Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Art and Antiques Complement a Brooklyn Brownstone
A creative couple use a mix of contemporary and vintage pieces to highlight their home’s classic architectural style
Jeremyville and Megan Mair’s brownstone in Brooklyn, New York, provides the ideal space for the couple to use as a backdrop for their art, and to allow their creative work to expand and grow. The Australia natives made the five-floor home into a live-work space with individual areas for living, creating and working, says Mair, a creative director and photographer. She and Jeremyville, an artist, author and designer, focused on making the home’s original architectural details shine while adding their own modern twists throughout.
“The house retained a lot of the original architectural details: ornate plaster ceilings, wooden rail ribbon staircase, original marble fireplaces, 12-foot-high ceilings, original doors and window shutters,” Mair says. “It had minimal major changes required and was in good condition.”
The couple’s main design goal was to maintain and enhance the character of the home. Most of the objects are antiques purchased from auction houses.
The couple’s main design goal was to maintain and enhance the character of the home. Most of the objects are antiques purchased from auction houses.
The homeowners purchased the home with the understanding that most old brownstones have flaws that are revealed only from living in the space. “Immediate corrections were needed,” Mair says. “The modern front doors were removed to weatherproof the home and replaced with original brownstone double doors, which gave an immediate face-lift. Similarly, all the windows were nailed closed, and each one needed to be restored for fully functional use.”
“We’ve decorated the home with a mélange of vintage and contemporary furniture for a bold and eclectic mix, adding modern and graphic touches,” Mair says.
Their color palette throughout features a mix of soft grays, whites and rich dark tones. “We were looking to complement the textures of dark wood, marble, leather and velvets throughout the house,” she says.
Their color palette throughout features a mix of soft grays, whites and rich dark tones. “We were looking to complement the textures of dark wood, marble, leather and velvets throughout the house,” she says.
“We’re equally involved in the design process as we trust each other’s ideas on interior style, furniture and design aesthetic,” Mair says. “The light gray walls in this room were the special touch.”
The couple made the process easier by each choosing specific rooms for which to plan the color and decorating scheme, then coming to a mutual decision on the final choices.
The couple made the process easier by each choosing specific rooms for which to plan the color and decorating scheme, then coming to a mutual decision on the final choices.
“Each room has its own series of artwork and photographs to bring a point of interest and personality to the space as visual stories for the walls,” Mair says. The house came with many period mirrors. The couple used these to maximize natural light and add depth to the rooms.
The couple wanted to keep an intimate feeling in the bedroom, and chose personal photographs and simple sketches.
The couple wanted to keep an intimate feeling in the bedroom, and chose personal photographs and simple sketches.
The claw-foot bathtub in the couple’s bathroom has a romantic feel with its treetop views.
Classic brownstone homes were designed with a sense of formality. The central staircase and formal hallways create a separation between each room and help define the purpose of each space. “We opted to retain this original layout rather than opening it up for ‘modern living’ as it provides privacy and quiet solace when needed,” Mair says. The stair rail is original.
“I’m a firm believer that each brownstone owner has a responsibility to ensure the home is maintained and well cared for, so it can be passed on to the next generation of occupants,” Mair says. Painting the walls a dark gray focuses attention on the original wall moldings in this room.
In the kitchen area, the couple kept the original fireplace and created a space for a small gallery of art on a wall painted dark gray.
The third floor holds Mair’s office.
The top floor is devoted to the art studio and displaying art. “We’ve had some of our most productive and creative years of our life in this home,” Mair says.
The couple has lived in their Stuyvesant Heights home for two years. They love the location since it’s near the A train. “It’s fulfilled a desire to live in a brownstone, and we’ve enjoyed the lifestyle and journey in Brooklyn,” says Mair, pictured. “It’s a wonderful place to live with so many interesting areas to discover, a vibrant creative scene, great food culture and a rich history.”
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style:
Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Jeremyville and Megan Mair
Location: Stuyvesant Heights, Brooklyn, New York
Size: Five stories; four bedrooms, four bathrooms
Year built: 1886