Inside a Moody Brooklyn Heights Apartment Inspired By Its Historic Neighborhood

Sometimes the easiest route to figuring out what you want is by seeing exactly what you don’t want. That’s how walks around Brooklyn Heights helped interior designer Augusta Hoffman tackle her first renovation in the chic and historic family neighborhood. Catching glimpses inside brownstones at night, Hoffman clarified her vision for the apartment she was ultimately reimagined for a young couple.

“We would kind of walk around at night when you can see into people’s parlor levels and look at the lighting. It was very interesting for me to see [how] some of these homes have contemporary lighting [that can] feel very awkward within such a beautiful brownstone environment,” she explains. “We wanted the [our clients’ home] to feel fresh. We wanted it to feel contemporary and relevant—but not out of place.”

When she took on the project, the couple didn’t have any furniture, so it was on Hoffman to furnish the entire space. The pieces she chose ended up being a mix of antique finds and more contemporary options, including items with French provenance that proved to be among the owners’ favorites. “I don't love a space that feels of one period, or one note,” Hoffman says. “I think there’s a real art form to mixing and blending styles. It’s tricky, you have to find similarities and pieces that will go together but that don’t feel expected.”

But before the decorating could truly get underway, there was plenty of structural work to be done. Moldings were straightened, floors were redone, and the kitchen was brought down to the studs and remade entirely. “There were a lot of challenges because it’s such an old building, which is why we all love it, but that comes with a lot of quirks. The floor was completely sagging in the middle and the moldings were not level,” Hoffman adds. “You have to be pretty meticulous with your designs because of that. Even putting a table in, it’s not going to sit straight because everything has a tilt. So that was a challenge, but that’s what adds so much beautiful character to this space.”

Like so much of Hoffman’s work, the beauty of the Brooklyn Heights apartment doesn’t scream for your attention so much as it beckons you into its warmth. Brass outlet switch plates in the kitchen and contrasting piping on reupholstered chairs leave the impression of low relief. The home is built off of small elements that one may not pick up on individually but that come together to create a memorable effect.

Amidst the delicate decorative elements, select moments of drama can be found too. The scenic mural by James Mobley in the bedroom, which envelops the entire room, is a satisfying discovery. And as surprising as it is, the contained blue-toned palette ensures that it doesn’t overwhelm the space. Mobley grounded the mural in its locale by working native trees into the painting.

“Because this apartment already feels so intimate, we were able to focus on more tailored and sophisticated forms,” Hoffman reflects. “[Since] all of the rooms open into the central living space, the apartment still has a loftlike openness.”