Design Brooklyn: Renovation, Restoration, Innovation, Industry

by Anne Hellman, Michel Arnaud (Photographer)

Design Brooklyn is a visual exploration of the unique and diverse architecture, interiors, and design of public and private spaces in today’s Brooklyn, from mechanics’ shops renovated into restaurants, to newly built museums, to restored brownstones and modern townhouses. Chapters focusing on renovation, restoration, innovation, and industry come to life with more than 150 original photographs representing various neighborhoods and trends. Including studies of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s newest addition, Fort Greene Park, and Boerum Hill’s Flavor Paper, Design Brooklyn will appeal to anyone interested in urban living, design, and trendsetting Brooklyn style.


Praise for Design

“A terrific book. Anne Hellman and Michel Arnaud perfectly capture the essence of the innovative, independent style of the creative people who define Brooklyn!”
―Wendy Goodman, Design Editor, New York magazine
 
“Brooklyn’s design identity is captured in this inspired collection of projects that takes you from the manufacturing past of the Brooklyn Navy Yard to influential architect-designed new construction, with plenty of bespoke brownstone renovations and handmade artists’ studios in the mix.”
―Francesca Connolly, New York editor of Remodelista.com
 
“The creativity that New York City is so known for seemed synonymous with Manhattan . . . that was until Brooklyn bloomed. And boy, has it bloomed!”
―Newell Turner, editor in chief, Hearst Design Group
 
“Brooklyn’s cutting-edge creativity, beauty, and bold self-confidence are well represented in this extraordinary book of Brooklyn design. Brooklyn has more character and characters than anywhere else in the world, and that spirit of originality and sense of history is vibrant and alive in these homes and cultural institutions.”
―Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn borough president
 
“No sleep till you devour Design Brooklyn ―a thrilling guide to architecture and décor in the mythical New York City borough. From a Beastie Boy’s clever brownstone renovation to insider tours of cultural spaces and imaginative restaurant design, this stunning and idea-packed guide to Brooklyn design shows how wonderfully the old can meld with the new. Design Brooklyn is sure to resonate far beyond its borders.”
―Ingrid Abramovitch, Author of Restoring a House in the City

“A visual feast of the best of Brooklyn style.”
― atHome magazine

“Packed with engaging back stories of Brooklyn’s homes, shops, restaurants and public institutions like Fort Greene Park and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden Visitor Center in Prospect Heights.” ― New York Times

“It’s turned the borough into a playground for high design, all beautifully chronicled in a new survey by Anne Hellman, Design Brooklyn , with page after page of gorgeous photos by Michel Arnaud.” ― Town & Country

“ Design Brooklyn is expansive, inclusive and filled with inspiring ideas and images of interiors, both public and private.” ―Janel Laban, Apartment Therapy

“What makes this book special, is that it documents the interior spaces of Brooklyn in a way that I haven’t seen before. We all know that Brooklyn has drastically changed in the last few years, but it’s rare to get the opportunity to peek into some of the private homes or have the luxury of time or money to check out  all  the new public spaces―restaurants, bars and hotels―that have popped up around the borough . . . It gave me a new appreciation for the sheer volume of design happening in Brooklyn every day.” ―Amy Azzarito, Design*Sponge 

“Quirky, spirited, surprising and useful―brimming with charm and delight.” ―New York Times Book Review

 

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Art

256 pages, Hardcover

First published October 22, 2013

About the author

Anne Hellman is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor. She is the author most recently of Design Brooklyn: Renovation, Restoration, Innovation, Industry (Stewart, Tabori, & Chang, 2013) and founder of the blog Design Brooklyn, with photographer Michel Arnaud. Anne has also co-authored LogoLounge 8 and LogoLounge 7 (Rockport Publishers) and Designers on Design: Joël Desgrippes and Marc Gobé on the Emotional Brand Experience (Rockport, 2007).

Reviews

[Elizabeth Desole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't usually review "picture books", but felt compelled to review this one. Don't look here for much in the way of the "do-it-yourself" movement that has fueled a lot of Brooklyn's pop cultural ascendance. This was primarily a book focused on the newest wave of Brooklyn: rich people paying others to create gleaming spaces for them to show off. Sigh

[Jane Barber · Rating 4 out of 5]

Design. All areas of design, special to Brooklyn, my town. Diverse, well photographed, good looking book. It was hard to keep track of it, everyone wanted to borrow. My only complaint, it seemed to focus on one kind of design frequently, not as diverse as it might have been, but still...many excellent examples shown, some I would never have seen.

GoodReads description:
Design Brooklyn is a visual exploration of the unique and diverse architecture, interiors, and design of public and private spaces in today’s Brooklyn, from mechanics’ shops renovated into restaurants, to newly built museums, to restored brownstones and modern townhouses. Chapters focusing on renovation, restoration, innovation, and industry come to life with more than 150 original photographs representing various neighborhoods and trends. Including studies of the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s newest addition, Fort Greene Park, and Boerum Hill’s Flavor Paper, Design Brooklyn will appeal to anyone interested in urban living, design, and trendsetting Brooklyn style.

[Emily Estes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was definitely beautiful and inspiring to flip through. The design, artists, and photographs lead to a fun time diving into projects in Brooklyn and imagining the history and life of these spaces. I struggled with the quality of writing the name dropping nature of the book. Too often there were repetitive sentence and grandiose statements that essentially said “ this is both innovative and beautiful”. Overall, I enjoyed some parts and I’m glad I spent some time with it.

[Mysteryfan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful coffee table-style book about restoration, renovation, and new buildings in Brooklyn NY.. Gorgeous photos! I loved the photos of the Brooklyn Carousel restoration. My favorite part was the interview with Mike D of the Beastie Boys. He talked about designing a French-style toile wallpaper but with Brooklyn images. There were several photos of the wallpaper. Fun to leaf through

[Hollyann · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you would like experience house envy I full detail, this is the book for you.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the Architectural Digest lover in me.

[Christina Karvounis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great celebration of my fine borough.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

All gloss, no substance