Within this $10M Brooklyn Heights townhouse is a masterpiece of modern architectural design

March 20, 2025

All photos courtesy of Virginia Carey for Brown Harris Stevens

Along historic Willow Place in Brooklyn Heights, the pretty carriage house at number 17 fits in perfectly; you’d never know that only the facade and sidewalls remain of the early-19th-century former stable. Architect Robert Kahn reconstructed the 4,600-square-foot building from the inside out in 2012, creating a modernist home for the ages, with three private garden spaces–including a stunning top-floor atrium courtyard–and a garage.

At 25-by-65 feet, a dramatic interior takes advantage of unobstructed eastern and western exposures. Every corner of the home is filled with light, and indoor and outdoor spaces integrate seamlessly with one another.

The double-height open living space is anchored by a dramatically curving three-story staircase. A skylight above brings in light, but it’s no match for the two-story wall of glass that opens to the outdoors. After dark, a wood-burning fireplace offers a warm glow.

A kitchen of natural wood is highlighted by contemporary lighting, steel, and stone. There’s plenty of room for dining and dancing.

Double-height glazing, punctuated by steel factory doors, opens to a dreamy private garden. Tall brick privacy walls are a reminder of the building’s enduring past.

The home’s top floor is dedicated to a peerless primary suite experience. The highlight of this charmed private space is a glass-walled atrium just off the bedroom. Like the living room below, a fireplace (gas, in this case) adds warmth. Also on this floor are an additional bedroom, a sitting room, an office, and a massive, closet-lined dressing room.

On the middle floor are two more bedrooms, a library, and a screening room. This floor also offers a laundry room and a spacious full bath.

From the street, you’d never guess what modernist wonderland exists behind the glow of historic two-over-two windows and a classic double door. A curb cut was added for easy access to the private garage tucked into the garden floor.

[Listing details: 17 Willow Place by Joan Goldberg of Brown Harris Stevens]

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All photos courtesy of Virginia Carey for Brown Harris Stevens