A Trip to the 2026 Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse, Where Maximalist Traditional Reigned Supreme
You never know what you’re going to find in a show house, and, having never attended the Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse, I had even less to go off of in terms of expectations. It is relatively new compared to some of its contemporaries (while the Kips Bay Decorator Show House is over 50 years old, the Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse began in just 2017), but regardless of which house you’re entering, there’s always a bit of a delicious tension between the facade of the building (usually historic), the original interiors (a total grab bag, depending on how long it’s been on the market and how many hands its moved through) and what each room ends up as (same). With each designer given essentially carte blanche on their particular room, you can end up walking through dozens of different styles in a single home, resulting in a real feeling of aesthetic whiplash.
But I found this year’s Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse, which opens to the public Friday, October 2, until November 1, consistent, all things considered. Call it updated traditional: the chosen designers brought back the energy that had been stripped by the previous owner from this landmarked 1852 Greek Revival mansion (on a corner lot, no less, and on the market for just shy of $15 million). Here are a few of my favorites from the tour.
Entering the dining room, you’d never notice there were so many different ceiling heights. That’s because Sugarhouse Design added wallpaper, arches and beams to conceal what had previously been done to try to hide some ductwork. Further into the kitchen, I particularly loved the kitchen’s vintage light sconces, which designer Jess Nahon said had to be purchased because the seller wouldn’t lend them—hire Sugarhouse, and they could be yours for a future project!
The wall color is from JH Lime Paints in Luma Lime Butter. The tiles, handcrafted by Riwal Manufaktura, were inspired by the dining room wallpaper. The countertop is Artistic Tile’s Melange Marble.
Inspired by British design, multiple pieces were sourced from the U.K. for Studio Olivine’s bedroom. Momeni, a showhouse sponsor, provided the rugs.
Hannah Blumenthal of Studio Olivine had the benefit of a corner bedroom, but it was the mirroring she did of the wallpaper, by having the flowers hand-painted in the opposite colors onto the closet doors, that really caught my eye.
The wallpaper in this children’s bedroom is Schumacher’s Beasts; the designers said they hoped the clouds on the ceiling inspired an adult to use the paper in their own room. The light fixture cover is from Tulip.
This children’s bedroom, by Isy’s Interiors, took red, white, and blue and somehow made it not distinctively patriotic. The designers said they wanted this room because of the centered window, which would allow them to do a canopy, and to lean into rich decoration, as sometimes risk-averse clients don’t allow. But as they pointed out, it’s proof that a lot of patterns together really can work, and with a few tweaks, could easily grow with a kid—or an adult. Note the chair, which was a reupholstered Facebook Marketplace find, and the closet turned into a little desk nook.
Tilebar was another sponsor of the event, as seen on the lobby floors; Schumacher’s Giove was used on the walls. The Lollipop Ottoman was also designed by Rosenblum.
Rachael Rosenblum, who has distinguished her career out of making intricate custom furniture pieces, turned her side street entryway into an oasis—down to the elevator. But it was the sleeper sofa, dubbed the Overnite Sofa, that really caught my eye; Rosenblum said it was the first she’d done with such an elaborate and high back.
This listening room by Max Aboody was certainly on trend, and similarly was full of custom pieces—including a sofa I was dying to sink into, pictured up top—and another closet, this time repurposed as a bar.
The pergola was made by SilverLining Inc. for the event, and is covered by fabric from Donghia. The turf and landscaping was handled by Evan C. Lai Landscape Design.
And last but definitely not least, I kind of think these pillows are genius. Stollar Fearins Welch’s angle on the rooftop was to turn it into an athletic club, and interior designer Erin Fearins told me she initially wanted to laminate the Schumacher fabric (a sponsor of the event) so it would hold up outside. Necessity being the mother of invention, they didn’t have the time to, so her fabricator suggested they just wrap them in plastic like an old couch cover. I’d buy them!
The 2026 Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse will be open through Sunday, November 1; tickets are $50.
Top photo by Tori Sikkema, courtesy Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse
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