My Houzz: Risk and Reward in a Brooklyn Townhouse

A great example of their DIY style is the coffee table in their living room. “It’s funny — Roy had been carrying around that block of cherrywood since grad school,” says Jennifer. “He made the wood an absolutely perfect rectangular shape and smoothed it so it was good enough to use as a table, until he got the idea to get wheels and make it into a coffee table.”

The couple took advantage of the area underneath the stairs to build in storage.

Painting: Derek Buckner; wheels: Casters

After viewing 20 townhouses during their home search, Jennifer and Roy were won over by the first-floor bathroom for guests. “There used to be a full bathroom on this floor. When we gutted it, we got rid of the bathroom and did the narrow powder room instead,” Jennifer says.

They installed drywall over a chimney front that was behind the living room sectional. “To convert a fireplace into anything, you would have to actually build it out, and it just wasn’t in our budget or plans,” Jennifer says.

Sink: Porcher

The couple bought these wall-mounted ceramic hands with wedding gift money. The hands hold tiny keys or small trinkets that need to be kept near the front door.

Roy enjoys reclining in the white Eames aluminum lounge chair to scroll through new design ideas and current news on his phone.

Ceramic hands: Moss

Keeping the space from looking cluttered and small was important, so the couple concealed their heating and cooling units. “We used a mini-split system for air conditioning. We built low cabinets behind the dining room table that would hide floor-mounted air conditioners and radiators,” Jennifer says. “All you need is a top that is perforated aluminum to let the heat or air out.”

They also chose furniture that wouldn’t overwhelm the space. “The trick with furniture in small or narrow spaces is open legs and low to the ground,” Jennifer says. “If you see the ground between your furniture, it makes the space feel more open.”

Cross Extension Table: Design Within Reach

10 ways to design around a mini-split air conditioner

“We cook and entertain a lot, so the kitchen being the center was appealing,” says Jennifer. It was also a great solution for a narrow townhouse layout. “It left us with no constraints, especially after gutting the entire the space,” she says. “The only thing we had to take into account was that island sinks require a loop vent when there is no wall to run the vent in. Otherwise, harmful gases will flow into the house.”

It was also important to the couple to have a utilitarian kitchen they could clean easily if they were to, say, spill spaghetti sauce while offering tastes across the bar with friends and family, but that still had the sense of style they wanted. “The black countertop is called Meteorite, and we believe it is a stone called schist, which was a bit of a splurge,” Jennifer says.

The couple saved money by incorporating Ikea cabinetry and materials throughout the space, including the butcher block used decoratively as the kitchen stove surround and as shelving, bathroom vanities and some of the built-ins.

The couple splurged on the Rakks shelving standards in the hallway library area leading into the couple’s bedroom. The steel is flexible, so the shelves can be raised and lowered as needed. “The shelves require a strong post to hold the weight of the books. We put plywood behind the Sheetrock, which will let you fasten anything you want,” says Jennifer. The Leones also put in pocket doors in most of the entryways to save space and to avoid visual clutter.

Green and red painting in bedroom: Louis Cameron

The couple kept the existing wooden staircase, which contrasts with the modern elements in the rest of the space, such as the brick walls and large vertical windows. It was sanded and painted with a high-gloss deck paint designed for durability by Marmello Painting and Design.

Some of the couple’s most-loved features in the home were also the most expensive, including the opening to the backyard and the skylight in the upstairs hall that allows light into the library area.

“It was a bit of extra work but totally worth it,” Jennifer says of the electric vented Velux skylight. “They are great for passive cooling, as heat rises and can escape through the skylights.”

6 Ways to Cool Off Without Air Conditioning

The couple’s bedroom gets plenty of morning sun.

Bedding: West Elm

A bunk bed in 6-year-old Gabe’s room doubles as a place for exploring and playing. Gabe enjoys participating in karate competitions and robot-making classes, and there’s plenty of space in which to enjoy both hobbies. His room also has plenty of room to host playdates with friends.

Bunk bed, storage units: Ikea

The couple believed it was important that their son have not only the biggest room, but also the one that would receive the most afternoon sun as he played. “We knew that this space would have to transition as he grows up, and this room would accommodate that,” Jennifer says.

The Leones refer to their backyard as an outdoor room rather than a backyard. “We went to King’s Nursery and had the owner help us select plant material that would work with the orientation. They brought in and installed everything, including the white gravel,” Jennifer says. “We were looking to solve practical issues — we didn’t want hardscaping for environmental drainage reasons, but also we knew we couldn’t grow grass, so we went with gravel.”

The family is patiently awaiting the bamboo in the back to grow as tall as the fence to give their concrete outdoor room a lush, tropical feel.

Gravel: Kings Nursery, Brooklyn; wall paint: Trout Gray, Benjamin Moore

5 Gravel and Stone Types for a Rockin’ Landscape

“We are so happy to be finished with the house,” Jennifer says. She and Roy love reading to Gabe on their sectional in its sun-drenched location with city views.

My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.

Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes