The Lefferts House

Bringing back to life this 120-year-old brownstone filled with some phenomenal historical millwork required meticulous restoration work and surgical insertion of modern building systems. Our team is proud of the final outcome.

Hand-sketched floor plan of a home with labeled areas including dining, bath, pantry, kitchen, and backyard access. Features French doors and staircase.

Photography by Pepe Molina

The Plan

Our team was commissioned to transform this 1899 neo-Renaissance townhouse into a comfortable, contemporary home for a young family of three, while carefully restoring and celebrating its exceptional historic character.

The landmarked structure retained a wealth of original detailing on its upper two floors, all of which required careful restoration. By contrast, the basement level was in poor condition, with dated finishes and limited access to natural light, having seen little meaningful renovation since the building’s original construction.

Original millwork and plasterwork were meticulously restored throughout, and the existing hardwood floors were repaired and refinished. Two new bathrooms were thoughtfully integrated into the historic layout, respecting the home’s original proportions and architectural language. The basement level was reimagined as a bright, welcoming kitchen, anchored by large French doors that open directly to the rear yard. Both exterior façades were carefully repaired and restored, and a new rear stair provides direct access from the parlor level to the garden, strengthening the connection between interior and outdoor spaces.

Sustainability

The project focused on significantly improving the home’s energy performance through enhanced insulation and a comprehensive upgrade of its mechanical systems. Most existing windows were replaced with high-performance units, and a new concealed HVAC system with electric heat pumps was introduced. Additional sustainable strategies included low-VOC paints, LED lighting throughout, and the use of low-formaldehyde plywood and cabinetry to promote a healthier indoor environment.

Restored Front facade

Backyard view of a three-story brick townhouse with a modern glass and black framed bay window, metal exterior staircase, glass door entry, artificial grass lawn, wooden deck, and outdoor seating area.

The completed rear façade features new steel stairs leading to the parlor level and wide doors at the garden level that open directly to the kitchen.

Modern kitchen with gray cabinets, marble countertop island, black stools, stainless steel appliances, pendant lights, and decorative wall art.

Custom millwork and quartzite countertops define the new garden-level kitchen, which opens seamlessly to the backyard through French doors.

View of the front and middle parlor with original woodwork and hardwood floors restored

Modern kitchen with gray cabinets, marble countertops, a stainless steel range with red knobs, a decorative wall clock, and a vase of flowers on the island.

New kitchen at garden level features custom millwork and quartzite counters

Two gray armchairs with a small round marble table in between, placed on a patterned rug, in front of a wooden staircase with a railing, and a circular light fixture above.

Contemporary furnishings and lighting balance the home’s richly paneled historic interior.

A powder room was inserted at the parlor level in a very discreet way

A discreetly integrated powder room at the parlor level.

Surgically inserted between the two bedrooms, the master bedroom incorporates the original to the structure wood cabinetry, which has been restored

Master bedroom with the original fireplace mantle and tile.

Surgically inserted between two bedrooms, the primary bedroom incorporates restored original built-in wood cabinetry.

The restored original fireplace mantel and tile anchor the primary bedroom.

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