This Brooklyn townhouse renovation nails ‘classic’ without cliché

This is the latest instalment of The Inside Story, Wallpaper’s series spotlighting intriguing, innovative and industry-leading interior design.

When you own a glorious redbrick in Brooklyn’s Boerum Hill, any renovation demands considerable care. For one family, this meant enlisting design firm White Arrow, which was tasked with honouring the home's heritage while elevating its everyday functionality.

The renovation began with architectural updates, including a 10ft extension and a redesigned rear façade. From there, White Arrow brought its signature vision to life, starting on the parlour floor, where moody walls and custom millwork set the tone. A dramatic bar, clad in Waterworks marble with Classic Brass hardware, is lit by sculptural Sophie Lou Jacobsen sconces.

In the dining area, a glass wall directs views to the garden. Not for long, though: the eye is drawn to custom cabinetry by White Arrow, Maison Jansen brass sconces, and a floral painting by Lizzie Gill. An Anna Karlin chandelier is suspended over a walnut dining table, while a handcrafted Zia Tile Zellige floor brings artisanal detail underfoot. The kitchen, traditional in its bones but airy and modern in execution, features stone countertops, Water Monopoly plumbing fixtures, and a luxurious Lacanche oven.

Bedrooms exude quiet luxury: the primary is anchored by a 1950s Swedish chandelier and ceramic lamps, while a handsome oak bed from Pinch is flanked by a vintage Kjell Lönnblad painting and custom drapery from Carolina Irving Textiles. In the guest bedroom, warmth radiates from pieces like a wood-framed Woodbridge bed, vintage oak drawers, and opaline pendant lighting from the 1950s. Nightstands from Maine Cottage and oil paintings by Georges Darel and R Debray enhance nostalgia.

The cellar has been reimagined as a multifunctional retreat with an industrial feel. Arthur Umanoff’s iron and rattan bar stools bring a retro edge, while Rejuvenation sconces accentuate the area’s darker tones. A secondary living room on this level includes a Rowe sectional, McGuire armchairs, and a vintage brass and opaline chandelier by Hans-Agne Jakobsson. The cerebral-feeling library is a trove of vintage treasures, including a framed Elliott Erwitt photograph, a leather floor lamp by Lisa Johansson-Pape, and a reissued Jacques Adnet coffee table.

The home has two bathrooms: one primary and one children’s. The former is home to a custom oak vanity, Apparatus sconces, and Lind and Almond medicine cabinets, illuminated by an RW Guild flush mount light. The children’s bathroom is whimsical, with yellow accents, bold Schumacher wallpaper, and a baby blue standalone tub.

Every room in this Boerum Hill townhouse tells a story – each rich with texture, objects and intentional design. The result is a space that feels traditional and refined, but never prim or conservative.