Here is a sampling of some of the homes on this year’s tour…
- Custom floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows illuminate a 1910 neo-Renaissance limestone where a contemporary open floor plan is graced by artwork from the owner’s gallery in Chelsea. This top-to-bottom makeover sports a new kitchen with highly-organized cabinetry and savvy appliances; a stylish bath; and a steel terrace leading to the tranquil rear garden.
- A 1909 free-standing Colonial Revival, with a charming wraparound porch, showcases a wealth of fabulous original Arts and Crafts details and ornate stained-glass windows. Oriental rugs and period furnishings reinforce the nostalgia of bygone days.
- A late Romanesque Revival 4-story townhouse, designed in 1898, that still retains much of its original woodwork including intricate fretwork, beaded wainscoting, seven handsomely carved fireplace mantels and a grand built-in china closet with beveled-glass doors. 21st century amenities include a home office and a luxurious marble bathroom with skylight.
- A circa 1901 three-story brick home, with columned porch and stately carved oak double doors, features an amazing gazebo for outdoor dining. The juxtaposition of classic with contemporary is punctuated with inviting comfortable furnishings, unusual photographs and hand-painted street signs from India.
- New life has been breathed into a one-time rooming house, transforming its dark and dreary interior into a light filled contemporary living space, adding a spacious family room, gourmet kitchen and three up-to-date bathrooms.
- In a 101 year-old home, a dramatic zinc-topped peninsula, set in a grand period-style oak framework, effectively links the new state-of-the-art kitchen to the traditional dining room creating an open dialogue between the two. Old-world accents include a stately 1840 burled-walnut secretary, a quarter-sawn oak sideboard and a William Morris wallpaper dado.
- A 1910 brownstone, with much of its original detail intact, reveals a sleek custom designed totally integrated kitchen with space-saving European appliances and maintenance-free Caesar stone counter tops. The do-it-yourself owner renovated English basement houses a relaxing family room with projection TV and a bar for enjoying homemade beer and soda.
- Dramatic South African masks and sculptures appoint an impeccably restored traditional townhouse with cutting-edge contemporary custom-designed English basement. The deck, with teak furnishings, leads to a travertine patio outfitted with cushioned seating and a marble-topped firepit table—perfect for entertaining and enjoying the beautiful landscaped garden.
- The extensive grounds, porch and private back patio of a 1917 neo-Georgian home, commissioned by William H. Todd, head of the New York-based Todd Shipyards Corporation, are yours to view as you enjoy complimentary refreshments.
Ticket information for the 41st Annual Prospect Lefferts Gardens House & Garden Tour.
Photos by Martin Friedman
The May issue of the 
The Moveable Feast Cafe at the