Constructed in 1854 by James Webb, a preferred contractor of the Astors, this brick and brownstone townhouse demonstrates the notable 19th c. builder’s deft hand, pragmatic plan, and uncommon access to high-end materials. Its faceted bay and ebullient interiors, decorated in ornate plaster detailing, were atypical for middle-class family homes of the time. Decades of deferred maintenance and ill-considered alterations compromised the interior, however some of the decorative elements survived. The new owners, a family with young children, embraced their role as stewards of this “diamond in the rough,” enlisting PPA’s three studio divisions: architecture, conservation, and interior design, to restore and revive the historic house, paying homage to the extraordinary craftsmanship that shaped the newly developed neighborhoods of the West Village in the mid-19th century.

For the derelict exterior façades, historic images and archival research informed PPA’s approach to reinstating the lost masonry elements. The crumbling rear façade had to be entirely rebuilt. Inside, the original plaster crown and casings were meticulously documented and recreated throughout the parlor floor, as well as custom grilles and restored historic fireplaces. The staircase was rebuilt, replicating the original details in a modified, code-compliant form.

PPA’s architectural interventions created a more open and modern space suitable for an active family that frequently entertains. The kitchen was moved up to the rear of the parlor floor, opening onto a new balcony and connecting to the spacious, garden-level family room below via a cast-iron spiral stair. The original flattened archways of the parlor floor enfilade were proportionally expanded, providing clear views from the front dining room through the living room and kitchen to the pleached lacebark elm trees in the rear yard, which was designed by Hollander Landscape Design Architects. The renovation culminated in a new penthouse bar (modeled after a favorite London pub) and rooftop terrace.

PPA wove a primarily white and blue color palette throughout the house, punctuated by antique furniture and warm touches in persimmon, coral, deep burgundy, and rust. The saturated Prussian blue formal dining room off the foyer gives way to pearlescent plaster and comfortable seating in the living room. The light-filled kitchen replicates the molding profiles of the original arched door casing with custom millwork and a banquette backed by a full-height antiqued mirror. Upstairs, in the primary suite French doors open onto a new cast-iron balcony. The bedroom is minimally but ethereally furnished, with gauzy floor-to-ceiling sheers. The guest room is swathed in Venetian plaster in a delicate periwinkle that reflects off custom silver-leafed armoires flanking the fireplace. The garden level study and rooftop bar bookend the softer tones of the interior floors with mahogany paneling, built-in shelves and cabinetry, and overstuffed, jewel-toned seating.