{"id":261468,"date":"2025-10-30T20:30:17","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T20:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/261468\/"},"modified":"2025-10-30T20:30:17","modified_gmt":"2025-10-30T20:30:17","slug":"boerum-hill-townhouse-mixes-traditional-modern","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/261468\/","title":{"rendered":"Boerum Hill Townhouse Mixes Traditional, Modern"},"content":{"rendered":"

Interior design by White Arrow added traditional millwork and vintage furnishings to an already gutted townhouse.<\/p>\n

The impeccably renovated and furnished townhouse may look pretty now. But \u201cit was not pretty when it started,\u201d said designer Keren Richter. \u201cIt needed pretty much everything.\u201d<\/p>\n

Richter and her husband, Thomas Richter, who formed New York City-based architectural design firm White Arrow<\/a> a decade ago and have since completed a score of projects from Brooklyn to Berlin, took over Phase II of this gut renovation after the young couple who\u2019d bought the house a year prior had already done some major work and reached a point of overwhelm.<\/p>\n

When White Arrow came into the picture, an architecture firm had drawn plans and obtained permits, the cellar was being excavated, and the back of the house had been demolished on the two lower levels and extended out 10 feet. There was a new bulkhead on the roof and new rooftop decking. New mechanicals and HVAC were under way. \u201cBut it was still almost a blank slate,\u201d decoratively speaking, Richter said. \u201cThey were jackhammering in the cellar and doing brickwork when we arrived. The windows weren\u2019t there. The walls were down to studs, and they needed to redo the stairs.\u201d<\/p>\n

White Arrow\u2019s team ended up managing the project, Richter said, masterminding all new details, finishes, custom millwork, and a comprehensive decorating plan. \u201cEverything that looks historic \u2014 crown molding, baseboard, doors, flooring, arches, stair rails, niches, borders \u2014 that\u2019s all us.\u201d Marble mantels and some vintage shutters were among the few salvageable original details.<\/p>\n

When it came to furnishings, \u201cwe wanted it to be chic and elevated, a mix of different eras, with a harmonious materials palette of walnut, black, and navy,\u201d Richter said. \u201cIt\u2019s not casual per se, but not overly glam either.\u201d Artwork throughout the house was curated by White Arrow, with emphasis on 20th century vintage paintings.<\/p>\n

\"ENTRY<\/a><\/p>\n

The building\u2019s windows were replaced throughout with new ones sourced from Historical Windows of New York. White Arrow based the new stair railing and newel post on 19th century designs.<\/p>\n

\"FRONT<\/a><\/p>\n

The front parlor\/living room (top photo) is anchored by a blue velvet sofa of White Arrow\u2019s own design, inspired by the work of Jean-Michel Frank. The armchairs are vintage finds. The walnut coffee and side table were sourced from Pinch, a British brand. The Pierre Chapo daybed is a contemporary piece, the chandelier a 1917 Weiner Werkstatte design by Josef Hoffmann.<\/p>\n

\"KITCHEN<\/a><\/p>\n

From the entry, there\u2019s a straight visual shot to the back of the house through new flat arched openings. \u201cAll the colors weaving through the parlor level relate to each other,\u201d Richter said.<\/p>\n

\"KITCHEN<\/a>
\n\"KITCHEN<\/a><\/p>\n

Handmade ceramic tiles from Pratt + Larson, a Lacanche stove, and custom cabinetry painted Newburg Green by Benjamin Moore give the central kitchen timeless appeal.<\/p>\n

The stove hood is custom; distinctive pendant lights were sourced from Apparatus. White Arrow chose Breccia Capraia marble with dramatic purple veining for the backsplash and countertops. Chamfered edges on the wide island \u201ckeep it from feeling too monolithic,\u201d Richter said.<\/p>\n

\"SIDEBOARD\"<\/a>
\n\"DINING<\/a><\/p>\n

The dining room is in a new extension at the rear of the parlor floor, with a glass wall overlooking the garden. A green leather credenza and rich walnut tones in the furnishings \u201ccontinue the jewel tone color story,\u201d as Richter put it.<\/p>\n

White Arrow\u2019s custom-designed walnut dining table is encircled by 1970s Italian leather chairs by Tobia Scarpa. A Sketch Light pendant by NYC-based designer Anna Karlin supplies modern drama as well as warm light.<\/p>\n

\"STAIRCASE\"<\/a>
\n\"SITTING<\/a>
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

The second floor library\/sitting room, with custom built-ins designed by White Arrow, opens to a deck on the roof of the new rear extension. Aside from the Pinch sofa, furnishings are vintage. The coffee table is a re-issue of an Jacques Adnet design.<\/p>\n

\"CHILDREN'S<\/a>
\n\"BOYS<\/a><\/p>\n

A bedroom occupied part-time by twin boys is furnished with vintage cherry wood beds by Ole Wanscher.<\/p>\n

\"PRIMARY<\/a>
\n\"PRIMARY<\/a><\/p>\n

A custom oak and marble vanity by White Arrow and gold-tone details give a luxurious cast to the primary bath.<\/p>\n

\"CHILDREN'S<\/a><\/p>\n

A playful striped wall tile treatment, a yellow pendant light from Coleen & Company, and vintage-style fixtures enliven the bathroom adjacent to a nursery.<\/p>\n

\"TOP<\/a>
\n\"ROOF<\/a>
\n\"VIEW<\/a>
\n\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Hardscaping in the backyard, designed by White Arrow, makes use of vernacular materials like bluestone and cobblestones. Plantings were orchestrated by Brooklyn-based Verru Design.<\/p>\n

[Photos by Thomas Richter]<\/p>\n

The Insider\u00a0is Brownstoner\u2019s weekly in-depth look at a notable interior design\/renovation project, by design journalist\u00a0Cara Greenberg<\/a>. Find it here every Thursday morning.<\/p>\n

Got a project to propose for\u00a0The Insider?\u00a0Contact Cara at caramia447 [at] gmail [dot] com<\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

The Insider: Bold Color and \u201970s Furnishings Enliven a Family Home in a New Greenpoint Tower
\nThe Insider: Storied Brooklyn Heights Townhouse Gets a Decorative Makeover With an English Feel
\nThe Insider: Design Tweaks, Art, All-New Furnishings Warm Up a Williamsburg Townhouse<\/p>\n

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