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An 1899 townhouse in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, was the ideal family home for a married couple with a baby on the way.
“The previous owners had an artistic eye, and were not afraid of renovation, so we got incredibly lucky,” says the homeowner, Maggie. “They managed to install air conditioning and update the house with incredible attention to detail. Other than opening up the four fireplaces, we didn’t have to do any construction.”
The couple tapped Homepolish designer Crystal Sinclair to figure out how to come up with a design scheme that fit the space. “It was our first time decorating as a couple,” says Maggie. “My husband JB has a lot of items he collected throughout the years that we wanted to include, but it was tricky to think about incorporating them, and also coming up with a design we both liked. We’re not super traditional, so something modern with a lot of contrast was the starting point.”
The two also love to entertain, and they’ve embraced their newfound space in Brooklyn. “We never cooked in SoHo, but now that we have the space, we cook much more,” says JB. “We spend a lot of time in the kitchen hosting dinner parties, and for cocktails, we usually hang out on the parlor level. The carpet in the living room is super comfortable—and there’s a lot of seating—so it’s a fun spot for big groups.”
Having done minimal work on the house, the two wanted to decorate their entertaining spaces. “They didn’t want to repaint or do construction, so we focused on furnishing the space,” says Sinclair. “We started with an Article navy sectional, and worked from there.” The theme was light and airy with a neutral palette, and because of time constraints, all the furniture was sourced online. In order to keep the gorgeous fireplaces the focus (and the room symmetrical), the couple chose a custom Creative Accents low shag rug, with floating white Ikea cabinets—festooned with specially made marble tops—on either side.
In the front parlor, Sinclair played with asymmetry in order to have some fun with the layout. A well proportioned Pottery Barn table with a rustic top and chrome legs, an Anthropologie mirror, a Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams daybed, a Circa Lighting lamp, and some High Fashion Home lounge chairs mixed well with the existing buffet table, and the art hung in a
format.
“I love how well we integrated old and new, and how the new home reflects the two of them as a couple,” says Sinclair.
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