Without Principal Elizabeth Roberts' encouragement, her clients probably wouldn't have purchased this house in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

Her clients were a couple, both involved in the New York art scene, who sought a home for their children and space to host. Together they had already toured another nearby property but the architect said its price and look weren’t quite right. When they first saw the townhouse pictured above, its rooms had stood vacant for years, water had been pouring in from the roof, and the back wall was leaning heavily. Roberts said the structure—originally built in 1852—was “dangerous” and “horrible” but she still saw the potential in its bones. Her clients trusted her architectural vision. The renovation was completed in 2014 and the results are remarkable: the home features light-filled spaces where the young family of three (soon to be four) could feel comfortable and their guests would feel welcome.