Clinton hill brownstone: a concise orientation before we get practical.
Clinton hill brownstone: Quick notes
The architecture of 19th-century Shanghai was a study in eclecticism, a blend of traditional Chinese design and Western classical styles that was a direct reflection of the city’s foreign concessions at the time. This is the period from which designer Melissa Lee, principal and founder of Brooklyn-based Bespoke Only, drew inspiration when she was tapped to overhaul a Clinton Hill duplex a couple of years ago.
Referencing a design period that happened halfway around the world more than a century ago may seem unusual, but Melissa saw a connection between Shanghai then and Brooklyn now: “We found a compelling resonance between Clinton Hill’s layered, eclectic architecture [where Victorian, Beaux-Arts, Queen Anne, and Neo-Greek styles coexist] and the decorative traditions of 19th-century Shanghai—both born of cultural intersection.” Not to mention, her clients, a young couple with three dogs, wanted to incorporate their Chinese heritage in the redesign of their home.
Said home is two floors inside a stately 1878 brownstone, designed by architect John Mumford, that had been converted into condos. “The apartment had good bones, including a few original fireplaces, but much of its historic detailing had been lost to a succession of renovations over time,” says Melissa. “The millwork had been stripped, and the sense of architectural hierarchy that once defined the brownstone had all but disappeared. What remained felt more like a generic condo than a space rooted in the identity of a historic home.”
Melissa and her team started by rethinking the flow in the home. Downstairs, they repositioned the kitchen so that it became “the central social center of the home.” Upstairs, they reconfigured the floor to include two bedrooms and two bathrooms. “These changes brought a sense of hierarchy and rhythm back to the space while aligning it with the couple’s day-to-day needs,” she says.
Then, they “folded in references to the owners’ Chinese heritage—not as overt gestures, but through materiality, structure, and detail,” shares Melissa. “Elements like wormy vintage chicken wire glass, lattice woodwork, and timber-framed components speak to traditional architectural language, while small ornamental touches—fringe, wooden beads, printed textiles—add a layer of personal and cultural texture.”
Below, she gives us a tour of the reimagined space, now an alluring intersection of East and West, old and new.
Photography by William Jess Laird, courtesy of Bespoke Only.
Clinton hill brownstone comes up here to connect ideas for clarity.
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Above: The duplex isn’t large, but oversized windows and high ceilings make it feel open and airy. Like much of the home, the living room is a mix of vintage decor (a Chippendale coffee table, a 1940s Austrian wood and fabric pendant light) and contemporary pieces (a sofa and side table from Audo, a rug from Nordic Knots).
