While Brooklyn brownstones conjure up memories of their turn-of-the-century roots, they also remain the modern-day face of New York’s coolest boroughs. With brownstone living, however, comes responsibility—many of these classic beauties are in need of renovation and restoration. Here are 10 standout, renovated brownstones that retain their original charm with added contemporary cool.

Christine (at left), and Amanda (at right) chat with David’s sister Aroha Yates-Smith (center) in the kitchen.

Alicia and David decided to replace the outdated heating elements with underfloor heating for added comfort.

The chandelier in one of the bedrooms is by David Weeks.

David Lebovitz in his Paris kitchen

“I wanted the buildings to be crisp, bold, and clean,” Coleman said. Exterior vertical siding is made from locally sourced cedar stained in a “hazelnut” shade by Sikkens Cetol SRD.

Windows by Milgard allow for views of the terrace below the cabin’s bedroom and the expanse of trees beyond.

The elaborate pocket door was carved by David with a CNC machine.

Architect and surfer David Hertz's Golden Means Eco-Board, with graphics taken from Le Corbusier’s Modular Man abstracted to represent the sine wave patterning of natural proportions found in the wave form.

New Hampshire. Inspired by architectural and natural forms, craftsmen David Leach tinkers with classic designs in his Kittery studio.

Every room in the home has views to the outdoors, including the loft. Glass walls box in Womb Chairs by Modern Classics.

The Fargo Theatre at night. Photo by: David Bowman

David Ferguson of Kimo Estate took construction into his own hands in a two-person owner-builder team.

The Blue Sky prototype house leads a second life as desert getaway for David McAdam and his partner Scott Smith.

While the clients were away, David Noordhoff lived at the house for three months with his wife and young child.

Studio David Thulstrup incorporated green spaces into this old pencil factory in Copenhagen to transform it into a modern home for photographer Peter Krasilnikoff.

The red Piana folding chairs are by David Chipperfield for Alessi; Garneau custom-designed the millwork tabletop and stainless-steel legs.

The cabin and studio each have one bathroom and one bedroom, and the entirety of the property has geothermal heat and super insulation. The custom-made stairs in the cabin are by Westside Metal Fabricators in Mount Vernon, Washington.

David Hernandez and Jack enjoy the house’s walled garden.

Karen White, David MacNaughtan, and their sons, Griffin and Finlay, hang out on the front deck, which lines up next to the neighbors' porch.

In the study, an oil painting by David Kroll, one of the artists represented by Sette's gallery hangs above a Le Corbusier daybed.

Architect David Montalba renovated a 1970s bungalow for Janette Sosothikul in Oxnard, California, a beach town midway between Malibu and Santa Barbara.

Image courtesy of David Smith.

Image courtesy of David Smith.

Image courtesy of David Smith.

David likes to cook and entertain so the architects designed a full-scale kitchen with Forbo Marmoleum flooring, white oak cabinets, ceramic tile backsplash, and Richlite counters.

David Baird designed the custom sliding doors with materials and hardware from Home Depot. The doors also act as a makeshift critique wall for Bo and Sky’s artwork.

Oblivion 2n by David Maisel

How did you scale your design perspective down into furniture? It wasn’t so much a ‘scaling down’. Rather than making a product, it was an opportunity to express my position in terms of materials, silhouettes and forms. Adjaye designed the furniture collection as he was working on the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (rendering shown above).