This weekend, the Brooklyn Heights Association opens the doors to its fourth annual Designer Showhouse. Co-chairs Ellen Hamilton and Erika Belsey Worth, alongside Honorary Chair Leyden Lewis, are leading this year’s event, bringing together 16 innovative interior and landscape designers to transform the 1848 Greek Revival townhouse located at 182 Clinton Street in the heart of historic Brooklyn Heights.
Showhouse tours are open now through Sunday, November 3, 2024. Hear from the talented roster of designers below, as they describe their designs from concept to completion.
JMorris Design | “Park Bath” Entry and Stairs
Photography by Jacob Snavely
Forest bathing, the mindful practice of immersing oneself in nature, originated in Japan as shinrin-yoku. It can be as simple as a walk in the woods, and as profound as transforming one’s relationship with physical space and nature. Rather than driving a line between the indoors and outdoors, the entry and stairwell space has been designed to inspire a conscious connection with nature and what’s around — the same goal as the exercise of forest bathing.
Allegra O. Eifler Design | The Parlor
Photography by Tim Lenz
Having grown up in Brooklyn, just a few blocks away, this 19th-century townhouse had an immediate familiarity that was quite personal. The first time I saw the parlor it was bathed in eastern morning light, a quiet warmth that contrasted with the buzzy energy of Brooklyn waking up. My concept for this room is rooted in that duality that Brooklyn possesses — a space that can be both enveloping for intimate conversations and vibrant for joyful gatherings.
Steven Walsh Design | The Back Parlor
Photography by Regan Wood
After moving to New York from his hometown of Philadelphia, Walsh began his New York design career by working as a stylist in the decorative arts. While designing shop windows and furniture showroom displays up and down 5th and Madison Avenues, Steven desired to create more lasting roomscapes. With the encouragement and support of friends and colleagues, Steven’s interior design business began to build, and then to flourish.
Shapeless Studio | The Mudroom
Photography by Hagan Hinshaw
For an interior space to be beautiful and calming, it needs to function well. Our goal is always to design objects and spaces that are durable, cleanable, and well-organized, so they hold up to the wear and tear of daily use. Working within the rich design culture of Brooklyn, we enjoy collaborating with other local designers and makers. Engaging with our local design ecosystems enriches our projects while also supporting our local economies. We are thrilled to be involved in our first Designer Showhouse, and have brought many of our favorite artists and makers with us.
Ingui Architecture + BIA Interiors | Kitchen
Photography by Tori Sikkema
The Showhouse kitchen has a strong connection to the rear yard through expansive, new 15-foot wide sliding doors to the exterior and an open floor plan. Our intent is to refresh the space with intense color and soft, natural materials that mirror the textures and colors of nature. The space will feel as elegant as the parlor floor above, but inviting enough to allow a family to gather comfortably for everyday rituals.
Rinehardt | Miller Interiors | The Dining Lounge
Photography by Tori Sikkema
Leslie Rinehardt and Marvin Miller both had a long tenure with one of New York’s premier boutique construction management and interior design firms, before deciding to start their own business. Their knowledge and combined experience of construction principles, interior architecture, spatial relevance, fabric and furniture details, and an uncanny talent for creating customized “lifestyle templates” for their clients, sets them apart from most interior design businesses in the marketplace.
Built-in Ventless Fireplace provided by HearthCabinet
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Project Plant | Front and Back Garden
Photography by Tori Sikkema
Our past work in this space has included renovating the bluestone sidewalk to restore its original charm; replicating historic ironwork to craft a bespoke tree guard; planting a hackberry tree, affectionately named Henry, to replace a fallen Callery Pear; constructing a sleek trash enclosure; and ongoing seasonal planting displays. Our current planting design for the front is filled with native perennials which will provide year-round interest and attract birds and pollinators; an aesthetic and ecological nod to our design for the backyard garden, where furniture from OASIQ offers respite.
Alon Studio | Powder Room & Pink Bathroom
Photography by Max Burkhalter
For the top-floor middle bath and powder room, Alyssa’s vision was to conceive elegant spaces that were warm, inviting, and elevated through the use of soft colors, natural materials, and unexpected pops of texture and color.
Batliboi Studio | Media Room
Photography by Marco Ricca
The architecture of the space – specifically the various floor levels – became the starting point to re-invent the sunken room. New floors were installed, then wrapped up the sides to the level of the original cellar floor, creating a datum line that both references the historic townhouse’s floor while also creating a new zone of seating platforms. The color palette takes inspiration from the interior of Brooklyn’s Kings Theatre — deep red and crimson tones — giving a fresh take for a modern home.
Studio Jai | The Writer’s Study
Photography by Marco Ricca
Although small spaces are frequently underestimated, Studio Jai has elevated the Writer’s Study by incorporating rich, saturated colors, beautiful textures, and enhancing functionality to bring it into the spotlight.
Landed Interiors | The Primary Bedroom
Photography by Brett Wood
The primary bedroom’s vision and soft palette are inspired by late summer, dried wildflower and wheatgrass colors, and the textural qualities of quiet and strong workaday materials. Wedgwood Jasperware-inspired whimsical plaster florals decorating the walls, designed in collaboration with Brooklyn-based plaster artists, Arkada Plus, was imagined during a summer drive along country roads in the Cotswolds. Standout furniture includes an industrial linked-leather headboard designed in collaboration with Jim Zivic, Landed-designed custom furnishings, antiques from the Arts & Crafts and Viennese Secessionist eras, with today’s next collectibles.
Isy’s Interiors | The Primary Bathroom
Photography by Duncan Smith
After falling in love with the charm of the existing primary bathroom, Isy’s Interiors decided to keep much of the present fixtures, choosing instead to modernize the space with beautiful wallpaper, elevated window treatments and contemporary hardware – showing just how easy it is to transform a space with a few subtle changes. Adding crown molding to the ceiling gave the room even more historic allure and pairing that with a painted ceiling gave the room the signature whimsy and fun that Isy’s Interiors is best known for.
Kate McElhiney Studio | The Blue Bathroom
Photography by Tori Sikkema
Immediately struck by the brightness of this sunlit space, Kate began her design with a traditional Korean pojagi panel, which was transformed into a modern interpretation of a stained-glass window by Wovn Home. The Venetian plaster and modern mirror are a nod to “grown-up” restraint, while the simple bows and ikat tape indicate a more effervescent sense.
Rebecca Amir Design | The Children’s Room
Photography by Julie Leffell
The design for this children’s bedroom is meant to evoke a deep sense of nostalgia and longing, inviting anyone who steps inside to momentarily escape to a beloved seaside sanctuary. Furniture from the past and present comes together to create a space that feels warm, personal and familiar. I imagined a place filled with family heirlooms, memories and traditions. The canopy bed, swathed in intricate paisleys and delicate florals, is a peaceful place to relax with a book at the end of a day spent outdoors. The pattern, inspired by a vintage fabric, is the kind that you might think about even after summer ends, when you’re yearning to be back in that special place.
JAM | Midnight Study
Photography by Gieves Anderson
Specializing in residential renovations and new builds that keep the best of what’s old and thoughtfully introduce the new, JAM is adept at designing contemporary spaces that incorporate a carefully curated blend of timeless vintage pieces with sleek modern ones.
CASA Angulo | The Designer’s Studio
Photography by Jenna Saraco
CASA Angulo is a multidisciplinary design studio, founded by Adalberto Angulo Sosa and Jennifer Paccione Angulo. Though based in New York City, the studio consists of an international team, spanning Cuba, Spain and Italy – an element that greatly influences CASA’s distinctive design approach.
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