New York, New York, USA
Behind this brownstone’s staid poker face is a jazzy fusion of indoor and outdoor living spaces. Our Park Slope additions consist of small rear-yard and rooftop extensions. But these modest additions resulted in half a dozen distinct new outdoor spaces for this family of musicians.
We clad both extensions in sleek black metal panels, to contrast with the historic structure. Walls of glass divided by Mondrian mullions provide broad views out to the green spaces while bringing daylight deep into the house.
We split the sloped backyard into two levels–a low court with an outdoor kitchen for casual gatherings and, farther back, a raised bamboo garden for meditation.
Passing through the Mondrian windows, a zinc and soapstone wet bar morphs into a BBQ grill, blurring the distinction between indoors and out. And as the garden steps up, this datum continues as a soapstone bench.
At the top of the backyard stair is a deck off the kitchen for sunny morning coffees. This deck has a perf metal floor and a glass railing to maximize daylight to the spaces below. Above that, a ledge outside a bedroom offers another perch for flowering plants.
The second extension at the rooftop culminates in two more decks. The larger deck is designed for entertaining and offers ample space for social gatherings. The smaller deck, reached by a high stone stair, provides stunning skyline views–an ideal spot for watching sunsets or July Fourth fireworks.
Indoors, a wall of white lacquered panels hides the pantry, coat closet, and a lush powder room. Opposite this, we relocated the main stair to a new opening in the middle of the first floor. These floating wood treads emerge from a wall draped in grooved bamboo down to polished concrete floors.
For the railings upstairs, we used a piano-key pattern inspired by our concert-pianist client. Here, solid oak stair treads cantilever from the wall, then turn up 90° to form a balustrade.
The primary bathroom boasts his and hers vanities, a steam shower, a bidet room, and a custom limestone and stainless-steel tub. By special request from the homeowners, the tub allows for full submersion. The cellar houses a soundproof music studio, perfect for high-volume drum practice without disturbing the home’s tranquility.
Architects: Sherman Architects
Design Team: Jeffrey Sherman and Andrew Gale
General Contractor: Tatra Renovation
Client: Private
Photographers: Jason Schmidt
