Project: Windsor Terrace Brownstone
Architecture: Kimberly Peck Architect
General Contractor: Interior Finishes LLC
Location: Brooklyn, New York, United States
Area: 3300 ft2
Year: 2024
Photo Credits: Hanna Grankvist
This Windsor Terrace brownstone conversion transforms a two-family structure into a single-family residence tailored for a growing family, balancing the home’s historic features with modern functionality. The reconfiguration of the first floor provides a centralized living area and an expansive kitchen, designed to meet the family’s daily needs. Rather than opting for a fully open layout, the space is subtly divided by a floating partition wall that provides a soft boundary between the kitchen/dining area and the living room. This design solution allows for visual continuity and spatial separation, while also serving as a display surface for the clients’ expanding art collection.
The kitchen is a fully functional space with two walls of customized cabinetry, a large quartzite island, and ample room for cooking and gathering. The island, designed with extra depth, provides both seating and open storage. Open shelving above the sink, highlighted by shell-colored Moroccan zellige tiles, adds a layer of texture and craftsmanship. The cabinetry’s oak finish is complemented by soft green lacquer accents on the pantry wall and the rear of the island, which subtly define zones within the kitchen. A pantry wall with a central niche creates an additional focal point, allowing for curated art placement and continuity between spaces. At the rear, a full-height window wall opens up to the deck and garden, establishing a seamless indoor-outdoor flow.
The first-floor living room retains its original moldings, stair railings, and other period details, honoring the architectural heritage of the brownstone. Adjacent to the living area, a powder room brings in a playful contrast with bold flamingo-patterned wallpaper, a red faucet, and a custom white marble floating sink.
On the second floor, a master suite includes a large walk-in closet and a spacious, spa-like bathroom. The open bathroom layout features a freestanding tub and an open shower, unified by a beige-tiled ledge that spans the room and offers built-in storage. Extending around the room to ledge height, the tile is paired with tadelakt Moroccan plaster on the upper walls, which provides a smooth, waterproof surface and a calming ambiance. A dark oak vanity with a large mirror further grounds the design in a refined, natural aesthetic.
In this Windsor Terrace brownstone, Kimberly Peck Architect combined historical integrity with strategic modernization. Every element—from the subtle partition on the first floor to the handcrafted tiles and the carefully considered plasterwork upstairs—contributes to a story that honors the past and anticipates the future. The result is not simply a renovation: it’s a narrative of how one family, buoyed by smart design, can live gracefully within a home that bridges eras and enriches everyday life.
