Before & After: They Loved Their Vintage Brownstone—So They Embraced Its Many Quirks

Elizabeth Sweet
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

Architect Sarah Jacoby uncovers the beauty in a timeworn home with moody interiors, a bevy of built-ins, and an unusual bedroom sink.

Architect Sarah Jacoby uncovers the beauty in a timeworn home with moody interiors, a bevy of built-ins, and an unusual bedroom sink.
Architect Sarah Jacoby uncovers the beauty in a timeworn home with moody interiors, a bevy of built-ins, and an unusual bedroom sink.

Sarah Jacoby’s clients fell hard for their historic brownstone. "We knew right away," they say of their first visit to the landmark, park-adjacent property in Brooklyn. It was off the market, so their agent snuck in a showing after they bid unsuccessfully on another place just a few days prior. "There was so much character," they say. "We loved all the preserved details—it felt one of a kind."

The couple dreamed of starting a family, and they had long been searching for space to grow in their beloved neighborhood of Park Slope. They also crossed their fingers for a patch of outdoor space—and this property ticked all the boxes.

After: Exterior

Jacoby replaced the home’s front windows and selected Benjamin Moore’s Tarrytown Green as an accent.
Jacoby replaced the home’s front windows and selected Benjamin Moore’s Tarrytown Green as an accent.

While handsome and brimming with historic charm, it needed work—so the couple’s realtor introduced a contractor, and he suggested architect Sarah Jacoby lead the charge.

"The house was quite beautiful and nicely preserved—it really was a blank slate," says Jacoby. The clients wanted to respect the house, and keep it as close to the original as possible—and Jacoby was on board. "They were open to it not being perfect; to showing the patina and quirks—they were happy to have it feel lived in," she says.

Before: Entry Staircase

The walls needed fresh paint, but many of the home’s historic details were still intact.
The walls needed fresh paint, but many of the home’s historic details were still intact.

After: Entry Staircase

A coat of Benjamin Moore’s Linen White on the walls and White Opulence on the ceiling gave the entry a lift. The pair kept the original oak floors and floor borders, and embraced the existing wood-toned trim.
A coat of Benjamin Moore’s Linen White on the walls and White Opulence on the ceiling gave the entry a lift. The pair kept the original oak floors and floor borders, and embraced the existing wood-toned trim.

See the full story on Dwell.com: Before & After: They Loved Their Vintage Brownstone—So They Embraced Its Many Quirks
Related stories: