Behind the Design of a Brooklyn Townhouse Where Even the Shed Doors Have Character

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brooklyn townhouse backyard
Seating, DWR; Sconces, Hans-Agne Jakobsson. | Photography by Jody Kivort

Isobel Herbold’s work on this Boerum Hill, Brooklyn, townhome started in the most important “room” in the house: the backyard. One of the owners has a real green thumb, so he viewed the outdoor space as a true extension of the rest of the property. Herbold, an architectural and landscape designer who runs the design firm Salle alongside co-founder Palmer Thompson-Moss, sourced salvaged Belgium block and cedar planks from Washington that are burned in the traditional Shou Sugi Ban method for longevity. After asking the neighbors for permission, they added garden gates on both sides of the fence—something Herbold’s clients had grown up with at his family home and saw as a symbol of good relations. 

Before they wrapped up the backyard, the clients asked Salle if they would update the interior of the three-story house, from the primary bathroom down to the basement. “They bought it from an antiques dealer I believe, so there was an old bank down there, a big slate sink…the space was definitely used for making repairs,” says Herbold. Salle set out to make their own restorations. Ahead, we caught up with the designer about the project and how they amplified this townhouse’s charm.

green rugs with double leather sofas
Cushions, Élitis; Rugs, Pieces by An Aesthetic Pursuit. | Photography by Seth Caplan

Is the ceiling work in the living room all original?

We restored the plaster in little bits, but basically, yes. We stripped the original shutters and restored those. We restored the original windows and hardware, hiring an artisan who knows everything about everything to do with townhouse windows. Most people wouldn’t go to those lengths, but these clients really appreciated the original craft and spirit of the home. 

The separate lounge areas in the living room remind me of a hotel (in a good way). Why did you decide to break the room up into two?

It’s an unusual layout that stemmed from the clients having this leather sectional (it used to be laid out in an L shape). They didn’t want a new sofa, so we split up the couch and that was the catalyst for creating two zones with two square rugs. 

antique dining table
Table, Maison Jansen. | Photography by Seth Caplan

The elaborate dining room mantle—was that a salvage yard discovery? 

That was something the previous owner had installed! I don’t know exactly where it’s from, but it’s antique and no one ever questioned whether to remove it. We all agreed that we liked it as-is. 

marble shower walls
Ceiling Light, Atelier de Troupe; Sconce, Blanche Jelly; Plumbing Fixtures, Waterworks. | Photography by Seth Caplan

There’s not a powder bathroom in the house, why is that? 

We usually add those modern day conveniences that everybody wants, but we didn’t do that here because there’s already three bathrooms (two full ones on the second floor and another on the garden level). This isn’t a big townhouse, and they weren’t concerned with resale value, so we decided not to add one. 

green office
Desk Lamp, Kaiser Idell; Swivel Chair, Cassina; Chaise, Flex Form; Floor Lamp, Reggiani; Pendant, Carlo Nason; Rug, Rug & Kilim. | Photography by Seth Caplan

Why did you go with a round rug (versus a rectangular one) for the office? 

Every house has a room that feels like a spatial challenge, and it’s usually because of where the doors are. This space is connected to their bedroom, the corridor, and the bathroom with the tub. That’s how I came to the round rug, because it felt like this room was one large hallway. We added that Carlo Nason pendant, which is also centered on the fireplace mantle, and we reinforced that symmetry with the circular rug. 

white bedroom
Photography by Seth Caplan

The zebra chair in the primary bedroom is a bold choice. Is that something the clients already owned? 

I bought those chairs without a client in mind (I buy and sell on 1stDibs, so I have a collection of stuff). This room has the least amount of color, it has a minimalism and a visual silence to it. The simplicity of the room can afford a piece like that. That’s where the tension comes in. 

red closet
Paint Color, Tea by Benjamin Moore. | Photography by Seth Caplan

How did you land on this saturated red hue for their closet? 

I knew I wanted to do a monochromatic room. One of the colors I was tossing around at the beginning was a blue, but then we landed on this one called Tea by Benjamin Moore. I’m always a sucker for the names.

view into bathroom
Flush Mount Light, Stilnovo; Mirror, Waterworks; Plumbing Fixtures, Perrin & Rowe. | Photography by Seth Caplan

The bathroom looks like it could have been there for decades—was that the idea? 

We wanted it to remain a bit low-tech. I found the hand-carved, 17th century sink on 1stDibs, and it’s really old. Then we put in some modern custom millwork to make it meet all their needs. 

painted floral bedroom walls
Bed, Luciano Frigerio; Lamps, Studio Dunn; Wall Coverings, Elena Carozzi; Rug, Christopher Farr. | Photography by Seth Caplan

The walls in the garden-level bedroom are beautiful. Why put all this effort into a guest space?

This room was very much neglected and it needed some energy to feel special again. I was looking at wallpapers and came across Elena Carozzi, who makes hand-painted panels. She’s really an artist; she maps it out, does a template design, and then just works one by one. You pray she nails it and then you hire the best wallpaper installer you know.

maroon kitchen cabinets
Tile, Fireclay; Appliances, Miele. | Photography by Seth Caplan

What was the first thing you bought for this project? 

We will often purchase vintage lighting and have it rewired by an engineer. One of the homeowners is from Germany. In the garden kitchenette and sitting room, we used these 1960s iron and blown-glass fixtures from Limburg that cast a light that makes it seem like you’re under water. 

green lounge furniture
Living Room Suite, Eliel Saarinen. | Photography by Seth Caplan

Is the furniture set in this space another 1stDibs score?

This room was difficult to furnish because you want to be comfortable but it also needed to be a spot where you can eat. Then, of course, it’s small, so there has to be room to circulate around it. That led us to looking at what would be called “lounge furniture.”

black shed
Photography by Jody Kivort
day bed
Photography by Seth Caplan

What’s inside that little shed out back? 

We renovated and modified it when we did the garden, adding a stained glass window, painting the interior, and putting a daybed in there. One of the owners uses it as her painting studio. The big mahogany doors to the shed must have come from an old townhouse. 

Lydia Geisel Avatar

Lydia Geisel

Home Editor

Lydia Geisel has been on the editorial team at Domino since 2017. Today, she writes and edits home and renovation stories, including house tours, before and afters, and DIYs, and leads our design news coverage. She lives in New York City.


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