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OLD TOWNHOUSES usually come with big ‘buts,’ points out Ingrid Abramovitch in the intro to her new book, Restoring a House in the City: A Comprehensive Owner’s Guide to Renovating Town Houses, Brownstones and Row Houses With Great Style (Artisan). They may have “charmingly anachronistic grace notes, from imposing classical entrances to parlors straight out of Edith Wharton novels,” she writes, BUT, less charmingly, they also tend to have roof leaks, slanty floors, and ominous cracks in the wall.
Never mind. IMO, as readers of this blog know, those are mere annoyances, no contest at all compared to the many pluses of living in a house built in the 19th century, when houses really were built. This book offers abundant proof that antique houses are worth the effort.
Below: Parlor, Fort Greene
It features 21 exceptional dwellings, from a Boston Brahmin to a double-wide brownstone in Troy, N.Y., a Greek Revival in Charleston, and a San Francisco Edwardian that survived the 1906 earthquake. The projects closest to my heart, of course, are those in Brooklyn, which is well-represented with six envy-inducing houses.
Below: Mantel, Fort Greene
Some are restored, some extensively remodeled. Some are furnished with antiques, others done up in a modern mix. There’s nothing cookie-cutter about any of them. A couple are a bit over-the-top for my taste: too much clutter, too much color. But most ooze warmth and livability.
It’s no surprise that the book’s interiors are impeccably styled and photographed. The author, a resident of Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn, is a veteran design journalist and former editor at House & Garden and Martha Stewart Living.
Below: Parlor, Park Slope
Luscious as it is, Restoring a House is not just a look book. Along with the inspiration, there’s a hearty dose of practical information on such topics as wood floors, brickwork and ornamental plaster. How can an old-house lover resist?
Below: Entry Hall, Brooklyn Heights
All photos from RESTORING A HOUSE IN THE CITY by Ingrid Abramovitch (Artisan).
Copyright 2009. Brian Park photographer.
IT WORKED BEFORE, SO I’M TRYING IT AGAIN. I rented my townhouse in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, last month through this blog when six real estate brokers and Craigslist couldn’t do it. Now another of my rental properties is becoming available as of Oct. 1, 2009: a whole, albeit small, 1840s “trinity” house (3 floors – 1 room on each – plus basement and garden) in the South Kensington area of Philly, a few blocks from the trendiest of trendy neighborhoods, Northern Liberties, and not far from Fishtown.
The house is diminutive, like many old Philadelphia houses – about 200 square feet per floor, joined by narrow twisting stairs. (People with vertigo or bad knees need not apply.) It works for a single individual, a loving couple at most.
It gets great light, has a large-for-Philly backyard (mostly gravel but planting area could be expanded), original doors and proportions throughout. It’s totally charming, and the space feels good to be in. At least I think so, as does the tenant who’s lived there happily these past couple of years.
For an aficionado of old houses and vintage lifestyles, it’s a chance to live like a working-class family of the mid-19th century, but with more amenities (heat, indoor plumbing, electricity, etc.)
Kensington was once called “Little England” for the number of English immigrants who worked in the neighborhood’s behemoth textile and carpet factories, many of which have been converted to living lofts or artists’ studios.
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The house is on N. Palethorp between Jefferson and Oxford, a nearly traffic-free alley around the corner from the magnificent St. Michael church. It’s actually the rear half of two back-to-back trinities under one roof (they’re entirely separate, each with its own entrance). It was renovated (re-wired, new kitchen, new paint job) in 2007. Here’s how the layout stacks up:
- Ground floor: kitchen/dining. Opens to garden.
- 2nd floor: bedroom/bathroom with pedestal sink, claw-foot tub
- 3rd (top) floor: open loft-like space. Could be a living room, studio, or large bedroom (with the smaller room on the floor below used as a living/sitting room).
- Basement: washer/dryer, storage
The rent is $850/month, plus utilities (gas for heat, hot water, and cooking, and electricity).
You were thinking of moving to Philly anyway, weren’t you? Email me at caramia447@gmail.com for more info or pics, with a few details about your situation and a phone number.
I’VE REALLY GROWN to love Sag Harbor, particularly the back streets lined with uber-charming cottages – at this time of year, often covered in climbing roses.
But surprisingly, this year’s annual Sag Harbor House Tour, which takes place Friday, July 10 from 11-4, features a much more varied selection of houses than one might expect in a town whose history goes back to 1707, including a couple of startlingly modern ones.
Among the six houses on the tour is a 19th century workingman’s cottage owned by the proprietors of Fisher’s Antiques, a longtime fixture in the village, where walls have been removed to create an open, airy interior filled with a mix of modern, historic, and handmade furniture.
And yes, there’s a classic Greek Revival built in the 1840s by Daniel Smith, a merchant sloop captain, and a rambling barn-red house with an artist’s studio, a collection of Oriental rugs, and kitchen cabinets fashioned from leftover floorboards.
But there’s also a pre-fab, modular 2,500 square foot house in nearby Noyac, above and below, designed by architect/owner Laszlo Kiss — an ecologically correct dwelling so tricked out with energy-saving features that the energy bill for a year, including heating, cooling, and maintaining the swimming pool, is less than $1,300.
The architect calls it the “ASAP House,” for “About Saving A Planet.” Set back behind ornamental grasses and clematis climbing up steel wires, the structure, built last year, uses photovoltaic panels, geothermal heating, and natural shade and light.
Kiss hopes to build more ASAP houses, the design of which can be adapted to the needs of its owners. The house takes only 7 to 9 months to build. The cost per square foot: $265.
The tour benefits the John Jermain Library. Tickets are $40 at the library, 201 Main Street in Sag Harbor. For further information, call 631/725-0049.
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