Transforming Bland Space: How Architectural Details Personalized a Brooklyn Apartment
A Brooklyn couple worked with Somerset House interior designer Alan Eckstein to add character to their 3,600-square-foot home through thoughtful design choices including plywood wainscoting and carefully curated furnishings. Eckstein, who sources collectible pieces alongside his wife through their Queens design gallery, created a living space featuring vintage finds and custom elements that reflect the homeowners' interests in music and fashion. The transformation demonstrates how strategic architectural interventions and design partnerships can elevate generic new construction into a distinctive, personalized home.
Alan Eckstein and his wife Haley Loewenthal operate Somerset House, a Queens-based gallery specializing in collectible design pieces and vintage furnishings. The designers expanded their business model from curation and staging into full-scale residential projects. This Brooklyn home represents one of Eckstein's early complete commissions, undertaken with homeowners who work in creative industries and sought to personalize their newly constructed space.
The 3,600-square-foot residence features architectural interventions including maple plywood wainscoting inspired by 1920s French interiors, alongside approximately 80 percent vintage furnishings sourced from various eras and design periods. The project involved collaboration with Studio BAD for architecture and Rockhill for construction, creating layered spaces that combine mid-century pieces with custom elements designed to generate warmth and visual depth throughout the home.
This story may appeal to affluent homeowners seeking to differentiate newly constructed properties through curated design and could reinforce the growing market for vintage and collectible furnishings. The narrative around designer-client relationships emphasizes personal connection and shared interests, which might influence how consumers evaluate design partnerships. The project's emphasis on architectural detailing and sourcing practices could inform broader conversations about sustainable design through vintage acquisition, though the accessibility of such comprehensive services likely remains limited to higher-income demographics.