Home Tours / November 7, 2025

A New Chapter for a Historic Brooklyn Townhouse

This landmarked townhouse in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill was in a state of complete disrepair—to make it livable, it had to be stripped down to the studs. The homeowner worked directly with an architect to navigate the Department of Buildings approvals—extending the footprint by ten feet, rebuilding the rear façade, adding a deck off the library, and installing all new windows. They replaced every system—plumbing, electrical, HVAC—the works. Then came the fun part.

“We were brought in after the demo had begun, but before any design detailing or finish selection had taken place,” says interior designer Keren Richter, who runs the award-winning design studio White Arrow with her husband, Thomas. “We created the lighting and electrical plan, designed all of the cabinetry and millwork, selected plumbing fixtures and finishes, and even designed the exterior hardscaping.”

Despite the project’s scale, it’s the smallest details that make it sing. Lighting was strategically layered throughout, giving rooms a warm, atmospheric glow through dramatic chandeliers, focused task lighting, sconces, and an array of lamps.

Throughout the home, they added applied moldings, inlaid flooring borders, and custom arched entries, emphasizing sightlines and symmetry to create both drama and a sense of openness. To honor the home’s history, they chose custom heating grilles inspired by antique patterns and sourced exterior windows from Historical Windows of New York. Even the stair railing—and its sculptural newel post at the entry—were modeled after an 1800s design.

“We drew inspiration from French furniture of the 1930s, British textiles, and Italian and Scandinavian lighting from the 1950s to the 1970s, as well as the works of designers associated with the Wiener Werkstätte,” Keren recalls. “We love how cohesive the home feels and layered given the varied points of reference; there’s a real warmth and sense of history to the interiors.”

“We wanted the home to have the feeling that it had always been there,” the designer says. “We considered every room and surface, and our ultimate goal was to create a comfortable home that’s a joy to live in.”

The result is, simply put, incredibly joyful. The clients are a sophisticated, down-to-earth couple who both work in finance. “When we began the project, they were engaged,” Keren says. “By the time the renovation wrapped, they’d married, welcomed a baby boy, and blended their family of two older sons and one newborn under one roof. The design mirrors that sense of transition—elevated yet livable, equally suited for dinner parties and playtime.”

The finished home feels both timeless and deeply personal, a place where history and modern life meet with grace.