| Neuhaus and her team were presented with the challenge and responsibility of the renovation and preservation of an important neighborhood landmark. Private Comment
With historic architecture renovations, maintaining complete period authenticity presents itself as an obvious solution. But that often feels quite dated, and perhaps too thematic. Instead, Neuhaus created a hybrid solution fusing contemporary and period design that blends the architectural heritage of the brownstone with its inhabitants' modern perspective and lifestyle. The house exterior and architecture was treated as a metaphorical envelope and would retain its period integrity. Interior features like the cabinetry, bathrooms, furnishings, light fixtures, staircase, etc. were seen as the contents of the envelope and therefore could serve as contemporary insertions into the space. |
| Jessica Warren worked closely with Neuhaus and the rest of the crew and acted as the interior designer for her house — and has subsequently founded an interior design company. Since the majority of the furnishings were already owned by the client, a great deal of inspiration and collaboration stemmed from her collection. Private Comment
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| With the exception of the kitchen addition, the majority of the work on the parlor level was restorative work — from the original trim and molding to the ornate leaded windows seen here. Private Comment
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| With the original kitchen gutted, a contemporary redesign was able to come into fruition while still paying homage to the architecture of the conservatory that once stood in that space. Private Comment
The success of this complicated design of contradictions stems substantially from Neuhaus's vision, and she is quick to credit her team for its flawless execution. “The skill with which that was done really speaks to the beauty of working with a construction manager and subcontractors who have great respect for, and experience with, old houses.” |
| Neuhaus designed and created this kitchen storage unit to display the family’s ceramic collection. Like many items now prominently displayed throughout the house, these too had previously been in storage. The client wanted very visible and accessible storage for these pieces. Private Comment
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| The kitchen itself is a host of all things modern, while the curved weight-and-chain windows maintain a connection to the past. “Towards the end of the project we had winter meetings sitting at the kitchen table in the apse of the space, and when it snows it feels a bit like you are sitting inside a snow globe,” Neuhaus says. Private Comment
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| Reminders of previous dwellers were constant throughout the renovation — some more obvious than others. Before being replaced, the windows of this bathing room were dominated with religious iconography — remnants of the Roman Catholic Diocese that owned and occupied this house and its twin next door from the 1930s until 1989. The stained glass had to to go. Private Comment
"However we have to laugh as a cross reappears in that room at a certain time each day," Neuhaus says, "when the light from outside hits the tub faucet at a certain angle and projects a perfect crucifix across the room.” |
| For that reason, there is a clear demarcation between public and private spaces in the home — with the bedrooms residing in the upper stories of the house while the open living areas remain on the entry level for hosting intimate cultural events and fundraisers. Private Comment
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| In the guest bedroom, an original woodblock used for the posters of a traveling carnival is another reminder of the clients’ cultured travels and the importance attached to each and every product furnishing their home. Private Comment
The open and accessible approach to art and home has led this house in Clinton Hill to become an unofficial salon and gathering space. Whether it be a neighborhood happy hour; a place for local art students to showcase their work; and talks of hosting an opera written for a residential setting, the Clinton Hill brownstone has retained its heritage as a historic home and a space for a community to come together. More: Houzz Tour: New Orleans Glamour Houzz Tour: Edith Wharton's The Mount Houzz Tour: Historic Home in Austin, Texas |
