Actress Keri Russell and her husband, craftsman and contractor Shane moved to Brooklyn after having their son, River. They considered a loft in Tribeca, but the allure of living in a house with a backyard was too strong for them . And it helps that the craftsman can  “take a sledgehammer to anything and no one can complain!”

After looking at over 30 houses, the loved-up pair  purchased an 1860s brownstone that needed a ton of work. “I can’t help myself. Why buy someone else’s renovation if you’re going to redo it anyway,” says Kerri’s husband – who she calls her ‘MacGyver’.

Although Shane took care of the structure, it was a collaboration with the Felicity actress Russell sketching room layouts, choosing furnishings, and picking out fabrics.

The kitchen cabinetry is built entirely from a dismantled post-and-beam house, as are the bathroom vanities. He also  turned pieces of discarded pine into the porthole mirror that hangs over the living room mantel. Beside their bed, a golden block of reclaimed pine flooring serves as a bedside table.

Keri wanted to make sure the styling and design didn’t take away from the rooms themselves. “With so much wood in the equation, it could have turned into a cliché of farmhouse chic, so I stuck with a neutral palette, kept it spare, and worked in as many textures as I could without straying into girly territory.”

Take a peek inside….

This is one of my favourite celeb homes – love everything about this! What is your favourite room in Keri’s home?

Thanks to Elle Decor for the beautiful images.