Brownstone Hides 32-Foot Great Room Behind Historic Facade

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The brownstone facade at the West 84th Street Residence stands as it has for over a century, its detailing painstakingly preserved, while behind it stretches a 32-foot-long great room that did not exist in any original configuration. The absence of a traditional client brief required Placeholder to distill townhouse living into essential elements that feel personal and adaptable while avoiding the unnecessary scale often associated with single-family urban houses.

The exterior restoration preserved the landmark New York City brownstone’s historic character while interior interventions prioritized proportion, natural light, and spatial flow. This approach emphasizes how existing architectural preservation and modern interventions can coexist. The parlor residence spans 3,300 square feet across three levels organized around a 32-foot great room with 11-foot ceilings that establishes generous spatial proportions rare in urban housing.

Modern kitchen with white cabinets, blue-veined marble countertops and backsplash, open shelves, light wood floor, and large window with natural light.

Modern dining area with a stone table and six beige chairs, adjacent to a white kitchen with marble surfaces and large window, featuring minimalist decor and neutral tones.

The Molteni&C kitchen in Calacatta Viola marble functions as material anchor within the open plan, while nearly 900 square feet of outdoor space, including landscaped garden and terrace, extends daily life beyond interior boundaries. The garden-level primary suite overlooks the yard with an adjacent flexible room accommodating dressing, office, or sitting functions.

A modern living room with neutral tones features two armchairs, a sofa, a black coffee table, a small side table, a vase with greenery, and large windows letting in natural light.

A modern living room with a cream sofa, two wooden armchairs, a wooden sideboard, a round mirror, large windows, and a coffee table with a vase of red branches.

The penthouse residence offers 2,700 square feet of interiors plus a 400-square-foot roof terrace, featuring a shared material palette including Arabescato Turquoise marble vanities, Alaska White shower, and radiant-heated Nero Marquina floors paired with Waterworks and Dornbracht fixtures. The handcrafted curved stair connecting to rooftop studio and terrace demonstrates how vertical circulation can become an architectural feature rather than functional necessity.

Modern living room with light-toned furniture, five blue abstract artworks on the wall, a glass vase with red leaves, and natural light from a large window.

A minimalist dining area with a round black table, four wooden chairs, a vase with tall stems, large window, and wall art.

A small workspace with a wooden desk, beige chair, white table lamp, and books sits by a large window overlooking a courtyard with greenery.

A light wood staircase with white walls curves to the right, next to a closed door and a bathroom with marble surfaces visible on the left.

Oak herringbone floors, restored moldings, and integrated lighting establish detail consistency across both residences while kitchens and baths receive treatment as objects within architecture – functional spaces designed with precision typically reserved for furniture. The outdoor connections differentiate each residence’s relationship to urban context. The parlor’s landscaped garden provides a rare city amenity extending private realm horizontally while the penthouse terrace and studio offer vertical escape shaped by light and views.

A minimalist bedroom with a neatly made bed, two bedside tables with lamps, a framed picture above the bed, a bench at the foot, and a window letting in natural light.

A neatly made bed with a red blanket, gray pillows, and a wooden bench sits between two nightstands with lamps in a bright, modern bedroom with large windows.

Modern bathroom with marble surfaces, floating vanity, a glass shower door, wall-mounted towel, and a small vase with branches on the counter.

Modern bathroom with white marble walls and countertop, built-in sink, rectangular mirror, wall light, and a vase of light pink flowers on the counter.

For more information on Placeholder, visit ph-grp.com.

Styling by Glen Proebstel.
Photography by Alice Gao.

Leo Lei translates his passion for minimalism into his daily-updated blog Leibal. In addition, you can find uniquely designed minimalist objects and furniture at the Leibal Store.



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