Inside the 2026 Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse at One Monroe

A 9,525-square-foot mansion built in 1852 is the stage for the 2026 Brooklyn Heights Designer Showhouse, open through November 1. The house stands in New York City's first historic district. It's a 25-foot-wide Greek Revival residence, later topped with a Mansard roof in the 1860s.

The client list reads like Brooklyn history. Merchant Samuel Bell commissioned it. By the 1890s the Weirs owned it, a family whose floral business ran for decades and continues today. A multi-year gut renovation, guided by archival imagery, produced nine bedrooms, seven baths and a rooftop terrace. One Monroe, as the property is now called, then became a 20th-century apartment house before its current restoration.

"This house has stood in Brooklyn Heights since 1852 – first serving as a wealthy merchant's household, later as the home of a celebrated florist and gardener, and finally the residence of more 'everyday' Brooklynites as a 20th Century apartment house," said Lara Birnback, Executive Director of the Brooklyn Heights Association. "The neighborhood has watched the restoration of One Monroe with great interest and curiosity, so it's a thrill to be able to welcome people from Brooklyn Heights and beyond to witness this next iteration of such a historic property."

What does the showhouse change for visitors?

It turns a private restoration into a public argument about how historic fabric and contemporary design coexist. Field Form designed the front garden to work with rain, support diverse planting and connect New York's history to a contemporary approach to reuse. Inside, each room takes a position.

Powder Room, Innerform. A Drummonds vanity in Verde Guatemala marble sets a deep green tone. Schumacher's Psalm 3 mural wraps the room; hand-chipped Avanti Verde Green mosaic tiles sit underfoot. Farrow & Ball's Beverly paint deepens into emerald in shadow.

Primary Bath, Innerform. At the top of the house, Calico Wallpaper's Arcadia adds abstract botanicals with blush undertones, echoed in Calacatta Monet marble and a checkerboard floor. Farrow & Ball's Stirabout ties the palette together. The five-fixture layout marks a full reconstruction.

Drawing Room, Llewellyn Chupin. A continuous low banquette wraps the room's entire perimeter. The move dissolves conventional furniture hierarchy, so guests face one another rather than a single focal point. Chupin treats the modest footprint as one immersive environment rather than discrete furniture groupings.

Kitchen, Sugarhouse Design. The brief was restraint: honor the 1850s bones without staging a period piece. A dark metal hood anchors the range against JH Wall Paints' Lime Butter lime plaster. Artistic Tile's Melange Marble threads color through the room. Riwal Manufaktura translated the dining room's floral wallcovering into 36 custom ceramic tiles — the same motif moved from paper into clay.

Living Room, Unionworks. The studio honors what it calls the "checkered history" of the house, building a space that feels accumulated over decades. Calico wallpaper designed by Lindsey Adelman sets the tone. Found Collectibles supplied vintage pieces by Pierre Weckx, Joaquim Tenreiro and Jose Zanine. The Future Perfect added new work from Karl Zahn, Willett, Floris Wubben, Rahee Yoon and others.

The showhouse's sponsor roster runs deep: Gold Sponsors Farrow & Ball and Silverlining; Patrons including California Closets, Drummonds, Schumacher-adjacent names like Tile Bar and Wovn Home; and Friends including Bang & Olufsen, Kravet and New York Design Center. Proceeds support the Brooklyn Heights Association. Tickets are available at brooklyndesignershowhouse.com — and with a closing date of November 1, the window to see One Monroe's next iteration is short.

By Priya Raman