{"id":2780,"date":"2025-01-27T23:08:39","date_gmt":"2025-01-27T15:08:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/2025\/01\/27\/outdoors-in-shapeless-studios-thoughtful-historic-brownstone-update-before-and-after\/"},"modified":"2025-01-27T23:08:39","modified_gmt":"2025-01-27T15:08:39","slug":"outdoors-in-shapeless-studios-thoughtful-historic-brownstone-update-before-and-after","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homeofmaterials.com\/de\/outdoors-in-shapeless-studios-thoughtful-historic-brownstone-update-before-and-after\/","title":{"rendered":"Drau\u00dfen im Haus: Shapeless Studio's durchdachtes historisches Brownstone Update, Vorher und Nachher"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Architects Jess Hinshaw and Andrew Fisk specialize in sensitive modernizations of old New York City structures: see, for instance, The Sentimental Minimalist, a tour of Jess\u2019s own Brooklyn townhouse, and Andrea\u2019s own Late-19th Century Quarters in Pinks, Greens, and Grays. The two run Shapeless Studio and one of the many designs of theirs that we\u2019ve featured is A Kitchen that Celebrates Life\u2019s Daily Details.<\/p>\n

Set in an 1867 Italianate brownstone in Brooklyn\u2019s Clinton Hill, the project belongs to a young family of three who opted to remodel their two floors in stages: upstairs, containing the living quarters, was tackled first, followed a few years later by the bedrooms on the garden level. The couple\u2014he works in the food business; she\u2019s a landscape architect\u2014wanted to gently update their rooms while, in her words, \u201ccreating a real connection to the outdoors, so that even when the house is closed, you never feel cooped up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that both floors are finished, we\u2019re returning to take a full tour (scroll to the end for some Before shots). Note that this is a rare renovation that began and ended as a love fest: the owners found Shapeless Studio by admiring their work on Remodelista. And though they themselves prefer to remain anonymous, the owners asked that we pass on their praises for all involved, including contractor Pini Lipman and his team at Sunshine Renovations Management: \u201cWe could go on and on about the ways they showed up and went above and beyond, but we will just say that they are consummate professionals and really good people.\u201d Adds Andrea, \u201cIn addition to being talented, honest, and kind, they was amazing at working within the irregularity of old townhouses.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photography by Hagan Hinshaw, courtesy of Shapeless Studio (@shapelessstudio).<\/p>\n

The Parlor Floor<\/h3>\n


Above: The architects sanded and refinished the house\u2019s original parquet floors and preserved the plasterwork. Built-in custom cabinets line one wall. The Mags Soft Sofa and ottoman are by Hay and the pendant light is the Herman Miller Nelson Apple Bubble Pendant.
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Above: The Shapeless Studio team kept the existing flow of rooms but widened the passageways and introduced flush thresholds to integrate the spaces.,

Above: The kitchen is set in a 2007 extension built by the previous owner that provided space but lacked inspiration. \u201cThe cabinets were awkwardly placed in small sections, which made the room feel chaotic and chopped up. We re-organized the setup to maximize storage and help it feel bright and calm,\u201d says Andrea. It\u2019s now anchored by a white oak island with dark cabinets and soapstone counters designed to \u201crecede into the background.\u201d <\/p>\n

The cabinets are painted in Midnight and the walls are Classic Gray (\u201can ultra-light gray that can also function as an off-white\u201d), from Benjamin Moore. The Afteroom stools with seats of painted ash are from Audo and the ceiling light, one of many contemporary fixtures introduced throughout, is Audo\u2019s TR Bulb Linear Suspension. For more details, see Steal This Look.

Above: The breakfast nook is set in a niche that echoes an archway at the entry. The trestle table is a Shapeless Studio design made by Armada and the light is the Eave Pendant by In Common With. The custom white oak storage bench and other built-ins are the work of ABC Kitchen, now a division of Sunshine Renovations, and another team the owners and architects highly recommend.<\/span><\/p>\n

Note the floor: it\u2019s tiled in Thin Dust Bejmat Zellige from Tiles of Ezra in a basketweave pattern inspired by the original parquet floor. \u201cWhile soft and neutral in color, the tiles are rich in texture and pattern,\u201d notes Andrea. \u201cOur sensibility is generally more modern, but we also wanted to honor the building\u2019s historic details,\u201d add the owners. \u201cThe tiles, arch, and soapstone are all thoughtful ways Shapeless integrated the kitchen into the rest of the parlor floor.\u201d<\/p>\n


Above: A deck serves as the outdoor gathering spot and leads to the garden. The architects raised the height of the doors to match the third window and fill the room with natural light.,<\/p>\n

Downstairs: The Garden Level<\/h3>\n


Above: The main bedroom opens to the garden, which, says Jess, helped supply the palette of earthy, moody tones. <\/p>\n

The remodel was done by the same team in two stages: upstairs during Covid lockdown and downstairs after the family had fully assessed their needs\u2014and saved up. During the height of both construction periods, they lived elsewhere.<\/p>\n


Above: The custom headboard is upholstered in Schwarzwald 003, an Italian linen from Dedar Milano that lends the space what the landscape-architect-in-residence calls \u201ca treehouse feel.\u201d The bedside lights are In Common With\u2019s Spot Surface-Mount Sconce. The curtain masks an original closet.
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Above: The wall of white oak millwork includes a built-in desk and closets (one is actually the entry) that \u201cmake the room feel more intimate and as if you\u2019re enveloped in warmth.\u201d says Jess. We like what the architects describe as \u201cthe exaggerated scale\u201d of the 1970-style door pulls.,

Above: The oak built-ins continue in the main bathroom as a variation on a theme. Heath 2-by-6-inch Classic Field Tiles serve as counter, backsplash, and other detailing: they\u2019re in a discontinued color called Caramel that\u2019s similar to Heath\u2019s Antique Green.
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Above: The architects gracefully integrated a washing machine and dryer. The Leggy Crossed Wall Hooks are from ceramicist Virginia Sin\u2019s studio, Sin\u2014they\u2019re made of stoneware and are intended for maximizing tight spaces.
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Above: The kid\u2019s room is painted a Benjamin Moore blue called Lake Placid. Oeuf\u2019s River Full Bed has a built-in bench and the option of adding a trundle bed.,

Above: A new bathtub and uplifting Field Tiles in Burnt Sienna and Vanilla Cream from New Terracotta. <\/p>\n

Vor<\/h3>\n


Above: From the real estate listing. The floor and fireplace were preserved.
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Above: The previous owners installed this extension so the kitchen could be on the parlor level.
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Above: The main bedroom was large and unwieldy\u2014but opened to the garden.
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Above: Did someone say generic? Removed elements were donated for reuse. <\/p>\n

More projects by Shapeless Studio:<\/p>\n