Kitchen of the Week: A Parlor-Level Fort Greene Townhouse Remodel for a Creative Family (Luxe Marble Included)

Reshapes are sometimes more akin to surgical procedures – architects cutting, extracting and stitching with precision in order to completely transform a space without damaging its bones.

This was the “series of surgeries” needed to upgrade the living room of a historic townhouse in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, for a creative pair with two young sons. The space was divided into small cramped rooms with little space for the family to be together, work and – one day, again – entertain, not to mention very little storage space needed for a modern, active family. of four people.

Step inside New York-based company Civilivn, which with a demanding touch left the building’s historic details untouched and remodeled the cramped and dark interiors, opening up the dining, living and kitchen areas and adding many hidden storage spaces.

Join us for a preview of the newly remodeled kitchen, a clean and flexible space for the family to come together, filled with marble too.

Photograph by Brian W. Ferry, courtesy of Civilivn.

In the kitchen. The cane dining chairs are the Hoffmann dining chairs from Design Within Reach. — Above: in the kitchen. The cane dining chairs are the Hoffmann dining chairs from Design Within Reach.

The front salon level was narrow and divided – made worse by the bottleneck opening from the main hallway into the living and dining areas. To begin with, the business opened up the kitchen hall and created a larger entry point to the main living spaces, creating what they call a “circulation backbone” that allows family (and two young boys) to move around more easily – and also allows a direct view of the rear garden.

Historical details have been left intact but have been enhanced in Benjamin Moore’s Super White. And “the existing yellowing red oak flooring – introduced in an earlier renovation – has been replaced with diagonal American white oak flooring placed in plank borders tracing each room,” according to the company. The parquet is from BK Floor Supply.

The open and bright kitchen. Note the green-toned marble on the door jamb, an architectural detail to highlight the new entrance between the kitchen and the hall. & # 8 — Above: the open and bright kitchen. Note the green-toned marble on the door jamb, an architectural detail to highlight the new entrance between the kitchen and the hall. “The kitchen counters and backsplash are in Paonazzo marble, the island is in gray soapstone and the door jamb is in cremo tirreno,” explains manager Nicko Elliott.

“The cabinets are finished with Forbo Vapor Furniture Linoleum to withstand the younger family members moving around the narrow hallway with sports equipment etc.,” he adds.