Step Inside Athena Calderone’s Brooklyn Townhouse

This dreamy Brooklyn townhouse by Athena Calderone is a palette cleansing breath of fresh air. After some renovations, she successfully turned it into a beautiful family home with a modern, calming ambience.

The townhouse is a late 1800s Greek Revival, and as it happens with older builds, it needed quite a bit of attention. Previously converted into four separate apartments, the home lacked many of its original features. But it’s twenty-five-foot-wide girth (average brownstones clock in at eighteen to twenty feet) on a tree-lined, historic street—and southern exposure and proximity to Manhattan—made it an absolute catch!

A journey toward transformation

It took three years and bold renovation work to turn this townhouse into a dream home. However, Athena Calderone was definitely up for the challenge. As with any project of this stature, it’s important to keep the end goal in mind! As such, Athena planned the interior layout herself, easily envisioning herself into the home and the many different rooms she wanted to create. She wanted to create something new but still pay homage to the past and the significant history of the building itself.

In a recent interview, she explained: “I knew that a clash of cultures in the decor was essential for this home—a mix of mostly Italian and French antiques ranging from the forties through the seventies. But I also desired the age and patina of the eighteenth century sprinkled in here and there to drive home a sense of history.”

Some parts from the older home were thus restored, like the original mantels and an ornate medallion. However, many modifications were made, and it is here where old and new co-exist in the home. The spaces were also opened up. For example, in the living room, the walls between this space and the dining room were demolished to create an open area.

A sense of calm

The bedroom was designed to be a calming space. Athena explains: “My bedroom envelops you in serenity with its neutral palette. In contrast, I strategically introduced a duo of vibrant colours—the warm mustard hue from the chair and the wine-red bench—to focus your attention.”

She describes this townhouse as her education in design. Each space was an opportunity to learn and explore with colour and finishes. “Studying some of the greats that were completely unattainable for me, like Royère, Jean-Michel Frank, Brancusi, and Giacometti, helped me understand what I was drawn to, gave me confidence, and allowed me to define what I love about design, what excites me most, and how I want to live in my spaces.”