When everything around us pushes the pursuit of the new – new clothes, new phones, new restaurants – choosing the old starts to feel a little subversive. But that’s exactly what drives Jordan Slocum and Barry Bordelon (a.k.a The Brownstone Boys), who’ve built a design career around renovating ideas for New York’s historic homes, floorboard by creaky floorboard.
Their own Bed-Stuy brownstone, built in the 1890s, was the beginning: three stories full of quirks, water damage, and charm. Like most old-home owners, they quickly learned that preserving character comes with a steep learning curve – and, often, equally steep repair bills. But rather than wipe the slate clean, they leaned in – figuring out how to navigate wonky layouts, salvage historic materials, and embrace old house decorating ideas that celebrate the home’s original soul.
