At Home in Bedford-Stuyvesant, By Paulina Pinsky
For two designer-developers, a Brooklyn brownstone in need of some TLC presented the perfect opportunity to flex their creative muscles.
Originally published in Compass Quarterly, Feb 17, 2017.
After dabbling on numerous projects together over the years, Brooklyn-based mortgage financier Adam Dahill and designer Christiaan Bunce decided the time had come to undertake their first complete project as a team. Claiming the stately residence 1 Verona Place as their own, they wanted their renovations to remain true to the original architectural vision, but include the modern amenities that today’s buyers desire.
With its elegant exterior but thoroughly dilapidated interior, the corner brownstone posed a formidable — but welcome — challenge. Starting from scratch, Dahill and Bunce breathed new life into their passion project, crafting the reimagined residence from the studs up. The result? A truly one-of-a-kind home with deep Brooklyn roots.
Top: West Elm’s linear Mobile Chandelier illuminates the dining room. Bottom left: Flanked by a custom light fixture designed by the duo, Christiaan stands on the main stairwell, rendered contemporary in high-gloss onyx. Bottom right: Glimpses of the neighborhood’s prewar architecture through the home’s many windows add to the contrast of old and new.
How did you two first meet and start working together?
Adam: Over the years, I’ve helped people buy and renovate brownstones, so I was looking for a partner with whom to make the jump into actual development. My early background includes fine arts, but I spent the better part of the last 15 years in mortgage finance, focusing on Brooklyn brownstones.
Christiaan: I’m a designer by trade, and I had been doing renovations with my company, Christiaan Bunce Design. A mutual friend — a broker — suggested that we meet and made the introduction.
Adam: When I met Christiaan, it was like the perfect marriage. We share the same eye for design.
Christiaan: We’ve handled every facet together, from the financing to the design work and overseeing the projects. These houses are what we do, and that’s what our partnership is based on.
Top left: Located just off the living room, the kitchen boasts custom white oak cabinetry and a sophisticated marble backsplash and specially-constructed island. Top right: Linear porcelain fixtures and traditional tiling imbue the en suite bath with simple modernity. Below left: Adam perches in Hans Wegner’s Wing Chair, a striking adaptation of the traditional wingback. Below right: Ornate doorways and intricate hardware adorn every area of the home.
What was it about this particular home that spoke to you?
Christiaan: When we began to do the work, there was very little in place structurally. We wanted it to be a beautifully conceived house in the same spirit of the original architect’s vision, so considering the intent was really important to us.
Adam: From a location standpoint, there are plenty of homes in Brooklyn that are gorgeous, but you always covet those corner properties. So when you see a house like 1 Verona—with its Mansard roof, windows in every room, off-street parking, nearby subway access—it’s that much more envy-worthy.
Traditional aspects like the white oak flooring are complemented by stylishly contemporary furniture from Christiaan’s furniture design firm, KGBL, including the Armstrong Chairs and Duran Coffee Table.
There are so many unique design decisions here! What are some of your favorite features?
Christiaan: I’m partial to the master bath because of the bronze glass. I don’t want to date myself, but I’ve loved the look of it since I was a kid. And the floors and doors are all essentially rift-and-quartered white oak, which is traditionally used throughout Brooklyn’s historic homes.
For the floor, we were inspired by a pattern taken from Adam’s traditional Crown Heights brownstone. But we also added some new details as well. Adam had the great idea of incorporating the interlocking Greek key pattern into the corners of each room.
A rich trio of materials—marble, bronze glass, and teak—augment the serene master bath’s natural light, courtesy of dual exposures.
That’s such an interesting concept: taking the old and making it new. Are there many other examples of this?
Adam: It’s a delicate balance, because if you go too modern, you ruin the whole thing. The staircase and paneled-wainscoting look traditional, but the Victorians would never have painted it such a high-gloss black.
Christiaan: There was a lot of decision-making in all of those details; we have these modern finishes, but the original proportions and design elements are seamlessly integrated. For example, the moldings channel the the home’s past. I designed them, scaled them, and had custom knives made to shape them. They’re proportional and attenuated to accent the height of each room, designed to cast different shadows on the walls throughout the day.
Adam: The renovation is 80% traditional with 20% modern flare, which sets us apart from a total overhaul. You have these floors that look like they are original, but then you look closer and realize there’s a contemporary component.
The living room showcases many of the home’s noteworthy features. Greek key inlay marks each of the perimeter’s corner, while the custom fireplace and rich walnut cabinetry nods to the home’s prewar pedigree.
“It’s always a challenge to take something old and re-invent it. We took the best of these timeless details and tweaked them. It’s a fresh take on a classic.”
You’re both Brooklyn residents, and so this project is close to home. Why Bed-Stuy?
Christiaan: Adam lives in Crown Heights, and I live just a few blocks away from 1 Verona. It’s our neighborhood; we want to do for it what we know it’s worthy of. We even sourced our Compass agent, Esther Patten, within the community. We were introduced through friends at my daughter’s school! Esther and Maria from The Ryan & Ryan Team at Compass have been fantastic.
So…what’s next for you both?
Adam: Hopefully a quick and painless sale at 1 Verona Place. We have another active Bed-Stuy project on Halsey Street, and another in contract that we’re still planning. So there’s more to come from us!