Upper West Side BROWNSTONE

Location: 87th and Columbus, Manhattan, New York

Photographed by Tim Lenz

Brief: Originally built in 1899, Our Upper West Side Brownstone Project it was one of seven homes by Charles Guilleaume designed for gracious proportions, light, and flow. Our renovation reclaims that original intent—restoring room sequencing, reintroducing garden connections, and layering modern interventions with restraint. The result is a quietly transformative Upper West Side brownstone, where heritage and minimalism coexist in elegant clarity.

 

PROJECT NARRATIVE

Tucked within the Central Park West Historic District on the Upper West Side, 133 West 87th Street is a Queen Anne–Romanesque Revival brownstone dating to 1899—part of a harmonious row designed by architect Charles Guilleaume. Hallmarked by gracious proportions, including 10- to 11-foot ceilings, generous bay windows, and a tranquil private garden, the home offered a rich architectural canvas for a sensitive yet transformative restoration. We sought to honor the home’s historic integrity while elevating its livability for a modern family, preserving original elements such as four wood-burning fireplaces and the original stair, while enhancing natural light, flow, and connection to the outdoors.

The reimagined plan restores the kitchen to its original garden-facing location on the parlor floor, anchored by a monumental set of custom steel-and-glass pivot doors by All The Details, measuring 16 feet in both height and width. These frame views to the rear terrace and introduce a luminous counterpoint to the home’s classical detailing. Inside, a circular rug and tailored furnishings define the living area, which opens into a dining room centered on the home’s former hearth—now reinterpreted with a bespoke banquette and pendant. A trio of arched openings subtly delineates living, dining, and kitchen zones, creating both spatial clarity and visual rhythm. The result is a sequence of rooms that feel both rooted and refreshed, where historical craft meets a measured modernism.

Ascending through the preserved stair hall—painted a deep, anchoring black—light cascades from a new skylight above, illuminating each level. The second-floor primary suite is composed of a serene, garden-facing bedroom, a generous four-fixture bath, and integrated storage that prioritizes functionality without visual clutter. The third floor accommodates two additional bedrooms and a shared bath, unified by a restrained palette that softens transitions and celebrates texture. Throughout, our approach was one of reverence and restraint—crafting a brownstone renovation on the Upper West Side that quietly bridges past and present with architectural clarity and composure.

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SHINGLE STYLE CONNECTICUT RESIDENCE