PROSPECT HEIGHTS MULTI-FAMILY

This Prospect Heights row house came with a unique brief. Three cousins wanted a four-unit building: one apartment per floor for each and, at the garden level, a shared unit with a communal kitchen. Peeling back layers of bad renovations, we discovered transom windows on the parlor floor. At the front facade, we restored the original stained glass. On the parlor floor, we also rebuilt a bay window. We rebuilt the stair using traditional newels and balusters in painted grays and oak treads set against exposed brick.

Instead of cookie-cutter flats, we gave each unit a layout and finishes that reflect its owner’s personality. One opted for traditional subway and hexagonal tiles, black granite countertops, and tailored gray cabinetry. Another preferred painted brick, bamboo cabinets, funky wallpaper, and DIY fixtures. A new slatted deck lets light pass to the garden floor. And at the top floor, a new monitor floods the kitchen with natural light.

But the whole family comes together at the garden level on new wide oak floorboards. We configured the large eat-in kitchen for entertaining, multiple cooks, and epic meals. Here, durable blue cabinets, absolute black granite counters, stainless steel accents, and a warm white Heath tile backsplash in a stacked bond make for a welcoming space. What’s more, the dining table was custom-designed and fabricated by a family member. The kitchen opens to the garden through a wall of steel and glass doors to a bluestone patio and lush vegetable patch beyond.