularly into design or theory, we just wanted to try to make a house that fit our lifestyle, looked neat to us, and felt good to be in. So far it seems to be working pretty well.
I like the traditional restoration with modern furniture.
I had a concrete floor in Tucson and it was great because it stayed so cool underfoot and was very easy to clean.
Here? Brrrr!!!
Okay so you don’t agree with me, 3:20, I get it. I just didn’t know I wasn’t allowed to have any personal opinions or taste of my own. Thanks for correcting me on that.