When Brooklyn-based designer Uli Wagner began the process of moving his studio and home into a charming yet dilapidated brownstone in the Fort Greene neighborhood, he wanted to preserve the building’s original character and beauty.

“When I first visited, the house was unfurnished and the rooms presented themselves to me in the purest, undisturbed way,” he recalls. “As they were well proportioned, well lit and pleasant to be in, I wanted to respect the genius loci and keep the layout as close as possible to the original.”

Wagner had made the decision to invest in property when the duplex he rented as a home and office space in the same neighborhood became unaffordable. The new building—a narrow 18-by-50-foot brownstone—was appealing in part, as it not only had space for the designer’s home and studio, but also for a ground-floor apartment that could be rented out to help finance the mortgage.

“It was filed as a two-family home and was ideal for hybrid use,” says Wagner. “I kept this status and developed the floor plans to be functional for my personal use right now, yet also flexible for a potential buyer or renter in the future.” For example, while the two kitchens stand in the same places as the original ones, the plumbing lines have been run in a way that allows for a kitchen to be installed at the rear of the parlor floor in the future, creating built-in flexibility.

Wagner’s design studio is located on the “parlor” floor, which is the grandest floor in a brownstone. Traditionally, this high-ceilinged floor would have been used for entertaining—with living rooms, libraries, and formal dining rooms—and it’s accessed via the building’s front steps.

The original home had no access to the garden from the parlor floor. “There were only large, double-hung windows secured by cast-iron bars, probably installed in more troubling times,” says owner-designer Uli Wagner. “I invested in large mahogany-framed glass doors that open onto a Juliet balcony on one side, and a five-step stair that leads to the main garden level on the other side.”

Due to the narrow footprint of the home, however, some office functions are located on adjacent floors. The second floor, for example, houses a meeting room—which can also be used as a guest bedroom—alongside the master suite. “The multiuse meeting room can be locked off or opened up for transparency and better flow on the weekends and during house parties,” says Wagner.

The private living areas continue on the third floor, which features a kitchen and dining and living spaces (divided by a bespoke timber joinery unit) with access to the roof. The basement level has its own separate entrance and houses a garden apartment that is rented out.

“I tried to maintain as much of the traditional flair as possible,” says Wagner. “However, I also intended to make it appear more contemporary through sparse furnishing and smart built-ins to create a modern living and work space.”

One of the major elements of the renovation was establishing a relationship between the interior and the rear garden. “When I bought the building, only the sunken garden level had access to a lowered outdoor space separated from the actual garden by a retaining wall,” recalls the designer. By installing doors in place of windows in the office on the parlor floor, the garden can now be easily accessed from the main home.

Shop the Look

Including the custom built-ins and the stair renovation, Wagner spent almost $950,000 on the renovation. “To salvage the traditional elements and do a gentle renovation definitely required a larger budget than expected,” he says. “I paid $20,000 just to get two fireplaces working again.” Another high cost was the bespoke mahogany garden doors (with a bolt lock system from Canada), which blend into the original casework.

Given the cost of renovating the interior alone, the budget didn’t allow for the facade or roof to be renovated—something that Wagner is keen to do at a future time.

“The investment was worth every dollar, and I can really call this place home now,” says Wagner. “I especially love the accessibility of the parlor to the garden and the privacy and coziness of the top floor, with views toward downtown Brooklyn from the living room and an intimate kitchen and dining space that can host many people.”

Related Reading:

10 Unbeatable Brownstone Renovations in Brooklyn

Before & After: A 19th-Century Brooklyn Brownstone Is Saved From Utter Disrepair

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Philip Toscano Architects

Contractor: Zap Interiors

Landscape Design: Uli Wagner Design Lab / @uliwagnerdesignlab

Lighting Design: Paola Pietrantoni

Interior Design: Uli Wagner Design Lab

Millwork: Atelier Prelati & Object Chemistry

Mechanical Engineer: ANZ Consulting Engineering

Photography: Jonathan Hokklo & Linda Jaquez

Appears In

A Designer Transforms a Crumbling Brooklyn Brownstone Into a Live/Work Haven for $950K