Jess and Jonathan Nahon of Sugarhouse, a design firm known for blending historical elements with modern sensibilities, were tasked with renovating the kitchen of an 1850s Greek Revival home in Brooklyn Heights. The project, part of the 2026 Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse, began with a challenge. The homeowner had recently completed her own renovation, requiring approval for any permanent changes. With only 15 days to present their case before the 25-day build, the duo faced time pressure but treated the constraints as creative fuel.
Working Around Existing Structure
The dining room, initially a transitional space with three ceiling heights due to soffits hiding mechanicals, became a canvas for Sugarhouse’s ingenuity. They opted for camouflage rather than structural overhaul, installing House of Hackney wallpaper to divert attention from the ceiling’s uneven planes. Faux beams spanned the varying heights, integrating the soffit into the architectural narrative. A high-gloss finish on the wainscoting in Farrow & Ball’s Deep Reddish Brown added luminosity, countering the risk of the dark palette feeling enclosed.
Simultaneously, the dining room’s lack of definition prompted a partial wall with an arched opening. This not only separated the space from the kitchen but also provided a visual anchor for the wainscoting and wallpaper. The intervention transformed a mere pass-through into a distinct area. It allowed furniture to anchor the room without disrupting the flow between spaces.
Kitchen Island and Pantry Revamp
The existing kitchen, despite ample cabinetry, lacked a social hub. Sugarhouse retained the island’s footprint but refreshed it with new wood wrapping, legs, and a countertop. Opening one side for stools created a casual seating area, subtly shifting the space’s purpose. The pantry doors were replaced with sleek fronts, and upper cabinets were removed to frame an arched range alcove, creating visual continuity along the back wall.
The refrigerator, a candidate for replacement, instead received a color-matched vinyl wrap. “It’s a giant sticker!” Jess Nahon explained, highlighting their resourceful approach to blending new and old elements. The original hood remained but was enclosed and finished with Midas Metall, a powdered-metal coating that mimicked custom millwork. The textured squares along its base added tactile interest, masking its utilitarian origins.
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Statement Stone and Backsplash
The kitchen’s original counters, a nondescript gray marble, gave way to Artistic Tile’s Melange, a stone distinguished by warm pink, cream, and muddy green veining. These earthy tones harmonized with the cabinetry painted in Farrow & Ball’s Black Blue and the island in Dead Salmon, creating a cohesive yet dynamic palette. The walls, finished in JH Wall Paints’s lime plaster, provided a neutral backdrop that let the stone’s character shine.
To complement the marble’s boldness, a dramatic dimensional botanical tile was commissioned from Riwal Manufaktura for the backsplash. “Because that marble has such personality, we had to find something that matched that level of theatrics,” Jess explained. The tile’s layered textures and organic forms echoed the stone’s movement, tying the surfaces together in a visual dialogue that felt intentional rather than accidental.
Lighting and Furniture Selections Refine the Dining Room
The design team initially wanted to replace the wood floors, but the homeowner declined. In hindsight, that may have been a blessing. A chartreuse-green Nordic Knots rug, darker wall colors, and warmer lighting changed the floor’s appearance. Jess noted that everyone thought the floors were swapped. Strategic layering created a cohesive look without structural changes. Adjusting the lighting by removing cool recessed fixtures and installing lower sconces and vintage pendants further softened the space and warmed the wood underfoot.
The dining room’s furniture mix feels accumulated rather than assembled. A childhood table pairs with 1970s chairs covered in extra-long Mongolian shearling, a burl credenza, and lighting from various eras. The mix avoids a staged appearance, creating an intentional yet organic look.
Hood Transformation
The existing range hood, though functional, lacked the custom millwork aesthetic the designers sought. Sugarhouse preserved its structure but reimagined its finish. The original surface was enclosed and coated with Midas Metall, a powdered-metal treatment applied wet and later sanded and polished to a high sheen. This meticulous process created a seamless, metallic appearance that blended seamlessly with the kitchen’s refined details.
