Tribeca meets Brooklyn

Ditmas Park contains some of Brooklyn's most unique architecture. A landmark district, Ditmas Park is known for its Victorian-style homes — many complete with generous back yards, sitting on wide, tree-lined streets. Just around the corner from 554 east 18th street, lies the oldest purpose-built outdoor shopping plaza in America, Newkirk Plaza is home to some of the area’s longest-standing businesses, including Leon’s Barber Shop, which has been in operation for roughly 100 years. When we found 554 east 18th street, we were enchanted by the owner, her life and history in the neighborhood.

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When searching for the perfect home to remodel, we always look for interesting details that can be restored or replicated. At its core, design for us is about solving problems and finding solutions to every day challenges and needs. We believe in opening up spaces, combining materials such as wood, steel, concrete and glass whilst maintaining a bright and inviting habitat with warm neutral colors and greenery throughout the home. We like to incorporate intriguing design elements from unique houses we have visited on our travels around the world, so the end result is a mix of styles from different eras and faraway places around the globe. 


With its impressive proportions and vast living space, we found 554 east 18th with 7 plus bedrooms, and layers of changes throughout time, and decided to do a complete gut renovation, which included the demolition of the interior layout, two brick additions (one of which eliminated the original covered porch) and to restore the exterior façade to its original splendor dating back to 1908. The new layout includes an open plan ground floor with a Scandinavian inspired central staircase is sprawling enough for large gatherings and perfect for entertaining. A beautiful custom-made Italian kitchen with 9 foot island and integrated burners make for a contemporary, chic look. There are no traditional cabinets but rather what we call 'integrated storage'. We believe in designing storage that doesn't look like storage at all but rather integrates seamlessly into the surroundings. The open plan layout of the ground floor combines the dining area and kitchen, and flows into a generously sized living room with a built in sleek 5 feet wide in-wall gas burning fireplace, several reading nooks and a guest bath fitted out with Spanish terra-cotta tiles and handmade clay sink.

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We chose French Oak light colored flooring and an overall interior design reminiscent of the mid century era with a touch of industrial Brooklyn. Rarely seen in Ditmas’s Victorian homes, we incorporated exposed structural steel beams and columns in the lower level and main floors, and repurposed reclaimed beams for structural support for the new roof in the attic.

The attic was converted into a sprawling open plan master bedroom with spa like bathroom. The private entrance with a staircase going up into the room, high vaulted ceilings, calm colors, and vast open space, this master bedroom provides a magical space to share life's special moments.

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Yet another unique addition to this incredible home is a 20 foot glass bumpout in the back which brings an abundance of light to both the main floor and lower level, as well as allowing the view of the wonderful back yard garden with swaying grasses, IPE deck, steel and IPE railing, and Blue stone old fashioned patio.

With 6 bedrooms, 4 full baths, 2 half baths, a back yard reminiscent of the highline in Chelsea with swaying grasses and herbs,a secret corner vegetable garden,a garage for 2 cars and a private driveway, we created a home we would never have to leave.

554 East 18th is a peaceful retreat in the center of everything Brooklyn has to offer.