Frederick Tang Architecture Updates a Landmarked 1930 Home in Douglaston, Queens

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Queens, New York—Frederick Tang Architecture (FTA) has completed the multi-phased renovation of a landmarked 1930 Colonial-style house in the historic neighborhood of Douglas Manor in Douglaston, Queens. During a time when working and learning from home is more frequent, the latest phase makes selected areas of the interior more liveable for the homeowners and their two children. Throughout, common areas and offices have been revamped with a new jewel-toned palette and richly textured materials that fuse the cultural backgrounds of the husband, who has deep roots in the area, and the wife, who is Indian-American.

Most significantly, the project transforms the attic into a work-from-home office for the husband and converts two enclosed porches, which flank each side of the house, into winterized, light-filled living rooms. “We’ve essentially expanded the bulk of the house without adding to its footprint. Interior space extends up into the attic, and out into each flanking porch," says principal Frederick Tang.

The initial architectural renovation, which began in 2013, reconfigured the floor plan, renovated kitchens and bathrooms, and brought more light into the overall interior. Previously, the home had been owned by York College Law School, operating as the Dean's House. “It was pretty much a mid-century time capsule for entertaining,” says Tang. “There were two large caterer's kitchens—one upstairs and one in the cellar for college events.”

While the third floor attic and enclosed porches were left alone in the project’s first phase, this changed in 2020 as working and learning from home became a new reality. In early 2020, FTA had already begun the process of Landmarks filing for the replacement of 31 porch windows when the family asked for additional interior updates that would flexibly accommodate both parents and kids, creating more space for individual activities. In addition to replacing semi-frosted jalousie windows with new double-hung windows that offer more insulation and natural light, FTA transformed the porches from semi-enclosed patios into comfortable, plush spaces for working, lounging, and dining.

One side became a small living room/den with two textured seating areas featuring a reupholstered sofa, Belgian shag rug, Gubi brass lamp, and vintage Baxter and Leibchen chairs from the client’s collection of mid-century Danish furniture. The other porch brings together a Kigumi Walnut Dining Table (used flexibly as a breakfast nook or homework table) with a Poul Henningson pendant, Egg Collective sofa, Gabriel Tan coffee table, and Pauline Deltour rope rug. Warm, rich colors and textures draw from the family’s collection of Indian art and artifacts that suffuse the home.

Upstairs, the husband’s attic office has been completely transformed, optimizing for Zoom meetings and creating a range of new work surfaces in a palette of walnut, pale grey, and deep teal. "The second phase started with a call from the husband asking, ‘Can you help me look better on Zoom?’ We said, ‘Yes!’,” says Barbara Reyes, Director of Interiors at FTA. Mira and Milo calico wallpaper joins a panel of navy wainscotting as the backdrop, while new teal built-in millwork covers the front wall, accommodating file storage, a concealed radiator, and reading bench nestled against the large window. A walnut standing/sitting desk and a Nero Marquina round table offer different work stations; in particular, the table offers a space for the kids to do homework alongside their dad. Cognac-colored leather, black accents, and brass provide a touch of elegance across the room.

Elsewhere, a corner of the couple’s bedroom was converted into a bright nook with built-in shelves and a small desk, functioning as the wife’s work surface for her watercolor illustrations. "We saw this dead zone—formerly used as a dumping ground for random items—as an opportunity to carve out a private, more useful space for the wife,” says Reyes. The walls of the stairwell have also been recovered with a rich, graphic navy-and-copper wallpaper that ties together the latest phase of the renovation, which permeates all three floors of the home.