After 15 years in Greenpoint, filmmaker Jennifer Suhr and Michael Curtes, a digital product designer, knew their family of four had outgrown their rental. They were seeking something rare in New York: more space, flexibility, and a layout that could evolve as their children grew. When they found a 3,000-square-foot, three-unit town house in their much-loved neighborhood, they saw the potential for a home that could shift and adapt alongside them.

The couple partnered with Brooklyn architect Fabian Lorenz, drawn to his modular sensibility and clear, functional approach to space, and began planning a phased renovation. But that plan changed abruptly when a boiler malfunction triggered a flood, collapsing three floors. “There were fire alarms going off in the pitch black,” Michael recalls, entering the property to assess the damage. The setback made a full gut renovation unavoidable. “We had intended to renovate in stages,” Jennifer explains, “but it pushed us to do it all at once, which, ultimately, was great.”

Completed in May 2025, the redesign transformed the town house into a flexible two-unit residence: the lower two floors serve the family, while the top level is a rental that could eventually accommodate Jennifer’s parents.

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Aesthetically, Jennifer’s filmmaking background shaped the home’s creative vision. She drew inspiration from atmospheric, meditative movies such as After Yang and Her, sharing them with Fabian, who translated their energies and sensibilities into architectural form. Fabian explains the influence of After Yang: “It has this really warm and subtle atmosphere. It’s set in the future; it’s about a robot, but it’s calm, with a super warm palette.” It comes across in the home’s diffused natural light, clean sight lines, recessed and undermount lighting, and warm material palette.

While Jennifer prioritized energy, materials, and atmosphere, Michael’s focus was mainly on functionality. “He might be less interested in which finish is on the floor,” Jennifer explains, “but more on considering how we move through the space.” On the main floor, Fabian designed an open space that combines the family’s living room, dining area, and kitchen, anchored by a modular wall of cherry-veneer cabinetry. One of Michael’s favorite space-saving solutions is a room divider on the main floor paired with a queen-size Murphy bed, designed to effortlessly host guests. When not in use, both elements vanish into the custom cherry cabinetry.

Fabian’s palette of choice—cherry floors and warm white walls—pair with floor-to-ceiling windows and strategically placed skylights that bring soft, natural brightness into the home. Cherry and walnut accents add depth, while carefully chosen pops of saturated color prevent the palette from feeling muted. “Fabian encouraged us to lean into contrast,” Jennifer says. That balance of neutrality and richness supports the home’s long-term adaptability, she adds. “Everything built-in is neutral,” which offers the freedom to swap out color and personality over time.

The main-floor powder room, affectionately called “the gradient bathroom,” is one of the home’s most talked-about spaces. Its curved corners and custom hand-painted gradient wall, crafted by a scenic painter Jennifer knows from the film industry, glow like a cinematic backdrop. White fixtures pop against amber-leaning hues that shift from yellow at the bottom to peach and deeper peach at the top. “I think it does have that feeling of warmth,” Jennifer says. “It’s a little like a sunset or sunrise vibe.” On the orange tones throughout the home, she explains: “It’s not necessarily a color I’d wear, but it’s the right amount of pop,” especially beside neutral built-in materials.

A sliding pocket door hides the staircase leading to the second floor, where the family’s private rooms unfold. This level includes a children’s shared room and play space, bathrooms, and the couple’s primary suite.

In the children’s room, a wall of modular storage was a key design element, explains Jennifer. “I knew I needed modular shelving for all of these games and toys that my children like.” The setup accommodates toys now and can be converted into homework stations as the children get older. “Right now, it’s just one big area where they’ve had sleepovers,” Jennifer says, but can be split down the middle by adding a wall when they’re ready for their own spaces.

The greatest “unlock” that gives the new design longevity, says Fabian, are two repositioned staircases that are now separate but can be connected later, maintaining privacy today while enabling multigenerational living in the future. At present, the house feels like the films that inspired it: gentle, atmospheric, and quietly transformative. Light shifts, rooms reconfigure, colors intensify depending on the time of day. Nothing is fixed; everything is ready and adaptable for whatever comes next.

Before & After: Their Rebuilt Philly Town House Makes a Case for the Solarium—and a Bathroom Fridge

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Studio Fabian Lorenz / @studiofabianlorenz

Builder/General Contractor: Homeline Construction

MEP Engineers: Level-Up Engineering

Advisory Role: Ideas of Order / @ideasoforderstudio

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The Family That Redesigned a Brooklyn Town House to Feel Like Their Favorite Films