Lilly Burns and Tony Hernandez, like many buyers, set some parameters to narrow their search online when they started looking for apartments in Brooklyn in early 2018. Ms. Burns stated that they didn’t intend to live in a single-family home, but that their search would lead them to single-family homes with elevators. They were not expecting to find a listing for a Boerum Hill house with 5,000 sq.ft., four stories, and an elevator. But they did start to consider the possibility. She said that they had seen the home and were impressed by its lifestyle. This was especially important as Mr. Hernandez and she had plans to grow their family.
They now have two children, Jax, 12, and Lou (two years old), and Ms. Burns is pregnant again. “It had some inconceivable elements. I’ve lived in the city for a long time. It had a lot of windows, huge spaces, and a backyard. They loved the space’s architecture, which includes a dining area with glass flooring that allows sunlight to flood the basement media center. However, they wanted the interiors to reflect their personalities. Denise Davies of D2 Interieurs, a Weston-based design firm, was brought in to help them move in. Burns and Hernandez had met Ms. Davies years before, when Ms. Davies was hired to design their Connecticut home. Ms. Davies is a member of D2 Interieurs, a design firm based in Weston, Conn. “She is amazing at managing and sending options, supervising it all, making all right decisions, and acting as a proxy.” Ms. Burns explained to Ms. Davies that the couple wanted a Parisian feel for their Brooklyn home. Classic architectural details were complemented by modern furnishings. And they wanted every room to feel extremely comfortable.ImageDenise Davies, the founder of D2 Interieurs, added slate tile and wood shelves to the kitchen.
Credit…Jane Beiles for The New York TimesAs Ms. Davies said, “We really wanted it to look like everything had been there for a while, not like a brand-spanking-new townhouse that just went up.”For character, Ms. Davies added touches like trompe l’oeil wallpaper resembling three-dimensional wood to the ceiling of the entrance hall, and a slate backsplash along with open wood shelves to the kitchen. For a fun and colorful look, she also covered the elevator’s walls with Kravet wallpaper. She installed a large custom sectional in the media room similar to the one she used in their Connecticut home. Then she added Circuit sconces from Apparatus and a Modo chandelier by Roll & Hill in her living room. Mr. Hernandez and Burns brought their eclectic art collection, which includes pieces from Henri Matisse as well as a work of Alia Shawkat, star of “Search Party.” The couple’s bedroom is calm and serene, with a palette that consists of off-whites, pink-y taupe, and other bright colors. Ms. Burns stated that they wanted to create a master room that felt like a hotel room. Image Ms. Mr. Hernandez and Burns wanted their primary bedroom to feel like a hotel room. Ms. Davies created a bedroom that felt like a hotel room. Ms. Burns, Mr. Hernandez, and their interior designer spent approximately $500,000 on the project. They are now thrilled with the townhouse that they found. Sign up here to receive weekly email updates about residential real estate news. Follow us on Twitter: @nytrealestate.AdvertisementContinue reading the main story
