The Canvas House
Canvas House is the renovation of a historic brownstone in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, designed in collaboration with photographer Winnie Au and her husband.
Rich in original millwork and period details, the house offered an opportunity to create a brighter, more contemporary interior without losing its historic character. The design introduces a restrained palette, carefully integrated modern amenities, and flexible living spaces that provide a quiet backdrop for the homeowners’ colorful furnishings, creative work, and everyday family life.
Like a canvas, the architecture provides a setting for personal expression, allowing the home’s historic details and contemporary elements to coexist naturally.
Photography © Winnie Au
The Plan
The renovation preserves the brownstone’s original two-family configuration, with an owner’s triplex occupying the upper floors and a separate rental apartment at the garden level.
At the parlor level, a new kitchen introduces custom cabinetry, Carrara marble countertops, and a more functional layout. The removal of a former dumbwaiter creates space for a new pantry and improves circulation, making the kitchen better suited to contemporary family life. Upstairs, existing bathrooms were refreshed, while a third bathroom was carefully integrated into the historic floor plan to accommodate the family’s evolving needs. Throughout the owner’s residence, a palette of whites and soft neutrals creates a sense of openness and calm. Original woodwork and architectural details are preserved, providing texture and a connection to the home’s past without dominating the interiors.
Against this understated backdrop, the homeowners’ collection of colorful contemporary furnishings and personal objects brings warmth, character, and individuality to each room. The result is a home that feels both historic and distinctly personal—an adaptable setting for family life, creativity, and the changing ways its occupants inhabit the space.
Performance
Alongside the interior renovation, Canvas House received a series of upgrades to improve energy efficiency and year-round comfort.
High-performance replacement windows, together with additional insulation at the roof and exterior walls, reduce heat loss and improve the building envelope’s thermal performance. A new high-efficiency HVAC system provides more consistent indoor comfort, while energy-efficient LED lighting reduces electricity consumption throughout the home.
These improvements are integrated discreetly within the historic structure, allowing the home’s original architectural character to remain central while providing the comfort and efficiency expected of a contemporary residence.
“ The house had museum-like features, but I didn’t want it to feel like a museum - I wanted it to feel like a home where everyone was comfortable and nothing was so precious “
Winnie Au, Owner
