{"id":304514,"date":"2026-07-24T05:51:06","date_gmt":"2026-07-24T05:51:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/304514\/"},"modified":"2026-07-24T05:51:06","modified_gmt":"2026-07-24T05:51:06","slug":"this-brooklyn-townhouse-is-a-masterful-mix-of-victorian-mid-century-modern-and-art-deco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/304514\/","title":{"rendered":"This Brooklyn Townhouse Is a Masterful Mix of Victorian, Mid-Century Modern, and Art Deco"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Years ago, when Isobel Herbold was a Pratt student studying abroad in Rome, she became captivated with a distinctly European approach to restoring centuries-old spaces. \u201cThis is an oversimplification, but they will create an intentional line between what\u2019s original and what isn\u2019t,\u201d says the interior designer, who operates her studio, Salle<\/a>, from New York City and Maine. In other words: \u201cBy using a contemporary intervention instead of trying to imitate, you\u2019re allowing both the old and the new to shine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"exterior\"<\/p>\n

For evidence of how that philosophy plays out in Herbold\u2019s own practice, look no further than this recent project in Brooklyn\u2019s Clinton Hill neighborhood: the renovation of a historic townhouse for a young family, which merges period architecture with new construction in ways that bring out the best of its bones.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"office\"His-and-hers offices on the second story were fitted with new millwork and utilized salvaged doors that once divided the parlor and kitchen. <\/p>\n

\"office\"<\/p>\n

The homeowners were looking to rework the space, where they already lived, into a \u201cforever home,\u201d with devoted areas for relaxation and entertainment, a more formal parlor level, and private quarters on the upper floors. Following a substantial design process, the construction, including restoration and a one-story extension, took just a year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The transformation began from the ground up\u2014literally, on the garden level. Originally its own apartment unit, Herbold reworked the existing footprint to house an entrance hallway with light blue millwork and built-in storage, along with a lively yellow laundry zone and a full bath.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"laundry<\/p>\n

\"entry\"The lower level entrance opens onto a hallway with plenty of easily-accessed storage and a mahogany bench seat. <\/p>\n

To create a versatile new garden-level living room, she combined ten feet of the existing rear house with a new ten-foot extension. The construction team excavated in order to maximize the ceiling height in this part of the house\u2014and while they gained a mere three inches by digging downward, Herbold says, the effort was absolutely worthwhile, resulting in a room that is expansive and full of natural light.<\/p>\n

\"barThe garden level family room is chic but incredibly comfortable. A wet bar was outfitted with antique glass to reflect the light in the room and the patio area beyond.\u00a0 <\/p>\n

\"familyA vintage de Sede sofa gives structure to the room, along with an Eames lounger and 1960s coffee table. | Ceiling lights, Kelly Wearstler<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"backyard\"Outdoor sofa, West Elm<\/a>. <\/p>\n

Decked out with a glossy green wet bar, sumptuous vintage sofa, saltillo tiles, and large windows that overlook the patio, the new space \u201cfeels swanky enough for adult barbecues and film nights, but also sunny and light for children,\u201d she adds. \u201cIt\u2019s so common to do an extension on the back of a townhouse and just do floor-to-ceiling glass with doors. But I really like where we ended up here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"entry\"<\/p>\n

\"livingThe sitting room features a midcentury mix, with Knoll lounge chairs and a Carl Straub sofa; an Art Deco cabinet was customized for record storage. | Rug, Cold Picnic<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"livingCustom drapery\u2014a mix of textiles by Holly Hunt\u2014emphasizes the grand scale of the parlor level. A speaker\u2014the client\u2019s own\u2014serves as a kicky side table in one corner. <\/p>\n

\"diningPendant, A-N-D<\/a>; Wall paint, White Dove<\/a> by Benjamin Moore; Trim paint, Linen White<\/a> by Benjamin Moore; Ceiling paint, Shaded White<\/a> by Farrow & Ball. <\/p>\n

One floor up, original crown molding and refinished wood floors form the backdrop of an elegant sitting area and dining room, anchored by vintage pieces sourced locally and globally. \u201cThe Spanish olivewood highboard and the 1970s Carl Straub suede sofa came from a wonderful Belgian antique dealer\u2014those were the splurge pieces we committed to first,\u201d says Herbold. A travertine dining table was sourced from a nearby auction house; its rosy tones complement the warm teak of the dining chairs, which were reupholstered in soft chartreuse wool.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"dining<\/p>\n

To create a sense of continuity and visual calm, Herbold leaned into shades of white, ranging from creamy to crisp as you move from the front of the house toward the kitchen, which was less gut renovation than thoughtful retrofit. \u201cWe wanted to keep it simple for now,\u201d she says, explaining that the client plans to revisit the design down the road. The flat front cabinets and tubular hardware were chosen for their modern, clean lines that intentionally lean a little late twentieth century, while the reeded glass doors of the newly-added pantry cabinet\u00a0pick up on the dining room sconces as well as the iron work of the sideboard.<\/p>\n

\"kitchen\"The minimalist kitchen was a retrofit that the client may revisit down the line. In the meantime, it doesn\u2019t compete, or attempt to replicate, the historic grandeur, but rather subtly enhances the overall design. | Bar stools, Eternity Modern<\/a>; Wall paint, Simply White<\/a> by Benjamin Moore; Trim paint, Oxford Stone<\/a> by Farrow & Ball. <\/p>\n

\"pantry\"The built-in pantry was a new addition to the space. Reeded glass creates a visual lightness to the cabinetry; the curved elements echo the rounded glass panes of the front door. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe were inspired by 1990s Euro interior design magazine editorials,\u201d says Herbold of the kitchen and parlor level. \u201cHere, the beautiful plaster crown molding and historic details called for an approach that celebrated their ornate character rather than competed with it.\u201d Another flight up, french doors that once separated the parlor and kitchen were repurposed for his-and-hers offices.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"bathroom\"A custom marble sink is the showstopper of this space, which also includes a tub and fixtures by Waterworks and refinished parquet floors. <\/p>\n

\"bathroom\"Tub, Penhaglion<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The primary suite, which includes walk-in closets and an ensuite bathroom, is laid out en filade. \u201cThis part of the house was conceived as a sequence of spaces rather than individual rooms, each with its own atmosphere while flowing naturally into the next,\u201d explains Herbold. The bedroom is drenched in Farrow & Ball\u2019s Green Blue: \u201cLike the sky or the sea, it recedes visually, allowing the architecture and natural light to take precedence.\u201d The closet features shades of mustard and plum before giving way to the luxe bathroom. \u201cFramed by two large windows, it feels like a breath of fresh air, so we kept the palette restrained and luminous.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"bedroom\"A variety of wood tones draw out the hues in the restored parquet floors. The side table pendants were in the clients\u2019 collection prior to the project. | Bed, Lawson Fenning<\/a>; Paint, Green Blue<\/a> by Farrow & Ball. <\/p>\n

\"closet\"<\/p>\n

One element that Herbold particularly loved, and lobbied to keep, in the primary bedroom: the jigsaw chimney piece. \u201cWhen these were originally installed, they were painted: Builders would just buy the simplest pieces the stoneyard had and fitted them together,\u201d she explains. The dueling materials were a surprise when they stripped this one, as seen in the first image; ultimately, the clients decided to embrace the unexpected.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The top floor of the townhouse is kid territory, with two bedrooms and a shared bath. \u201cThe client was nervous about the idea of a red, white, and blue bathroom, which can lean very Americana and lobsters,\u201d says Herbold. Yet, the periwinkle ceiling paired with an oxblood pendant, white millwork and tiles, and playful accents give off a modernist sensibility\u2014a contrast to the little girl\u2019s bedroom next door, which has more nostalgic vibes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"bathroom\"Custom cabinetry maximizes the footprint of this third-story full bathroom, which is shared by the clients\u2019 children. \u201cThe mix of the chrome and the bright red has a sort of utilitarian feel to it,\u201d says Herbold. | Pendant, &Tradition<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\"bedroom\"Crucially, the design both in the bathroom and the kids\u2019 rooms are capable of evolving with only minor tweaks over time. | Wallpaper, Saranda Flower Sisal<\/a> by Schumacher; Moretti Oak Bookcase, Anthropologie<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe ceilings are lower up here, and it\u2019s very cozy\u2014it reminds you that you\u2019re in an old townhouse,\u201d says Herbold. A bookshelf houses a family heirloom\u2014a maternal grandmother\u2019s collection of Caldecott hardcovers\u2014and the floral Schumacher wallpaper feels like it could have been there forever. A pair of chairs by the artist Camella Ehlke<\/a>, who makes, as Herbold explains, \u201cclothes for furniture,\u201d function as the modern intervention in this otherwise nostalgic space. And\u2014as in the rest of the home\u2014the old and new really do shine.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Elizabeth Kiefer is a veteran magazine writer and editor, as well as a gardening coach. She lives with her family in Upstate New York.<\/p>\n

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