The 2024 REAL SIMPLE Home proves that historic architecture does not need to be wrapped in bubble wrap and treated like a museum exhibit. Inside an 1890s brownstone in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, an ambitious team of designers, organizers, architects, and renovation experts preserved original woodwork, stained glass, fireplaces, and period details while creating a home that feels comfortable, colorful, and unmistakably current.
This was the seventh annual REAL SIMPLE Home and its most expansive project at the time, with 18 designed spaces spread across four levels. Instead of forcing one decorating style into every room, the team allowed each space to develop its own personality. The result is part historic restoration, part designer showcase, and part extremely persuasive argument for painting your ceiling something other than white.
A Brooklyn Brownstone With a Modern Mission
Before examining the furniture, wallpaper, and wonderfully dramatic basement bar, it helps to understand the building itself. The Crown Heights brownstone was constructed in the 1890s and retained original moldings, flooring, pocket doors, stained-glass elements, and five fireplaces. Those features gave the designers a strong foundation, but they also created a challenge: How do you modernize a historic home without sanding away everything that made it special?
The renovation answered that question through contrast rather than imitation. Original woodwork was refinished, older windows were selectively replaced, and energy efficiency was improved. Salvaged architectural elements from other neighborhood brownstones were incorporated where appropriate. Modern appliances, sculptural lighting, practical storage, and durable materials were then layered into the restored shell.
That approach is one of the most useful lessons from the entire project. A historic home does not require exclusively antique furnishings. In fact, too many reproductions can make a room feel like the gift shop at a historical attraction. The REAL SIMPLE Home succeeds because contemporary pieces are allowed to stand beside older details without pretending to be from the same century.
The Parlor Floor: Where Old Wood Meets Soft Color
Living Room and Lounge
Brooklyn-based designers Barry Bordelon and Jordan Slocum, better known as the Brownstone Boys, handled the first floor. Their assignment included the vestibule, living room, lounge, kitchen, pantry, and powder room. In other words, they were given enough work to make a normal person quietly turn off their phone and move to another state.
The living room’s substantial antique woodwork could easily have made the space feel dark and formal. Instead of fighting it with stark white walls, the designers introduced soft romantic colors. A pink sofa, rounded burgundy chairs, floral pillows, and warm textiles lighten the visual weight of the wood while still respecting it.
The original stained glass provided a natural starting point for the palette. Its reds, blues, and softer tones reappear in the furnishings and accessories, creating continuity without resorting to perfect matching. Rounded furniture also improves circulation through the room, preventing the seating arrangement from chopping up the open parlor floor with harsh lines.
The adjoining lounge takes a moodier turn. Grass-cloth wallcovering creates the impression of an abstract mural, while a fainting couch gives the room a slightly theatrical personality. It is sophisticated, but not so serious that visitors feel obligated to discuss municipal bonds.
What You Can Borrow
Start with an architectural detail that already exists in your home. A tile color, fireplace surround, wood tone, or stained-glass panel can become the foundation of an entire palette. Then repeat its colors loosely through pillows, rugs, artwork, and upholstery. The room will feel connected without looking like everything arrived in one enormous matching set.
A Kitchen That Respects History Without Cooking Like It Is 1895
The kitchen combines original architectural features with new appliances, dramatic stone, and a sculptural chandelier. The Brownstone Boys worked with architect Alexandra Burr of AlexAllen Studio to create a space that feels modern while remaining visually connected to the rest of the brownstone.
Two boldly veined marbles provide the kitchen’s main visual event. One has green tones that relate to a nearby marble fireplace, while the pantry stone leans red to complement its painted cabinetry. Using two statement stones could have produced visual chaos, but the shared intensity of the veining helps them feel like members of the same glamorous family.
The large kitchen island also balances work and hospitality. Approximately two-thirds of it supports appliances and storage, while the remaining portion provides seating. This reflects the modern reality that an island must prepare dinner, hide clutter, charge a phone, host breakfast, and somehow become the location where everyone stands during a party.
The rounded corners of the island soften its considerable size and improve the flow through the room. Meanwhile, the pantry demonstrates that practical storage does not have to disappear behind colorless cabinetry. Red-painted cabinets and coordinated stone turn a hardworking utility zone into part of the design story.
Bedrooms With Distinct Personalities
The Guest Suite and Café-Inspired Patio
Designer and television personality Jasmine Roth brought a Western designer’s perspective to the Brooklyn brownstone. Rather than making the guest suite aggressively modern, she leaned into traditional patterns and paired them with clean-lined furniture.
Classic trellis wallpaper and a Turkish-style rug establish an old-world mood, while bright blue walls and a chunky modern nightstand prevent the room from feeling overly formal. A suspended bedside fixture saves surface space and adds atmospheric lighting. Outside, a compact patio is furnished with a simple sofa and bistro-style table, creating the feeling of a small private café.
The lesson is especially useful for guest rooms: comfort does not require beige everything. A room can feel restful while still using energetic color, pattern, and contrast, provided the bed remains visually grounded and the furnishings are not overcrowded.
A Tiny Kids’ Room With Big Imagination
Jessica Davis of Atelier Davis transformed a narrow 14-by-6-foot room into a modern fairy-tale retreat. Rather than treating the unusual proportions as a problem, she divided the room into two functional zones.
The sleeping area sits on a painted wood platform and includes a low bed, a playful gallery wall, and book storage. A theater-style curtain can close around it, creating privacy while doubling as a stage for performances. The opposite zone provides storage and open space for play.
This is small-space design at its best because the room does not depend on miniature furniture alone. Zoning gives each activity a defined location, while the curtain adds flexibility without consuming the space required by a permanent wall. It is proof that awkward rooms can be charming once you stop demanding that they behave like perfect rectangles.
A Primary Bedroom Inspired by Boutique Hotels
Mikel Welch designed the primary bedroom as an escape from hectic city life. The room begins with a neutral palette that complements the existing woodwork, then introduces contemporary curves, layered lighting, and carefully planned activity zones.
Bronze sconces, woven lamps, and an Art Deco-style chandelier give occupants several lighting options rather than one overhead bulb with the emotional warmth of a parking garage. The ceiling is painted Potter’s Rock, a red-brown shade that adds warmth and makes the upper surface feel intentionally connected to the room.
A window nook becomes a sitting area, while a slim console and rolling chair create a compact office along an otherwise empty wall. These zones help a large bedroom feel finished without filling it with unnecessary furniture. The result resembles a well-designed hotel suite, except nobody places a mysterious $9 bottle of water beside the bed.
The Laundry Room Refuses to Be Boring
Amber Guyton of Blessed Little Bungalow reimagined the laundry room as a “laundry lounge.” Purple cabinetry, tortoiseshell-style hardware, geometric floor tile, artwork, and grape-and-chartreuse giraffe wallpaper on the ceiling turn a routine workspace into one of the most memorable rooms in the house.
A stone counter installed over the washer and dryer creates a generous folding surface. Floating oak shelves hold supplies, books, decorative objects, and even cocktail glasses. That last detail may not improve stain removal, but it certainly improves morale.
The design demonstrates an important principle: small utility rooms are ideal places to experiment. They require fewer materials than a living room, and their doors can be closed if your wallpaper decision needs a brief cooling-off period. Strong color and pattern also make repetitive chores feel less dreary.
A Cozy Den That Understands the Power of Paint
Jessica Davis also designed the den, which appeared on the October 2024 REAL SIMPLE cover. She described it as a “snug,” the British and Irish term for a small, comfortable room intended for relaxing.
The room blends Victorian architecture with contemporary color. Marigold-yellow walls complement the earthy original woodwork, while a pale blue ceiling draws the eye upward and emphasizes the room’s height. The traditional fireplace forms one focal point; an eclectic gallery wall above a customized credenza creates another.
Rather than decorating every wall equally, the den concentrates visual interest around two anchors. This gives the layered room structure and keeps its many colors, artworks, and accessories from feeling random. A gallery wall works best when the furniture beneath it is substantial enough to visually support the arrangement.
An Art Deco Bedroom and a Custom-Looking Bathroom
Hema Persad of Sagrada Studio drew inspiration from the sets and costumes of the 1969 film Funny Girl. Her bedroom uses mauve paint, chocolate-brown velvet bedding, deep purple curtains, floral accents, and animal motifs to create a space that feels opulent, eclectic, and slightly cinematic.
The adjoining bathroom repeats the bedroom’s pink, purple, rust, blue, and tan tones. Small square tiles in several colors form a custom mosaic across the floor and tub area. A sculptural arch with cranberry-colored trim adds another layer of drama and gives the bathtub a clear architectural frame.
The bathroom’s smartest takeaway is that standard tile can produce a bespoke result when the layout is carefully planned. Homeowners do not always need a rare handmade pattern; several coordinated colors arranged thoughtfully can provide similar impact with more control over the final design.
The Basement Becomes a Moody Speakeasy
The basement originally suffered from the classic old-house combination of limited light, exposed surfaces, and a general atmosphere suggesting that someone might store a broken treadmill there forever. Designer Kate Pearce chose not to fight the lack of natural light. She leaned into it.
Warm brown paint covers the walls and exposed stone, while a finished ceiling makes the room feel more polished. Textured seatingincluding bouclé benches, cane stools, and sculptural chairssoftens the hard surfaces. A custom bar with a tiled facade, wallpapered shelving, and vintage barware completes the speakeasy concept.
This strategy applies to many basements and windowless rooms. Trying to make a naturally dark room look bright can produce a flat, gray result. A richer palette allows the darkness to become atmosphere. Add warm lamps, reflective accents, comfortable textiles, and one strong focal point, and the room begins to feel intentional rather than forgotten.
A Backyard Designed as an Urban Oasis
Brooklyn Grange transformed the overgrown backyard into a landscape with four distinct gathering zones. Curved lines guide visitors through the space, while decking, steel edging, and pea-gravel paths define where one area ends and another begins.
The planting plan incorporates species such as sweetbay magnolia and alumroot, creating a softer counterpoint to the dark structural elements. Instead of filling every available inch with furniture, the design balances seating, circulation, greenery, and open breathing room.
Dividing a yard into zones can make even a modest outdoor area feel larger. A dining spot, lounge, garden bed, and pathway create a sequence of experiences rather than one flat rectangle. Curves also slow down the eye, encouraging visitors to notice plants and materials along the way.
Organization That Supports Daily Life
NEAT Method organized the pantry, laundry room, and primary bedroom closet. Their systems rely on grouping similar items, using baskets and trays, and assigning every object a specific home.
The pantry illustrates why organization should be designed around behavior instead of appearances alone. Frequently used items need accessible positions, categories should be easy to understand, and containers should fit the actual quantity being stored. A perfectly labeled basket is not helpful if opening it requires moving six other perfectly labeled baskets first.
The project also recognizes that organization is not permanent. Household needs change, supplies accumulate, and storage systems must be adjusted. The goal is not to create shelves that remain photograph-ready forever. It is to reduce the number of small decisions required during everyday routines.
Design Lessons Worth Taking Home
Preserve Before You Replace
Original floors, trim, fireplaces, doors, and stained glass give older homes a character that is expensiveand sometimes impossibleto recreate. Evaluate whether an element can be repaired, refinished, or incorporated into a new plan before removing it.
Use Ceilings as Design Surfaces
The primary bedroom, den, and laundry room all use the ceiling intentionally. Paint can add warmth or height, while wallpaper turns a small room into an experience. The ceiling is not merely where the smoke detector lives.
Create Zones Instead of Adding More Rooms
A curtain divides the kids’ room, furniture establishes work and sitting areas in the primary bedroom, and landscaping defines outdoor gathering spaces. Flexible zoning can improve function without building additional walls.
Let Practical Rooms Have Personality
The pantry, laundry room, basement, and bathroom receive as much creative attention as the formal living spaces. Daily life happens in these rooms, so saving every interesting idea for the living room makes little sense.
Choose a Story, Not Just a Trend
Each room has a clear concept: romantic parlor, café-like patio, modern fairy tale, boutique hotel, colorful laundry lounge, cozy snug, cinematic bedroom, or moody speakeasy. A strong narrative makes it easier to edit choices and prevents the room from becoming a showroom of unrelated trends.
Why the 2024 REAL SIMPLE Home Still Matters
The project’s most convincing achievement is not any single sofa, paint shade, or marble slab. It is the balance between preservation and change. The house respects its history without requiring its occupants to live according to nineteenth-century standards. It is practical without looking clinical, organized without appearing joyless, and colorful without becoming a visual shouting match.
Most homeowners will not renovate four floors with a nationally recognized design team. Fortunately, the best ideas scale down. Paint one ceiling. Organize one pantry shelf around the way you actually cook. Use an existing tile or window as the basis for a color palette. Give a neglected basement permission to be dark. Create a tiny café corner outdoors. Small decisions can capture the spirit of the REAL SIMPLE Home without requiring a brownstone, a film crew, or five fireplaces.
The Experience of Touring the 2024 REAL SIMPLE Home
Even through the virtual tour, exploring the 2024 REAL SIMPLE Home feels different from scrolling through an ordinary collection of decorated rooms. The brownstone has a sense of progression. Each floor changes the mood, but original woodwork, fireplaces, architectural openings, and recurring warm colors remind you that every space belongs to the same historic building.
The experience begins with details rather than spectacle. In the entrance and living room, the floors, doorways, mirror, and stained glass establish the home’s age. Then the softer furniture begins to change the atmosphere. A pink sofa might sound playful when described in isolation, but against dark wood it becomes a balancing device. The contrast helps visitors understand why successful decorating depends on relationships between objects, not merely on whether each item looks attractive by itself.
Moving toward the kitchen creates one of the tour’s strongest transitions. The marble, contemporary appliances, white surfaces, and sculptural island feel crisp and new, yet nearby woodwork and fireplaces prevent the kitchen from becoming disconnected from the house. It is a useful moment for anyone planning an old-home renovation: modern function can arrive without evicting historic character.
The upper floors offer a series of increasingly personal experiences. The guest suite feels like a small vacation, especially when the bedroom opens toward its café-inspired patio. The narrow kids’ room changes your perception of size; once the platform, curtain, storage, and play area are visible, the unusual dimensions seem less like a limitation and more like part of the adventure.
The primary bedroom slows the pace. Its neutral palette, multiple lamps, sitting zone, and compact workspace create the sensation of entering a boutique hotel. The painted ceiling becomes more noticeable the longer you look, demonstrating why a subtle surprise can be more effective than a dozen loud accessories.
Then comes the laundry lounge, which provides the tour’s comic relief. The giraffe wallpaper, purple cabinetry, geometric tile, and cocktail glasses refuse to accept that laundry must be visually punished for being a chore. It is hard to leave this room without reconsidering at least one neglected utility space at home.
The den and secondary bedroom reveal how designers use references without creating literal theme rooms. Victorian coziness, Art Deco glamour, and cinematic inspiration appear through color, shape, material, and lighting. Nothing requires a sign explaining the concept. The rooms communicate their stories naturally.
Descending into the basement changes the experience again. Instead of apologizing for the lack of sunlight, the speakeasy design turns darkness into an advantage. Warm brown walls, tactile seating, vintage glassware, and the tiled bar create intimacy. The room feels like a destination rather than leftover square footage.
The backyard provides the final exhale. After layers of wallpaper, art, cabinetry, stone, and textiles, the curved paths and planted zones offer visual space. The progression from restored interior to organized garden makes the home feel complete.
A thoughtful tour should therefore be taken slowly. Look first at the architecture, then at the largest furniture, and finally at lighting, art, hardware, and storage. Ask what problem each decision solves. The most valuable experience is not discovering a product to purchase; it is learning how professionals turn constraints into character. That is the lasting appeal of the 2024 REAL SIMPLE Home: it encourages visitors to look at their own awkward corners, dark rooms, old woodwork, and overflowing shelves with a little more optimism.
