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House Tour: A Historic Brownstone Reimagined as A Journey Through Colour and Texture

Discover the stunning transformation of a 1901 Hoboken brownstone, blending historic charm with modern design elegance

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By House & Garden South Africa | October 28, 2024 | Interiors

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The stunning moody living room of the Brownstone, Image: Tin Nelz

Step inside a dramatically yet sensitively restored brownstone in the heart of New Jersey

As home renovations go, the revamp of this 1901 brownstone in Hoboken, New Jersey, was a brief process – albeit challenging. 'We saw the listing for our home and immediately thought it had a lot of potential,' recall the homeowners. 'It had lost a lot of the "brownstone" character, and we knew we wanted to invest in finishes such as beautiful mouldings while making the home function.'

The exterior of the home was given a contemporary jolt with steel-casement windows looking out onto the back garden, Image: Tim Nelz

Work on the home had already begun when the team at Crystal Sinclair Design were called in. 'The client didn’t like the original aesthetic, and contacted us to reshape the vision,' shares Crystal. 'It was in the framing stage. We worked through the concepts quickly, but it took some time to get our drawings together (especially the drawings with the moulding details) and over to the contractor. It was a race to stay at pace with a project that was in full swing. There were several changes to the floor plan we made, and we added a lot more detail that was not in place prior to us working on it.

'I wanted the home to be almost like a livable art installation, where each room, because of the strong colours, evokes a different feeling,' says Crystal, Image: Tim Nelz

'After seeing the homeowner’s inspiration images, I understood right away what they were looking for. Within a week we had pretty much all the concepts put together, as well as floor plan changes.' Inspired by the moody hues of a city storm, the home features a captivating palette that evokes the feeling of being both under and above the clouds.

Each of the four floors is a journey through varying nature-inspired hues. The basement, painted in a tranquil teal, symbolises the city’s Hudson River, while the first floor captures the essence of clouds with soft pink and gold accents.

The dining room area is filled with interesting art pieces and foxus on warm colour tones, Image: Tim Nelz

Ascending to the second floor, deep purples and blacks convey a sense of mystery before one finally reaches the airy top floor, where playful aqua and sunny gold reflect a bright, uplifting ambiance. 'I wanted it to feel like a livable art installation,' Crystal explains, highlighting how bold yet desaturated colours play off each other to evoke distinct emotions in each room.

The lush textures used throughout help make the home feel more inviting, while the contrasting metallic splashes add drama, Image: Tim Nelz

Texture also played a crucial role in the design narrative. The interplay of wool rugs, luxurious velvets and polished chrome creates a moody yet inviting atmosphere. Crystal expertly blended modern pieces with historical elegance, incorporating intricate mouldings that evoke the home’s heritage. 'Contrasting textures keep the spaces from feeling monotonous,' she notes.

The entrance hall features artwork by abstract artist Rebecca Stern, Image: Tim Nelz

This remarkable renovation showcases how thoughtful design can breathe new life into a historic structure, transforming it into a unique haven that celebrates both the past and the present.

Wool, velvets, mohair, stained woods, eight different marbles, unlacquered brass, crystal, and traditional mouldings all play together to create an outstanding result, Image: Tim Nelz