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Collection by Dora Vanette

Modern Brooklyn Row House Renovation

A Brooklyn couple transforms a 150-year-old house into an elegant home for the future.
When Helen Dealtry and Dan Barry found their dream home in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, they were met with an almost blank canvas. The building, built between 1827 and 1845, was destroyed in a fire in 1995, damaging many of the original interior elements such as doors, moldings, and finishes. The couple sought help from Agencie Group architects and together they created a home that is both fit for contemporary living and respectful of the history of the row house. Agencie acted as architects, engineers, and builders, saving the couple a considerable amount of money. In the apartment, a duplex that occupies the lower two floors of the house, Dan, a musician who trades in securities, and Helen, a textile designer, mixed mid-century modern furniture with more contemporary pieces and added a sense of texture in elements such as ceilings and floors. The result: a spacious and light-filled home ready for the next 150 years.

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The dining room and the living room open up into the garden. The architects engineered a steel support that allowed the rear wall to be blown out and replaced it with a window that floods the room with light and gives a panoramic view of the garden. Photo by Tara Donne.
The dining room and the living room open up into the garden. The architects engineered a steel support that allowed the rear wall to be blown out and replaced it with a window that floods the room with light and gives a panoramic view of the garden. Photo by Tara Donne.
The travertine floor for the guest bedroom came from a De La Espada showroom in Soho. When moving stores, the owners were considering throwing out their travertine floor, but Dealtry offered to install it in his home. Along with exposed ceiling beams, the tiles provide a sense of texture and warmth to the space. Photo by Tara Donne.
The travertine floor for the guest bedroom came from a De La Espada showroom in Soho. When moving stores, the owners were considering throwing out their travertine floor, but Dealtry offered to install it in his home. Along with exposed ceiling beams, the tiles provide a sense of texture and warmth to the space. Photo by Tara Donne.
The moody painting by artist Victor Wang complements the exposed brick wall and the muted colors of the bar cabinet. Photo by Tara Donne.
The moody painting by artist Victor Wang complements the exposed brick wall and the muted colors of the bar cabinet. Photo by Tara Donne.
The key to making any space feel large is finding clever places for storage. In Dealtry and Barry's place, the architects designed bookshelves in old fireplaces.
The key to making any space feel large is finding clever places for storage. In Dealtry and Barry's place, the architects designed bookshelves in old fireplaces.
The stamped tin ceiling, fabricated by a local Brooklyn tinsmith, gives rich texture to the main floor. It's complemented by a sleek Henrybuilt kitchen and a Lacanche stove. Photo by Tara Donne.
The stamped tin ceiling, fabricated by a local Brooklyn tinsmith, gives rich texture to the main floor. It's complemented by a sleek Henrybuilt kitchen and a Lacanche stove. Photo by Tara Donne.
The concrete floor of the bedroom extends into the the minimalist wet room. The centerpiece of the bathroom is the MTI standalone tub. Photo by Tara Donne.
The concrete floor of the bedroom extends into the the minimalist wet room. The centerpiece of the bathroom is the MTI standalone tub. Photo by Tara Donne.