“One of the challenges was figuring out the scale of intervention needed and the degree to which the original detailing should be respected,” says ABA partner Emily Abruzzo. “Our clients, who are in design professions, wanted something that wasn’t too precious.”

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Bay windows amply daylight living spaces (1 & 2). Photos © Eric Petschek

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The existing plan, with poorly connected, dimly lit interior spaces, left much to be desired. A particular concern was the circulation between the lower, garden level and the rest of the building; the floor had served as the prior owner’s medical practice and was separated from the living quarters. In addition, the clients and the design team also stripped away what they perceived to be outdated details upstairs, including dark wainscoting in the kitchen and dining area and half-timber Tudor Revival trim in the parlor.

With those considerations in mind, the architects gutted much of the interior but restored a fireplace mantel and stained-glass sliding doors. The primary entrance, on the elevated first floor, formerly led to a tight space fitted with shallow closets. Now an airy vestibule with dark terrazzo floor slabs and plastered walls has taken its place. Several steps farther into the residence, is an oak-clad enclosure that houses a powder room. To improve the connection among all the floors, ABA extended the central staircase down to the garden level—replacing two separate stairwells stacked atop each other—and installed a domed skylight above the stair on the top floor.

Terrazzo is used for high-traffic areas. Photo © Eric Petschek

The common spaces on the entrance level, an open kitchen and dining room, a parlor, and a living room, make up an enfilade. Their new finishes may be simple but are by no means austere. White oak millwork, both off-the-shelf and custom-made, is used throughout for cabinetry, new wainscoting, radiator covers, and door surrounds. Veined quartzite slabs surface the kitchen island and countertops. Underfoot, light gray terrazzo, durable and easy to clean, adds a bit of panache to the kitchen/dining area. Throughout, the architects bleached the redwood parquet flooring to match the white oak millwork.

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Millwork is applied throughout (3 & 4). Photos © Eric Petschek

They also took care to rethink the ceilings, which, according to Abruzzo, featured sharply curved and often misaligned cornices. In their stead, the design team inserted gently arced plastered drywall panels, with 18-inch radii, to add a greater sense of warmth and scale to the interior.

Each bathroom is surfaced with durable material. Photo © Eric Petschek

An en suite bedroom, and the children’s bedrooms and bathroom, are located on the top floor. The detailing in these spaces is similar to the main living floor, with pared-down finishes such as white oak baseboards, gray terrazzo floors, and tile surfaces for the bathrooms. Each bathroom is illuminated by newly installed skylights. The garden level, sans millwork, now includes a home office and family room, as well as a kitchenette and guest suite.

Since the structure had not undergone any substantive changes in decades, the renovation provided an opportunity to replace parts of the outdated building infrastructure. The team swapped out all the gas fixtures and steam radiators in favor of electric appliances and heat pump–conditioned air, and partially offset the energy load with rooftop solar panels. In addition, new insulation was installed in the building envelope, along with high-performance windows selected with the input of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Altogether, ABA’s efforts have yielded a practical and welcoming home for the family of four to enjoy as an architectural environment that combines historic and modern elements in a subtle and respectful manner.

Courtesy Abruzzo Bodziak Architects