Clean, but layered. Elegant, but approachable. Contemporary, but classic. Some designers might be daunted by such a paradoxical client wish list, but not Joan Enger of J. Patryce Design. The New Jersey–based decorator seems to subscribe to the philosophy that the bigger the challenge, the better—much to the benefit of her clients.
“This was more than just a renovation—it was a total transformation and revitalization,” Enger says of the two-and-a-half-year project in Hoboken, New Jersey. “We started with a multiunit rental building that hadn’t been touched since the 1950s and finished with a single-family home with a separate garden apartment for guests.” A three-story, light-filled addition on the back helped the reimagined rooms meet 21st-century needs. “It was a dream job because our clients shared our passion for preservation and encouraged us to go the extra mile to retain the brownstone’s inherent character,” says Enger.
“The modern light fixture cuts through the ‘fussiness’ of the ceiling detail and introduces just the right amount of tension,” Enger says of the living room. The Maximo Chandelier is by Lawson-Fenning and the alabaster sconces are by Allied Maker. The adjacent entry hall features Julian Chichester’s Riva Mirror and a custom wood bench.
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The living room furnishings include a mix of vintage styles like the Zanuso-inspired Italian lounge chair and a 1960s ceramic table lamp. Enger designed the desk with leather-wrapped drawer fronts, and chose art (like the David Dew Bruner painting) “to set the tone and connect the space visually.”
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The powder room features a shapely vanity crafted from Calacatta Monet marble. Paneled walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Market Square Shell bring out the stone’s earth tones. The Gubi Ponti mirror is from Design Public and the single-handle faucet is by California Hardware.
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Despite its dated aesthetic, Enger’s clients, busy professionals with two daughters under the age of five, jumped at the chance to purchase the 5,000-square-foot structure when its owners of more than 30 years put it on the market. They had long been drawn to the town’s tree-lined streets and sense of community and loved the idea of raising their young family in an old home where they, too, could become part of its history.
Inside the brownstone, stately marble mantels, intricate moldings, and perfectly patinated brass hardware appealed to the couple’s timeless sense of style. Enger, lead project designer Amanda Trochim, architect Jensen Vasil, and contractor Brinton Brosius worked with a team of skilled craftspeople to retain and restore those original details, including delicate plaster ceiling medallions that they painstakingly disassembled and reinstalled in the newly configured rooms. When any architectural heirlooms couldn’t be salvaged, Enger and team crafted close replicas. New flooring, millwork, and cabinetry feel fresh yet familiar. “There is a cohesive visual thread throughout the home,” Enger says. “There are multiple chapters in the story, but collectively it reads well and makes sense.
Newly added curved crown molding draws the eye up and calls attention to the plaster ceiling medallion that was carefully deconstructed and reinstalled in the new dining room addition. Enger juxtaposed it with the modern Calyx Chandelier from Blueprint Lighting. Its linear design balances the nine-foot-long white rift oak dining table by Oxford Street, surrounded by structured leather dining chairs by Suite NY. The quartet of line drawings is by Kathrin Hilten.
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Cabinets trimmed in white oak give the kitchen a clean but classic feel. The upper doors are inset with natural brass mesh. Calacatta Monet marble countertops and backsplash infuse the space with color and warmth thanks to the olive, rust, ocher, and blush veining.
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The entry vestibule is painted a moody blue-green (Porch Swing by Benjamin Moore) to play off the mosaic tile floor from Country Floors. Art by David Dew Bruner hangs above a vintage barrel-back chair purchased at auction.
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For the furniture and decor, Enger sourced midcentury styles—both authentic and inspired—from her favorite vintage shops in and around New York City, at auction houses and galleries, and online from websites like 1stDibs and Chairish. Given the interior’s updated footprint, she prioritized scale and form when making her selections and designing custom sofas, tables, and storage pieces, while clean lines balance the ornate interior architecture that Enger classifies as a hybrid of periods including Neo-Grec, Italianate, Queen Anne, and Gothic Revival.
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In the den-slash-office, a painted and collaged-paper work by Donise English hangs above a desk flanked by built-in bookcases and cabinetry painted in Farrow & Ball’s Studio Green. The Beetle Chair is by GamFratesi, from Design Public; the brass picture lights are from Visual Comfort; and the table lamp is vintage.
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The third-floor space also acts as a guest room with the addition of a custom sleep sofa. Millwork in the same deep blue-green helps define walls wrapped in a woven-hemp wallcovering by Gregorius Pineo. The graphic offset stripes of the custom wool rug anchor the sofa and vintage Jindřich Halabala chair.
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The primary bedroom, also part of the new addition, overlooks the garden. The soft afternoon light creates a sanctuary-like setting and complements a palette of soft plums and blushes woven throughout the space. The custom bed is dressed in Coyuchi linens with an antique textile pillow. The 1950s Italian lounge chair was found on Pamono and the vintage Swedish floor lamp on 1stDibs.
TIM LENZThe upholstery, curtains, and other textiles are primarily solids and tone-on-tone motifs in rich textures like nubby wool and bouclé, smooth silk and linen, soft mohair, and supple leather. On the walls, natural fiber wallcoverings and limewashed finishes temper the glossy paneling and trim and the showstopping plaster ceiling medallions. With emphasis placed on the ceilings, overhead lighting became a key element. Enger put a twist on tradition with sleek, sculptural fixtures with branching arms and modern cone and disc-shaped shades for a hint of surprise.
“It’s all about contrast,” says the designer. “When choosing the lighting and all the decor, I intentionally steered clear of anything predictable and went with what looked more interesting. For me, it’s just instinctual.” And in this home, with its carefully calibrated balance between contemporary and timeless, it’s clear that her instincts more than paid off.
An addition to the back of the brownstone offered the opportunity to add window-lined walls to bring in light and a small rooftop terrace. The lower level is a separate guest apartment.
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