☞ INTRODUCING: Inside the Harlem Flo Boutique

The new Harlem Flo Boutique just opened this weekend and the owners have recently posted a couple of images of the new space on their Facebook site: LINK.  As readers have pointed out, the big difference here from the Harlem Flo Atelier up the block is that this boutique is more of a home store versus a floral shop. This new store on 2276 FDB/8th Avenue and 123rd Street doesn't look completely stocked up yet but there seems to be some beautiful things on hand just in time for the Holidays. Great home furnishings stores are definitely far and few uptown so it's great to have this place open in the neighborhood.  Read more about Harlem Flo in our original post: LINK

☞ SEE: Home Design in New York at MCNY

Saturday, October 2nd, 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM, Home Design in New York at the Museum of the City of New York.  The Museum's fourth annual event exploring residential design will examine some of the city's great residential spaces. Sponsored by and presented in partnership with the New York School of Interior Design and Taconic Builders. Cocktail reception to follow.

Participants will include interior designers Jeffrey Bilhuber, Albert Hadley, Jayne and Joan Michaels, Amy Lau, along with James Zemaitis, VP, 20th Century Decorative Art & Design at Sotheby's.

RESERVATIONS REQUIRED: $25 Museum members, seniors, and students, $35 general public. For more information, call 917.492.3395. Buy tickets on line: www.mcny.org. The Museum of the City of New York, located in East Harlem, is at 1220 Fifth Avenue, between 103rd and 104th Street. Nearest subway is the 6 train at 103rd Street or 2,3 at 110th Street.

☞ BESPOKE: Westside Stone & Marble

For all the renovators out there, finding a wholesale source for home restoration is not so easy in Manhattan. Harlem Bespoke will be covering some of the custom businesses to be found in the city in the upcoming weeks.

Manhattanville's West Side Stone & Marble can be found under the railroad tracks at 12th Avenue and 125th Street. We were not sure if Columbia's new campus plans would move this business out of the area but luckily they seem to be staying. The no-frills showroom sits at the front end of the avenue (photo) and there is a garage space with slab marble and granite in the back. Orders are cut on premise so the wait time is minimal. We had an irregular, custom job done within 24 hours and the cost is at least half of what one would get elsewhere. Westside Stone & Marble is at 712 West 125th Street and 12th Avenue. The closest subway is the 1 train at 125th Street or take the 125th Street crosstown BX15 bus. Tel.212.222.4999 or go to their website: LINK. Photo by Ulysses

☞ INSPIRATION: The Mid-Century Brownstone

Most folks who renovate their brownstones usually go to one extreme or the other, seeing that a happy medium between traditional and modern is often hard to come by. Keeping all the mouldings is something that those with a traditional mindset want, but the modern folk just rip it all out. Destroying original detail can actually bring down the value of a brownstone, so what is a modernist to do?

Mid-Century modern may be the answer, along with some creative painting. While natural wood tones are valuable to the more classic school of thinking, Victorians did also paint their mouldings. Contrasting natural creams and whites make mouldings pop and look modern at the same time. Add a rich hue of grey, taupes or browns, and an old interior is instantly updated. Throw in a few mid-century pieces, making sure to soften things up with traditional rugs, along with wood accent pieces, and the space becomes the perfect modern abode. Another good thing to keep around is the original wood floors. Bamboo or Pergo doesn't really make a good impression on the brownstone buyer.

The above photo is that of actress Julianne Moore's brownstone in the West Village, and we always thought that this was such a great mix of modern and classic. For homeowners who want to sell one day, this type of interior preserves the original integrity of the building and is also attractive to a more contemporary crowd.

☞ INSPIRATION: The Modern Harlem Townhouse

Harlem Bespoke rarely promotes total gut renovations of classic interiors, but sometimes a shell is all that remains of a historic home. Modern, yet warm is a hard feat to achieve, but Brooklyn-based design firm Delson or Sherman has come up with an agreeable combination for the above East Harlem townhouse. With restoration costs up to $500K for a building that needs a totally new interior, minimal is sometimes the way to go. The focus of the modern compromise is original-looking or reclaimed flooring that provides character to the entire house. A dark, high-gloss finish to floors adds a sense of newness while retaining a historic charm enhanced by a period-appropriate stairwell. The walls are brand-new with subtle moulding details and are softened by classic touches such as bookcases and an updated fireplace. The mid-century modern furniture provides a contemporary mood to the pad but still conveys a vintage feel to the space. See more from the remodelista.com

☞ BESPOKE: Mosaic Tiles

The really amazing thing about Harlem is that many of the lobbies did not go through severely modern renovations like their downtown brethren, and original late 19th century details, such as the mosaic tiles in the foyer, are well preserved. Ranging from simple Greek key border trims to intricate carpet-like patterns, the mosaic surface provides color, pattern and function to the common areas of a building. What is also really nice, when still intact, are the different types of marble used for the walls and baseboards as can be seen on the right side of the photo. This particular floor is typical of the style found in the Morningside Heights neighborhood where many well-preserved lobbies can be found.

☞ BESPOKE: Stained Glass Doors

This brownstone on West 122nd Street (right before Manhattan Avenue) must be one of the best custom-made doors in Harlem. The stained glass was just put up recently, and the various shades of blue along with the classic-inspired, symmetrical, geometric pattern provides a modern update that feels perfectly period-appropriate. Usually the stained glass sections are relegated to the main window or just the transoms above each door. Having the glass detail on the door panels looks smart and is a great show of rebirth in the neighborhood. The potted garden out front is also a nice touch.

☞ ARCHITECTURE: Inside the Apthorp

Although this Upper West Side Building is not in Harlem, the interior shots of the Apthorp provides a clue to what its cousin, Graham Court, might have looked like in its prime. Today's Daily News article has a gallery of the Apthorp renovations where the architects have meticulously restored all the details. One designer in the article states that many of his modern peers want to remove the craftsmanship of the past. If that is the case, then why bother moving into such an established, older building? As per our previous post, Harlem's Graham Court was the predecessor to the Apthorp, with both visionary courtyard buildings procured by William Waldorf Astor. See more in today's NY Daily News gallery on the Apthorp: LINK or previous post on Graham Court: LINK. Photo by Seigel for the NYDN.

☞ BESPOKE: Lore Decorators

East Harlem's best kept secret is the family-owned Lore Decorators that does all their custom upholstery work on sight. Skip the middle man and go directly to the source to get an old antique couch or chair repaired with your own fabric or a selection that the store provides. Custom drapes are also a service for those in need. Listed this year in New York Magazine's "The Best of New York" issue. Also on the plus side is that going direct will be only about one-third of the price for the same service anywhere else. Located at 2201 3rd Avenue between 120th and 121st Street. Tel. 212-534-1025. Take the 6 train to 116th St or the 4,5 train to 125th Street.

☞ INSPIRATION: Wainscot Panels

The late 19th century documentary photographer Joseph Byron provided the black and white shot of a fashionable 5th Avenue home boldly transformed with wallpaper and wainscoting. The repetitive, rectangular wood panels are often in polished wood or lighter painted finishes in many Harlem brownstones, but most of the walls today have long been stripped of their colorful adornment. Especially since the natural wood finish is dark and neutral in most cases, the walls had the addition of color and pattern to brighten an otherwise stark interior. The second photo shows a high Victorian interior using paper even within paneling, and one can see how even the colors of the paper complements the vibrant hues of the curtains. From the original black and white photos of the time, it is difficult for the modern viewer to understand the dramatic colors used in the time period to help brighten and otherwise dark interior. Lower photo courtesy of Bradbury & Bradbury: LINK or see our other post on the green wallpaper we discovered in our building earlier this month: LINK

☞ INSPIRATION: Encaustic Tiles

We suspect that encaustic tiles existed in the more grand townhouses of Harlem but there are not many examples remaining today. The color and pattern on these hand-made ceramics are not from painted on glaze but colored clay. Therefore, instead of just the pattern existing solely on the surface, one will see color throughout the thickness of the each tile. Mostly in geometric layouts with earth tone accented with blues and reds, this type of floor can be found in a few upper west side abodes along with 19th century homes in Brooklyn. Mostly common as flooring for foyers, lobbies, restaurants and bathrooms, these tile are timeless in for any building that is over 100 years old. Since many of the houses built above 96th streets were constructed in the Edwardian early 20th Century, the less expensive, but equally beautiful mosaic tiles seem to have been more favorable for budget minded builders.

☞ BESPOKE: Wallpaper

One of the great things about renovating an old building is that one can uncover the past by stripping away the layers.  Our building is going through hallway renovations which included removing some 1980's wall-to-wall mirrors and underneath was this amazing damask fabric wallpaper.  The pattern seems to be Art Nouveaux so it probably was installed around 1910 or so. Damask is woven in fibers with various sheen to create the pattern and is not a print.  This would be very expensive to reproduce today. There was only a section of it and so we could not really use it. A layer of paneling went over it and the paper will be buried once more for future generations to discover. To enlarge, click on the above photo. For more wallpaper inspiration, click on the sidebar photo from Bradbury and Bradbury.

☞ BESPOKE: Michael Henry Adams at Home

If there ever were a modern-day Harlem gentleman, it would be historian, writer, activist Michael Henry Adams. The recent article in the Huffington Post showcases Mr. Adam's immaculately charming duplex on Convent Avenue. As a writer, Adams published the ultimate guide to historic Harlem in his book, Harlem Lost and Found. This book is indispensable for those livng or moving to Harlem and have an interest in its 19th century history and architecture. One may find Mr. Adams writing his column in the Huffington Post, being quoted in the New York Times, or working on future books about Harlem history. See sidebar for the link to purchase Harlem Lost and Found, or go directly to the Huffington Post article with more on Mr. Adams at home: LINK

☞ REVIVE: Harlem Wallpaper

Mrs. Suzie Porter in her Harlem home. Bespoke wallpaper is an art that has disappeared from most of the regal brownstones in New York City.  To the right is a Van Der Zee photo of a Harlem interior with its fantastic wallpaper.  In the turn of the century most of the paper would have been made to order and still hand printed by artisans.  More commonly preserved in British homes, New York taste seem to shift towards fad too quickly to keep any good example of this art around. Since many are eschewing severe glass condos for brownstones, maybe it is time to look at more historic methods to refinish walls.

In the early 21st century, many still can not distinguish proper period wall paper from the floral 1980's manufactured design offenses.  The second image displays a William Morris wallpaper reproduced by Bradbury & Bradbury from an original 1860's pattern.  As one can see, the handsome print is graphic, bold and almost geometric but with an organic, botanical  repeat.  The company, based in California, is considered one of the major suppliers of wallpapers hand printed in the the traditional methods.  Another popular early 20th century paper was lincrusta, which was solid, heavily embossed paper that looks like plaster work but more durable.  This is actually seen more in old buildings in the New York City area.  Bradbury & Bradbury link for website and blog at side bar for more information.

☞ SHOP: Swing

Swing, has the title of being one of the only home concept store to arrive in Harlem since it opened a couple of weeks ago on the ever changing corners of Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard.  Better retail boutiques are often difficult to find this far north so Swing is a welcome addition that feels like a storefront one might find in Brooklyn.  Bright and colorful, the assortment of clothes and accessories are targeted for men and women along with a children's line of clothing.  The clothing and the home furnishing come from around the world with many smaller, European brands.  A definite must see if you are in the area.

FYI the store is only open on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Mondays. Located at 1960 ACP/7th Avenue which is the corner of West 118th Street. Tel.(212) 222-5802‎

☞ REVIVE: Harlem Floors

A very distinct feature of the brownstones and the apartments of Harlem are the preserved floors, many of which have marquetry
designs that use different wood species to form geometric check patterns or ribbon borders around a floor's perimeter. During the time the neighborhood was built, developers and builders used the best craftsmen to lure New Yorkers to this new luxury market. Therefore, many who live in northern Manhattan have these amazing floors in their homes.

Unfortunately, this part of town has lots of wall-to-wall carpet from the 80's. Yes, it's practical because it absorbs noise, and people are not daring enough to hire a contractor for floor repair. However, wood floors are what's happening now, so just remove the offending carpet, get the floors stained and polished, then throw an area rug in for the noise issue. The patterned floor makes a beautiful frame for any type of rug.

☞ INSPIRATION: Imagine

This photo was from an article written last year in the New York Times about rocker Mark Hermann who bought a brownstone on 131st street. The renovation process was traumatic but making this tile floor inspired Mr. Hermann through the process. Bravo for keeping the mosaic tile feel of the era but updating it with a slightly more modern cultural reference.