Gabriela Palmieri’s home office in Carroll Gardens features a gallery-style wall that includes works by Cristina Canale, Louise Bourgeois, Christina Quarles, and Gary Hume.
Photo: Colin Miller
This Elegant Carroll Gardens Brownstone Features a Powerhouse Collection of Art
Former Sotheby’s executive Gabriela Palmieri tapped designer Kathryn Eisberg to help showcase works by Mickalene Thomas, Louise Bourgeois, and Nan Goldin
Gabriela Palmieri’s Brooklyn brownstone has been revamped by designer Kathryn Eisberg. Photo: Colin Miller
In the midst of acquiring a quintessential brownstone in Brooklyn’s charming Carroll Gardens neighborhood a few years ago, Gabriela Palmieri enlisted New York–based designer Kathryn Eisberg to inject warmth and livability in the classic residence, which had recently undergone a top-to-bottom renovation by the previous owner that left it awash in modern luxuries but short on personality. There was another wrinkle: Palmieri—who founded her namesake art advisory after spending 17 years at Sotheby’s—also wanted her own impressive trove of blue-chip works to be factored into the equation.
“At the beginning, she gave me a document that listed all of her artworks,” remembers Eisberg, ticking off boldface names such as Nan Goldin, Louise Bourgeois, Claus Oldenberg, Mickalene Thomas, and Richard Prince. “But she wasn’t sure what pieces she wanted to use and what she didn’t.”
So, in June of 2021 the yearlong renovation kicked off in earnest, with both Palmieri and Eisberg working closely to integrate the selected pieces with sculptural furnishings and custom lighting elements in addition to making slight but impactful cosmetic tweaks. Among the changes were a new marble fireplace surround in the living room, brass hardware and updated cabinetry in the kitchen, a second-floor gym, and fresh wall paint throughout—most notably in the sexy upstairs den, now sheathed in a deep shade of gray from Benjamin Moore.
Palmieri sits in her living room, which features a Bocci column lamp whose colors echo the painting by Freya Douglas-Morris; a hand-built ceramic lamp by Katie Stout is perched on the newly installed marble fireplace surround. Photo: Colin Miller
Interestingly, this den—which does double-duty as a bar—was the only space in the home centered around a piece of collectible design: A glass-box cocktail table by Yves Klein filled with a sea of hot-pink pigments. “We designed the room around that piece, with the idea being to do a gray, black, and pink color scheme,” explains Eisberg, who also deployed a medley of compelling textures to give the room added visual intrigue. Those include Maharam corduroy on the sofa, boucle on the chair, and veined black marble on the bar top. Meanwhile, a dazzling early work by acclaimed artist Mickalene Thomas—who will soon launch her first traveling museum exhibition—enhances the sensual vibe, as does the adjacent vivid print by photographer Marilyn Minter featuring a heavily made-up eye.
Sheathed in a Benjamin Moore gray, the fourth-floor den was designed around the striking Yves Klein table. On the wall are works by Mickalene Thomas and Marilyn Minter, while the Homenature sofa wears a Maharam corduroy. Photo: Colin Miller
The renovation also saw several bedrooms repurposed, specifically on the third floor, where they were transformed into dual workspaces for both Palmieri and her husband, Scott. “She wanted the option to have a place for her team to come if they wanted an office,” says Eisberg, who suggested a floor-to-ceiling bookcase on one end of the room to complement Palmieri’s idea of a gallery wall behind her desk. In the end, works by a lengthy list of emerging and established talents—among them Louise Bourgeois, Christina Quarles, Gary Hume, and David Byrne—are displayed in a salon-style arrangement, providing ample inspiration for Palmieri and her staff. “It’s amazing to be able to work with somebody who surrounds herself with such beauty,” adds Eisberg. “Her selection, knowledge, and taste in art is fantastic.”
Works by Nan Goldin (right) and Matthew Northridge on the fourth floor landing. Photo: Colin Miller
“It’s amazing to be able to work with somebody who surrounds herself with such beauty. Gabriela’s selection, knowledge, and taste in art is fantastic”
Kathryn Eisberg
The revamped kitchen features updated hardware and cabinetry. Photo: Colin Miller
Other major works that make a splash are the dining room’s abstract Jason Moran piece, which features icy blues and whites mingling against tactile gampi paper, as well as a 2022 fantastical landscape by Freya Douglas-Morris in the living room that depicts an unspoiled body of water surrounded by natural wonders. The primary bedroom, too, makes a statement with its wire bikini sculpture by Adriana Carvalho, as well as works by Hugo Guinness, Luis Gonzalez Palma, and Donna Rosenthall.
Together, all of these conversation pieces in addition to the repurposed spaces herald the transformation of the residence from a six-bedroom family home into one that welcomes sophisticated entertaining opportunities at every turn. And when the weather is suitable, a private garden in the rear provides additional space for revelry and respite. “I think they entertain a lot,” says Eisberg. “I mean, how could you not?”
See more photos below.
Works by Hugo Guinness, Luis González Palma, and Donna Rosenthall grace the primary bedroom, which features a bed by Jose Fine Furniture and lamps by Allied Maker. Photo: Colin Miller
A striking canvas by Australian Aboriginal artist Pinta Pinta Tjapanangka hangs above a bed from Room and Board in the guest room. Photo: Colin Miller
The rear garden is the perfect spot for al fresco entertaining. Photo: Colin Miller
Another view of the den, which features a black marble bar. Photo: Colin Miller
Cover: Gabriela Palmieri’s home office in Carroll Gardens features a gallery-style wall that includes works by Cristina Canale, Louise Bourgeois, Christina Quarles, and Gary Hume.
Photo: Colin Miller
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