At a dinner party more than 15 years ago, architect Frederick Tang and Anne hit it off. “She was so interested in architecture,” remembers Tang. Years later, when Anne and her wife, Alexis, purchased a run-down 1896 brownstone in Prospect Heights in Brooklyn, Tang was ready to take their call, in spite of the challenge. “It was a quintessentially vintage Brooklyn townhouse in a landmark district, and not in the best shape,” says Tang. “They knew it was going to take some work.”

Exterior

Pink, it should be noted, is not an approved color for landmark homes in the area, but fortunately it had been grandfathered in, so a change was not required." layout="" credit="Photo by Gieves Anderson" photoUserId="6554448604125859840"/>

In 2013, Tang and his firm, Frederick Tang Architecture, reorganized the floor plan, converting what was once two units into a triplex with a garden level rental. They also revitalized all the historic details, from the pier mirrors on the parlor level to the arch molding and shutters in the primary bedroom on the second floor.

Before: Staircase

After: Staircase and Entry

That was the first phase of the remodel. “I think when people buy a house,” says Tang, “they do whatever they can to move in, and then once they’re stabilized, they need to take a break and catch their breath.” After living in here for several years, Anne and Alexis, who now have a five-year-old son, Leon, reached out to Tang again in 2020 for more updates.

Before: Main Floor

This time, the focus was on rearranging the interiors of the parlor and second level. The firm’s director of interior design, Barbara Reyes, started with the former, relocating the dining room to the front of the home to create one space with living and dining areas. “That gives them a lot of versatility,” says Reyes. “And then suddenly that front parlor area became one larger entertaining space.”

After: Living Area

Serendipitously, relocating the dining room also solved another problem the couple were experiencing. Before, the living room was split by a circulation path, creating foot traffic between the seating area and the TV. Now, the seating is positioned next to the window, and a dining table with a built-in bench is set to the side of the room, creating a path between the dining and living areas and enhancing circulation.

After: Dining Area

“We always like to add rich color, or black—that creates a really nice tension and makes a home feel layered.”
—Barbara Reyes, interior designer

After: Sitting Area

After: Powder Room

When it came to decor and finishes, the couple were at odds in their design preferences: One leaned toward refinement, while the other embraced bold color. But the design team achieved an inspired compromise that it would later refer to as “polished pop.” Says Tang, “I think the house is definitely a mix of both of their personalities.”

Reyes combined saturated color with soft blues and hints of black, adding artwork and accessories in unexpected shapes and patterns. For instance, in the dining room is an ebonized vintage Paul McCobb table surrounded by Panton Series 430 chairs in brass, each upholstered in a bright magenta.

Before: Primary Bedroom

After: Primary Bedroom

Upstairs in the primary bedroom, one wall is covered in inky-blue, hand-painted wallpaper with gold flecks, which is paired with eggplant-toned built-ins. Across the room, colorful artwork and a chair in a multihued, tessellated pattern accompany an elegant fireplace that’s been refurbished.

As lively as these touches are, Leon’s room is the most exuberant. Wallpaper that looks as if it’s been splattered by a rainbow of paint is tempered by accent walls in deep blue. A Damien Hirst–inspired dot rug and bright-yellow vintage Casalino chair make the space even more fun.

Before: Leon’s Bedroom

After: Leon’s Bedroom

“I do think that friction leads to unexpected design elements,” says Tang, speaking to the couple’s differing tastes. Reyes clearly knew how to run with it. “We always like to add a rich color,” she says, “or a black, so it doesn’t feel so sweet or bright. That creates a really nice tension and makes a home feel layered.”

More from Frederick Tang Architecture:

Before & After: A Remodel Connects an Isolated Kitchen to the Rest of a Pre-War Brooklyn Apartment

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Frederick Tang Architecture / @fredericktangarchitecture

Builder: Robert Stenrud

Structural Engineer: Old Structures Engineering

Interior Design: Frederick Tang Architecture