Q&A: HGTV Star Anthony Carrino on Converting an 1890s Firehouse Into His New Home
Perhaps you know of Anthony Carrino from his HGTV days—think Kitchen Cousins, Cousins on Call, and Undercover Cousins—or his latest TV endeavor, The Build Up, in partnership with Ellen DeGeneres. Yet, you might not know as much about the star designer’s personal projects, including his photography, motorcycle adventures, and completed just last year, his new home in a decommissioned firehouse. Below, we ask Anthony about the process of converting the landmarked structure into a chic new space for himself, his fiancée, and their pup, Rossi.
The historic property known as Hook and Ladder No. 3 in Jersey City, New Jersey, was once home to the city’s Engine 18. Designer, developer, and contractor Anthony Carrino converted the building into a single-family residence in 2019.
To chronicle the process, Anthony launched a digital series titled TheBuild.TV. Here he is pictured with members of the construction crew and his cousin, John Colaneri, who also starred in the various HGTV ‘Cousin’ shows.
Dwell: What was your inspiration for the design?
Carrino: The main inspiration was the building itself, a historic firehouse built in 1896. As a landmarked structure the exterior had to remain and I pulled some of that history through to the inside as well—all without compromising on modern technology and finishes. I've been working with old buildings in Jersey City and Hoboken for over a decade now, so I'm quite familiar with marrying the old and new styles. I find the combination of old, imperfect textures with shiny, new finishes really speaks to me.
"The kitchen, for example, has a very sleek, European look," he says. "Throughout the home, my idea for the interior design was to blend the old and new together."
The modern look contrasts with old brick walls and remnants of fire hoses that were left behind in the building. Anthony’s print ‘Long Road to Death Valley’ hangs on the wall.
How was this project different from others you’ve worked on in the past?
I'm usually working on a project for someone else, which I love to do. But to be able to call this place my own—or our own now that my fiancée and I are engaged—made it a really special project. I think about when I visited a firehouse as a kid; I watched a fireman slide down a pole, I climbed on the trucks, and here I am a full-grown adult living in a childhood wonderland. Maybe I've got a bit of Peter Pan syndrome—I don't really want to ever grow up. But I think that's part of being creative.
Anthony with Rossi in the new living area, which sits just beside the kitchen. A floating fireplace and midcentury-style furniture round out the space.
A sleek bar area sits off to the other side.
How did you acquire the building?
Earlier in my career, my father and I owned a construction company together. As local developers and contractors, one day we heard the city was auctioning off several decommissioned firehouses. The firetrucks had simply gotten too big and too heavy to fit inside of the buildings. So we went down to city hall, raised our paddle more than the other guys, and wound up with one of the buildings.
We initially converted the space into our headquarters. Then about a year and a half ago as my father was getting ready to retire, I decided to purchase the building myself. To have first worked in the space with my father, then invite him back now that it’s our home—it was pretty cool. He loved the transformation, and it's fun to keep the history in our family.
A home office pays homage to the building with a new fire pole in place of an older one that led down to the garage.
In your web series, TheBuild.TV, you talk a lot about indoor air quality. Why is this topic becoming more important and what has changed during your career?
Most consumers may not realize how the latest technologies and products are making the envelope of a home tighter than ever before. And by envelope, I mean the seal that a home has with the outside world. For example, in older buildings and with older technology, more air leaks between the indoors and out. The latest construction materials are so good and create such a tight seal that air may not be cycling enough inside the home for it to be healthy. I've gotten more and more interested in indoor air quality after watching these advancements over the years.
Anthony’s prized motorcycles now sit in the garage. A Trane Hyperion™ Communicating Air Handler hangs overhead, keeping the downstairs cool while a separate unit regulates the upstairs temperature.
Why did you select the Trane HVAC system and how did you decide which products were right for the job?
My general contractor and I talked about the square footage and volume of my space. As an old firehouse, both the downstairs and upstairs have 14-foot ceilings. The volume of air is always an important consideration for installing an HVAC system, not just square footage.
Trane is known for quality and is always coming up with new solutions; it's something I've known for a long time, so it was my immediate reaction to go with them. The Trane Hyperion™ Air Handler is second to none. With a double-wall construction, there's no dripping or condensation around the unit when there are temperature differences. This is so important because unlike other air handlers, it keeps the fiberglass insulation from being introduced into the airstream and minimizes microbial growth if the cabinet gets wet—it's better for your HVAC system and better for your indoor air quality. Plus, the Hyperion is not going to corrode over time because it uses aluminum coils instead of copper.
With the exclusive Trane Vortica™ blower, the Hyperion air handler provides reliable, ultra-quiet operation. Anthony also added the Trane XV20i Variable Speed Air Conditioner, which speeds up or slows down in as little as 1/10 of 1% increments to keep comfort within 1/2 degree of the thermostat setting.
I also added the Trane CleanEffects™ Whole-Home Air Cleaner because it does a much better job than a standard filter. As a bare minimum, HVAC systems need a standard, one-inch filter to remove harmful particles from the air, and a HEPA filter is a step up from that. But when you compare the CleanEffects filter, it's eight times better than a HEPA room filter and 100 times better than a standard filter. That's a huge difference in terms of indoor air quality. I'm a nuts-and-bolts guy, so I take the time to dive deeper on most products.
Particles like dust, smoke and bacteria are often .3 microns or less, and at that size, allergens can get deep into your lungs because they aren’t filtered well by your nose and throat. Trane CleanEffects™ Air Cleaner removes up to 99.98% of airborne particles—including those as small as .1 micron—with results verified by professors from the Harvard School of Public Health.
You integrated smart technology into the renovation. How does it help with monitoring the internal temperature?
I decided to do a full smart home. Everything works with Alexa because we wanted to be able to do everything via voice. I'm a big believer that voice activation is going to be the hub of home technology. The Trane Smart Thermostat does just that by acting as a hub for all of my energy needs. If I'm driving home, I can notch down the air conditioning using my phone. I'm also finding that I have to adjust my temperature setting less than I thought I would because the Trane system runs so efficiently. I'm so much more impressed with the system now that I'm living in the home.
The ground floor entryway is located behind the garage, just down from the master bedroom. A rental unit is also located on the lower level.
A look at the master bathroom.
Lastly, as a renovation expert, did you learn anything new from this project?
The essence of construction is problem solving in real time—there's always an obstacle to overcome. That said, I'm usually the contractor or the designer on a project, not the homeowner. This project gave me a lot of insight into interacting with the construction team. I was a lot gentler with my general contractor because I have a sense of what he goes through on a regular basis. I gave him a lot of respect right up front in the communication process.
Anthony, his fiancée, and Rossi on the rooftop deck.
If there is advice I would give to others it's that communication is absolutely key. Communicate more than you think you need to because leaving things unsaid does nothing but let them fester, causing problems in the end.
What’s next?
Well, the hard work actually isn't over because we've already started on season two. A bigger announcement is coming, so stay tuned and subscribe for updates at TheBuild.TV.
To learn more about Trane’s residential products, please visit their website.
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