Over two decades ago, when Rodrigo Kong and Yoko Matsumoto-Kong first settled into their townhouse in the Fort Greene neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, they were irked by the garden-level location of the kitchen.

“It was disappointing from the very beginning,” recalls Rodrigo, an emergency room physician and medical director. “There were two windows for the space, but they were far away in the front of the apartment, leaving the kitchen dark. It was small. Despite this, the kitchen was in the middle of everything—literally and figuratively—and that made it work for that stage of our lives.”

But in more recent years, this less-than-ideal placement of the kitchen grew more bothersome. The parlor floor, just above it, is where daily life unfolds for the Kongs, now the parents of a teenage daughter. Eager to forge a connection between these disparate realms, the Kongs turned to the local architectural practice Suzumori Architecture and Jersey City, New Jersey–based Behin Ha Design Studio for their expertise.

“We try to resist jumping to a conclusion before we’ve had time to study a problem and have a period of open design exploration,” says Behrang Behin, principal at Behin Ha Design Studio. “One thing we did know from the start was that the house had great bones, which we could work with.”

With its high ceilings and intricate details, the parlor is certainly the star of the home, where the family entertains guests and daily life plays out. Rodrigo, for instance, a sensei of the Japanese martial art Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, likes to perform his moves in the living room, where his daughter also enjoys practicing ballet. Yoko, an artist, is equally buoyed by painting in the parlor.

The design team considered dividing up the main living space and introducing a small, spiral staircase to unite the two floors, but ultimately, they took a different tack—converting the parlor’s rear extension, then used as a guest bedroom, into the kitchen to create a flexible, open plan.

“Our modern intervention stands in contrast to the historic character of the townhouse,” says Shuji Suzumori, founder of his eponymous studio. “I think the new and the old work together in a way that is unique to the house, clients, and the time we live in.”

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In the new kitchen, open shelves crafted from black metal complement custom cabinets finished in ash, which was selected for its personality and minimalist appeal. “It helped differentiate the kitchen from the existing space, making it clear that it’s a modern insertion into a traditional space,” says Behin. “It also reinforced the sense of the kitchen being bright and airy despite its relatively small size.” Suzumori adds that the designers gravitated toward “the subtle grain and texture of ash, which highlighted the geometries of the cabinets.”

A central island doubles as an impromptu workspace and hangout zone, and benches by the existing bay windows now serve as “a great place for Yoko and Rodrigo to have their morning coffee before starting their day,” says Behin. They also add storage space and conceal unsightly radiators.

Opposite the kitchen, Yoko tends to her canvases, and ever since the renovation, the expansive parlor has been used for cooking classes and medical simulation aid workshops alike. Mostly, the Kongs are thrilled with the ease and beauty that the revamp has created.

“I love the ability to open the windows and let the wind blow through the entirety of our parlor,” says Rodrigo. “The morning light comes in from the front of the house, the afternoon light from the rear. All day long, I can experience this transition and move through the different spaces and moods that it creates.”

Related Reading: 16 “Before & After” Kitchen Remodels That Really Cook

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Behin Ha Design Studio / @behinhadesign and Suzumori Architecture / @suzumoriarchitecture

Builder/General Contractor: Park Slope Painting Services LLC

Structural Engineer: LB Engineering PC

Cabinetry: Pure Kitchen

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