This historic townhouse located on a street known as Doctor’s Row in Harlem is one of a series of landmarked structures originally designed by William Tuthill, the architect of Carnegie Hall.  The owners, a lawyer and a TV producer, with adult children, took over the entire townhouse to have expanded spaces for living, entertaining, and showcasing their extensive collection of art, furniture, books, and travel souvenirs.  The project restored the incredible craftsmanship and architectural detail of this Renaissance Revival townhouse that is over 130 years old while also creating open layouts and modern built-ins that improve the flow of light and movement in the space.

The owners entertain various-sized groups of friends and colleagues in their house, and they wanted to accommodate large groups of guests and maintain comfort for those times when it is occupied by just the owners. To achieve a layout for continuous living, the garden and parlor floors of the house were extended to the rear, and a double-height space and feature stair were created to join these floors together, and to the rear yard. An expansive and continuous living space is created and broken down into a series of more intimate and unique spaces that comfortably accommodate smaller groups.

The upper two floors of the townhouse are dedicated to more private living spaces, with a master suite and gym on the top floor and a library and guest bedroom on the second floor. The elegant proportions of the bedroom layouts on these floors are maintained, as are the original details: stained glass transoms, carved wood fireplace surrounds, and moldings. On the master floor, new materials such as Moroccan cement tiles, matte finished oak, and honed marble are used to bring texture and warmth to the modern built-ins.

The project showcases both old and new details. Much of the original woodwork in the house remained in the project, but it was covered by over a century of paint. Doors, mirrors, and fireplace surrounds were stripped to the original wood and refinished. The original brownstone façade and metal cornice were also restored. New insertions are modern and minimal, but textured with rich materials such as the concrete treads of the floating staircase or the etched brass and patterned marble of the kitchen islands.