This Late-1800s Home in New York's Historic Park Slope Is Drop-Dead Gorgeous

Working as an interior designer in New York, it's not often that Emma Beryl has the luxury of space. But that wasn't the case for this project. Located in Brooklyn's prestigious Park Slope neighborhood, Beryl had a whopping 2,521 square feet to work with, which included three bedrooms, three-and-a-half bathrooms, a family room, a dining room, a kitchen, an office, a library, and a backyard. "I often work on much smaller spaces, so it was actually a breath of fresh air to design something that felt so house-like," she tells MyDomaine. "If anything, I found myself making sure we had filled the space adequately."

The designer spent around $90K updating the home, which was originally built in 1899. "That's one of my favorite things about it," she exclaims. "I absolutely love, love, love old homes and the character and charm they typically have." The original details, such as the inlay on the parquet flooring, the ornate copper ceilings, and the beams in the kitchen were a great starting off point for Beryl. In fact, the architecture of a space is the biggest influence on Beryl's design style. "I think the key to making a space feel seamless and timeless is to have the design be informed by the architecture," she explains. "In this case, it meant choosing furniture pieces that complemented the traditional details of the space rather than leaning towards anything too trendy or current."

Architecture aside, it was also her client and their lifestyle that informed the design direction for this project. "They have a farmhouse that they live in half the week and really appreciate a warm, comfortable, inviting aesthetic," she adds. "We wanted to create a space for them that felt instantly relaxing and like a retreat from the city." Take the tour and read more of Beryl's style notes below.

The farmhouse style is most evident in the home's kitchen. With its exposed beams, oversized farm sink (complete with vintage faucets), hanging pots feature, and vintage-style oven and range hood, it truly is hard to believe this lives in the heart of Brooklyn, New York, and not in the countryside. 

Beryl really wanted to keep this space feeling as rustic as it did before they started on the makeover, but they really needed to increase the function of the space. So their team added the kitchen island, bar stools, and all of the hooks and shelving throughout.

The open-plan style allows for so much freedom to cook and entertain. There is also ample storage space for extra plates and glassware. The spice rack on the wall also gives it that homely, farmhouse vibe. The natural light from the window makes it feel like you're out in the country too.

The gas oven and large range hood really add that vintage rustic charm. We can tell this client loves to cook, and who wouldn't with a kitchen set-up like this? That's our kind of therapy.

The dining room is open to the kitchen—which is one of the main focal points of the house—so Beryl wanted to make sure that the transition between the two spaces felt seamless. "We also knew that the family loved to host and entertain and that this would be a room that would get a lot of use," she says. 

Beryl's main style objective here was to make it feel polished but comfortable. "It had to be a place where you could have a casual breakfast for two or a dinner party for 10," she adds.

The home library on the parlor floor serves as the home's formal living room. Beryl added more structured (but still comfortable) furniture and used light and airy colors. 

One of Beryl's favorite features of this room is the library ladder and wall-to-wall built-ins. Ours too.

Who could resist sitting here each Sunday afternoon with that view of books? It's heaven.

The staircase really shows off some of the home's original features and architectural detailing. Just look at the unique parquet flooring and the molding on the ceiling. This is all original.

Since the architecture really takes center stage, Beryl decided to keep some of the design fairly stripped back and minimal. Case in point: the primary bedroom. Unlike the rest of the house, there was limited space in this room, so she kept the styling pretty simple and clean, making sure the architecture—the detailed ceilings and bay window—were the feature. 

While beautiful, the home office had to be "extremely functional" too. Situated next to the formal library, it's also the first room you see when you walk into the home, so fusing practicality with beauty was crucial.

Beryl kept it simple by adding an oversized lantern, painting the walls a clean white, and selecting furniture that was comfortable, yet functional.