A Bed Stuy Homeowner Makes a Plasterwork Palace Her Own

Shelley Victory, a native New Yorker and fashion designer, undertook the extensive restoration of her 1890s Bed-Stuy limestone townhouse, a property characterized by its ornate plasterwork and original woodwork. Victory purchased the house in 2007, recognizing its unique architectural features despite the significant wear and tear it had sustained over more than a century, including its use as a rooming house. Many prospective buyers were deterred by the daunting restoration effort required for the crumbling plaster and paint-covered woodwork, but Victory saw the potential in the “decoratively fabulous” structure. The house, designed by architect John E. Dwyer, features elaborate plaster relief decorations on its walls and ceilings, with motifs ranging from florals and scrollwork to swags and musical instruments. Victory believes these varied motifs might have been a developer's showcase for plasterwork options available to buyers during the neighborhood's new-home market boom. Upon acquiring the house, Victory decided to inhabit the space and allow it to guide her restoration process, avoiding immediate, radical changes. Her approach began with the garden-level front bedroom, which featured impressive wood wainscoting but was in disarray. She learned wood stripping techniques, working alongside an experienced professional, to restore the original woodwork, including intricate fretwork, to its natural state. The plasterwork presented an even greater challenge, with much of it cracked. A significant turning point was the recommendation of Raul Agrippa of Agrippa Plasterers, who meticulously restored the damaged plaster. Agrippa's method involved cleaning and documenting the original bas-relief details, creating new smooth surfaces, and then re-creating the missing or damaged ornamentation. This work has been ongoing for over a decade and a half, with some areas, such as the living room ceiling and entry, still awaiting completion. Victory recounts an incident where an electrician's aggressive work caused a portion of the kitchen ceiling and medallion to fall, which Agrippa painstakingly reassembled. During a recent renovation, Victory installed a new herringbone-pattern white oak floor throughout the parlor level. The existing Ikea kitchen at the rear of the house, which suffered damage during this process, is currently undergoing remodeling, a plan that was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its rudimentary state, the kitchen is a grandly proportioned, south-facing space that Victory has transformed into a greenhouse for her thriving houseplant collection. An adjacent new half-bath, formerly a dumbwaiter closet, was also added. Beyond the structural restoration, Victory's interior design choices are a reflection of her unique and witty aesthetic. Her decor blends modern and romantic elements, incorporating whimsical contemporary artworks and handcrafted solid-wood objects from diverse cultures. Having worked in fashion design for Ralph Lauren, she emphasizes the importance of personal expression in her home, moving away from a previously more minimalist style to embrace a more bohemian approach with a preference for color. A prime example is the Roche Bobois Mah Jong sofa in the front parlor, assembled piece by piece in various colors over time, alongside a distinctive mid-century 'Cocoon' ceiling pendant by Achille Castiglioni. Victory is a keen bargain hunter, sourcing pieces from places like Housing Works, City Opera Thrift Shop, and even discovering unique items like a carved wood pole from the West African Dogon culture. Her artistic tastes extend to collecting works from contemporary artists, such as a painting by Su-en Wong, a ceramic bust by Emil Alzamora, and a painted wood butler by Robert Carter. Victory, an alumna of Howard University and the Fashion Institute of Technology, has a professional background in fine arts and fashion design, having worked for notable firms like Kenneth Cole and Donna Karan's Urban Zen. The article concludes with her anticipation of a post-pandemic shift towards more expressive fashion and a desire for people to embrace dressing up again. The piece originally appeared in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of Brownstoner magazine, highlighting the enduring nature of her restoration project and her personal design journey. #BedStuy #HomeRenovation #PlasterworkRestoration #WoodworkRestoration #InteriorDesign #ShelleyVictory #BrooklynHomes #HistoricPreservation #BohemianDecor #BedStuy #HomeRenovation #PlasterworkRestoration #WoodworkRestoration #InteriorDesign #ShelleyVictory #BrooklynHomes #HistoricPreservation #BohemianDecor

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