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The home boasts a traditional Japanese genkan, an entryway that's a couple of steps down from the main level.

A traditional genkan (a Japanese entryway) was part of the architectural program early on. Shoes are removed before entering the main living space, which is elevated six inches above the floor level of the entryway. The blonde wood is rift-cut white oak.

Dusty pink–painted wall storage at entryway

Ikea Pax cupboards are banked in the entryway, with birch-panel doors. A carpenter friend made the bench in the entryway; another friend painted it. Dark slate flooring in the entryway gives way to maple in the rest of the home, a beautiful contrast of materials.

The tiles in the bathrooms are by Clé Tile and Zia Tile.

The new foyer is designed after a Japanese Genkan, and ensures the entry is clearly delineated from the rest of the house. The wood of the bottom stair forms the bench for sitting and removing shoes.

rammed earth Genkan entry

The entryway features the original flagstone floors, which fully extend to the outdoor patio. Guests are also greeted by a vintage 1950s bar console that Rottet found online.

The Kollel's entryway.

The entry speaks to how the owners’ modern aesthetic was merged with the historic bones of the brownstone. Now, a marble mosaic tile from Ivy Hill Tile, the ‘Prism Pink,’ was inset into the oak floor to define the entry. The interior designer picked a leather-faced wall-hung cabinet, as the leather will gain patina over time from the high traffic area, yet still look good.

The den was transformed into the children’s wing, with two bedrooms and a bath, and several lengthened windows to overlook the backyard. Exterior windows and doors are framed in oiled white oak.

"The home is about 1,500 square feet, but I knew I wanted to devote a lot of that to a large kitchen and living space,

In their query letter, Ben and Sarah were clear that they wanted a home that could accommodate all of life’s messes. “We don't want a white display kitchen that only looks good when it's clean and not in use. We want our kitchen to be able to work hard. We love to cook and when we do, there are usually lots of things on the go and a mess being made.”

Behind the living room, a minimalist staircase leads to the upper level’s bedroom and family room. White oak flooring unites the staircase and the rest of the living spaces.

A Dual Pebble tufted sectional sofa by Gus Design Group for CB2 is the focal point of the living space. The maple floors are composed of inexpensive “shorts” left over from other projects and sold at a discount.

Classic Ceramics wall tiles are combined with Caroma Cube ceramic basins in the bathrooms.