At Home In with the old: A look inside one historic brownstone that was modernized with an eye on the past

Phil Rivo and his wife, painter Iris Kufert-Rivo, have found a way to reconcile the present with the past. They’ve spent years modernizing their home, a Civil War-era brownstone situated just off of Hamilton Park, but they’ve carefully preserved many of the structure’s historical features.

In many cases, the couple uncovered long-hidden historical details purely by accident. The floors, for example, had been layered with carpet and linoleum until Phil and Iris freed the pumpkin-pine “under-floor,” revealing its rich, orange color.

“Back in the day, they used that type of pine because it’s such a soft wood,” Phil says. “It gets dents, but it seems to add to the look. As it’s worn, it looks better.”

Some original tin ceilings were another pleasant surprise, Phil says, as was a 100-year-old fireplace. Additional details, such as the original moldings, have been kept intact.

In many other ways, however, the family’s home is distinctly modern. Iris’s paintings hang throughout the house, and the kitchen tiling was done by Lisa Portnoff, a New Jersey artist whose work graces walls in subways and PATH stations.

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