Then came the question of the second floor. No one can say with certainty what it was originally used for, but historic photos show evidence of large glass windows. The architects opted to bring back this detail in a bid to invite more natural light and open up views to the sky. As far as aesthetic considerations went, the homeowners wanted a warm, bright, and peaceful palette. And so, the architects specified a warm red oak flooring for the common spaces and bedrooms, while opting for cerulean concrete tiles in the bathrooms to match the fun blue façade.
Speaking of the façade, how the modern version came to be is a story for the books. “It was in rough shape and had trim work deep enough to provide a comfortable nesting spot for pigeons,” shares Douglas. It was a problem that needed fixing, pronto. “We spent some time speaking with pest control specialists in the city to better understand exactly how deep to make the new façade trim to avoid the need to install ‘pigeon spikes.’” The advice they received worked and in addition to being functional, the façade packs a colorful punch. “The owners asked us to look at Dutch canal houses and historic Brooklyn architecture for color inspiration, as well as the nearby Atlantic Avenue storefronts,” says Margot. The winning palette, it emerged, was a combination of Benjamin Moore’s Abyss and Amsterdam—dark and light blues that serve as calming counterpoints to one another.