Along the tree-lined streets of the Lefferts Manor Historic District, a certain three-story limestone town house remains la grande dame, its stalwart beauty enduring since 1901. Inside, however, life for Colman Lynch and Jessica Henshaw-Lynch never stands still. With two young boys, their days churn with a cacophony of spontaneous playdates and neighborhood gatherings.
The couple treasured every inch at first sight, especially the interior where “so much of the original details had remained intact,” shares Jessica. “We love how much character was put into these older homes.” Restoring its full glory while carving out room for contemporary family needs was front of mind when they approached Kesha Franklin for a redesign.
The task posed a new challenge for the designer, whose aesthetic “is a lot more modern,” Franklin explains. But, walking through rooms etched with decades of life, the native Brooklynite became enthralled by the idea of adding to these layers of time. “I wanted it to feel curated and collected, contemporary yet in harmony with this historic feeling of the home.”
Franklin’s plan first tended to the town house’s beautiful bones. A skim coat on the plaster walls softened imperfections, while a light strip and glaze treatment revived the original wood wainscoting. Other historical details, however, couldn’t be restored. The original parquet floors, which had deteriorated over decades to the point of splintering, were replaced with new hardwood. “But we still paid homage by installing a herringbone pattern on the main ground floor and a beautiful inlay border,” explains the designer.
With the historical foundation restored, Franklin reconsidered the layout fashioned around century-old ideas of family living. The existing small kitchen tucked away in the rear, for example, was conceived when such utilitarian spaces “were not the heart of the house like they are for us today,” notes the designer. “Showing its evolution was really lovely.” She relocated the kitchen into the previously formal dining room, incorporating fresh white cabinetry, a brass farmhouse sink and handmade blue-and-white tile around the backsplash and original fireplace.
The reimagined space buzzes with raucous breakfasts around the eat-in island, alongside more quiet moments at the built-in window bench watching the birds flutter outside.
“We brought the home to a place that feels current, but also connected to what once was.”
—Kesha Franklin
Sherwin-Williams’ Wallflower enlivens the living room’s original plaster molding, alongside a colorful mandala wool rug from FJ Kashanian Rugs. The vintage Brooklyn map from City Foundry and an Umage Danish wing chair and ottoman create a reading corner.
Dedicated dining now centers around the former reception room, animating what was once a dead transitional zone between spaces. Avoiding bulky pieces, Franklin chose an oval table and streamlined upholstered chairs to preserve the fluid circulation between the living room and new kitchen. The format suits the couple’s relaxed entertaining style—less stuffy soirees and more “5-year-olds and their parents with everyone running in between!” laughs Jessica. “Kesha maximized not just how we enjoy the space day to day, but also when we have people over.” As the first floor lacked a bathroom, a new powder room was installed under the carved staircase, festooned in a woodland-print wallpaper that nods to Jessica’s affection for bird watching.
This lively joy permeates Franklin’s vision of the home, channeling the effervescent young family. There are flashes of color, like the living room’s rosy walls and prismatic medallion rug, “that set this fun, energetic tone when you walk inside,” says the designer. Each room combines an eclectic blend of pieces, such as the living room’s midcentury modern armchairs and brutalist concrete-and-brass coffee table. “I wanted to mix different styles and periods so the family could easily change things out as they grow with the space,” explains Franklin. Lighting fixtures in turn lean modern, from minimalist chandeliers to faceted sconces. Yet their predominantly brass finishes “will patinate, so they will feel more part of the home over time,” adds the designer.
Personal curios also provide an emotional anchor, as the homeowners “preferred things with backstories rather than something parachuted in,” affirms Colman. The couple’s shared love of music takes center stage, from their displayed record collection to a commissioned portrait of Nina Simone by artist Kabriah Asha. They also acquired a vintage Hagstrom’s transit map of Brooklyn as a tender time capsule of their beloved adopted borough. The piece has become “a conversation starter,” adds Colman. “People look up familiar places. You can see how some things that exist now are not pictured, while others don’t exist anymore.”
Every lasting landmark becomes a tangible reminder that the past still lingers in an ever-changing city. And, like Brooklyn, the beauty of this revived family abode lies in “the merging of old and new,” reflects Franklin, adding, “We brought the home to a place that feels current, but also connected to what once was.”
Enveloped in original millwork, contemporary furnishings bring fresh verve to the dining area, which doubles as a hub for homework and crafts. A Currey & Company chandelier floats over a table from Room & Board and a set of District Eight dining chairs.
An Arteriors chandelier hangs over the living room, where Lazar Industries lounge chairs and a sofa from Stephanie Cohen Home provide seating. The stone-and-brass cocktail table is from South + English. A Wildwood yellow table lamp adds a pop of contrasting color.
In the kitchen, crisp white Shaker-style cabinetry by Hoffman Cabinets contrasts with the blue-and-white Tabarka Studio terra-cotta tile backsplash. A Signature Hardware farmhouse sink, Brizo faucet and Top Knobs hardware add metallic accents.
Cushioned with Crypton fabric pillows, a window seat is framed by a Roman shade of a Kasmir Fabrics floral. The floors are porcelain tile from TileBar, while the fireplace is adorned with ceramic tile from The Tile Shop.
The newly carved-out powder room pairs navy-and-white floor tile from TileBar with a Milton & King botanical wallpaper. A compact vanity from KB Authority takes advantage of the limited space. Above floats a Suzanne Kasler for Visual Comfort & Co. pendant.
Geometric prints animate the primary bedroom, from the hand-tufted wool rug by Jaipur Living to the West Elm quilted linens. The painting over the midcentury walnut wood bed is from Daleno Art.