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At this historic Victorian home in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, Atelier Chroma completed a comprehensive porch and exterior wood restoration designed for long-term durability and historically appropriate maintenance. The expansive hardwood porch had been coated in a varnish system that failed prematurely, leading to peeling and weather damage. We carefully pressure washed and lightly sanded the decking to remove the failing finish while preserving the integrity of the original wood. Rather than reapply a film-forming varnish, we specified a penetrating oil system (Penofin for exotic hardwood decks). Unlike varnish, this breathable, non-film finish nourishes the wood and will not peel. Future maintenance is simple: clean and re-oil — no aggressive sanding or full refinishing required. This approach is especially well suited to large, exposed Victorian porches common throughout Ditmas Park. We restored the double entry doors using a compatible oil system for vertical hardwood surfaces, enhancing the natural depth of the wood while providing long-term protection. Additional scope included repainting and maintaining the porch columns, handrails, and exterior trim to ensure a cohesive and properly protected architectural presentation. A major component of the project involved fully rebuilding the large balcony covers beneath the porch. The original assemblies had completely deteriorated. We reconstructed both curved and rectangular covers, preserving as many original spindles as possible and fabricating approximately 200 custom mahogany reproductions to match the historic profiles. This project reflects our philosophy: preserve original material wherever possible, rebuild with care where necessary, and specify finish systems that support the long-term stewardship of Ditmas Park’s historic homes.
At this historic Ditmas Park residence, we restored approximately 30 original wood sash windows that had significantly deteriorated over time. The windows were heavily layered with paint, poorly functioning, and allowing cold air in during winter and heat infiltration in summer.
Rather than replace these historic assemblies, we performed a comprehensive sash window restoration.
As is standard in our process:
The result is improved energy performance, smooth functionality, and the preservation of the home’s original architectural character.
In many Ditmas Park Victorian homes, the original old-growth wood windows are superior in quality to modern replacements. When properly restored and weather-sealed, they provide durability, beauty, and performance that new units often cannot replicate.
This project reflects our commitment to preserving historic wood windows while improving comfort and long-term efficiency.
