St. Johns Brownstone
Brooklyn, NY  |  2014 and 2017

When Hurricane Sandy tripled their parent’s commute time from Westchester to work in Brooklyn, the family’s 3 teenage children called a family meeting and presented their calculations that a move to Brooklyn would result in significantly more family time together.  The Brooklyn brownstone in Park Slope they purchased weeks later had half the space and little of the openness of their suburban home; in particular, making the heart of the home – the living/dining and kitchen space – accommodate their needs in less than one-quarter of the space was a tall order.  Timing was also key as the timeline for the start of school allowed for less than 6 months for design, interior design and construction combined. The design integrated familiar elements from their former home along with new elements for smaller spaces requiring compact solutions. A new high gloss white kitchen takes advantage of every inch of the limited space and opens the space. The rear wall now folds open to the balcony and views of the Zen-like garden beyond. Bedrooms and baths, on both upper and lower levels, were personalized to welcome each member of the family.  A colorful family den is an active gathering space. A later phase brought a new bulkhead providing easy access to a new family roof deck with lounge space and a sleek jacuzzi. A new stair to a finished basement connects to additional family space. The end result, ready 6 months later for move-in before the start of school, is a highly functioning intensely personalized family space that mixes history with their contemporary family life.

MDA designgroup