Eclectic Design for Best Friends in Brooklyn, New York
This home is my crown jewel. Its maximalist, colorful, bold, unexpected and has a ton heirloom and collectibles. At its very core is a strong sensibility of progessive thought, women empowerment, friendship, love and respect. It is home to a young girl who designed the home with her mother and stays here with her two best friends. My clients bought this updated townhouse in the very cool Boerum Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn in the summer of 2021. I browsed through many carefully catalogued family heirlooms and designed the new house around them. It is rooted in family history, tradition and legacy and welcoming to friendship and new memories. Photography by Jacob Snavely.
The primary bedroom is one of my favourite spaces in this home. It represents the boldness in clor and design that you will see through out this home. The room is wallpapered in a lusturous wallpaper on all walls and a metallic wallpaper on the ceiling. To bring in some softness, an arched headboard custom upholstered in Lilac mohair adds color and whimsy. To bring in light is an abstract chandelier with LED lights that look like they are dancing on the metallic ceiling at night. The balcony out side has floor to ceiling doors and I’ve framed them in raw silk drapes. It is often described as bond villain chic by friends during a house tour.
This another view of the bedroom through the ensuite bathroom. The bathroom was nice and lovely, but lacked the personality once the bedroom deisgn was installed. We added this iconic Bunny wallpaper in the lavender colorway to tie the spaces together. Seen from here a closer look at the harmony of materiality, colors, textures and pattern. Its a nod to balance in design where some pieces shine and are hte leading stars while some play a more critical role by being subdued.
This is the first landing in this triplex. The wallpaper defines my client’s love for Greek and Roman mythology and is seen incorporated throughout the home. The scalloped edge in the mirror adds softness and function as you step out the door every morning. Its truly welcoming.
Pink, blue, green and yellow, as well as textures and animal prints complement the look of this home. I used mostly performance fabrics and faux leather in the dining room. The old china cabinet is a vintage piece that has stayed in the family and passed through generations and travelled across many cities. The sword atop the cabinet is from India passed on by the client’s grandmother. The snake rug and the yellow light represents the uniqueness of design here. The juxtaposition of the house being young and vibrant while deeply rooted in family treasures and heirlooms.
The Living room is where the friends hang out, chat, watch movies and read. The patterned drapes frame the window and Joanie (the cat) loves to curl up here. The TV sits anchored on a wall that has the map of Rome as its wallpaper. Bokshelves under have treasures for the friends. And the layout of the room enables tea, conversations and lounging. Blue plays an accent here with the sofa and the blue dot on the grid rug. The Green chandelier ties the lounge with the rest of the house which has more of a green colorway.
Another bedroom and completely different from the primary. The wallpaper here is patterned in neutral colorways. I anchore dit with a darker grey squae headboard in velvet and grey nighstands. The bedding is neutral and has a sweet scalloped detail to add a touch of whimsy. The pink silk rug, silk accent pillow and the droopy tulips all add the drama that this room needs.
The second floor landing is one of my favourtie moemnts from this home. The dress form, fondly called Francesca, has been in the family for ages and travelled across states as did the vintage silk tafetta dress she adorns. The feature wallpaper from none other than Kelly Wearstler and the sconce make it unique. Its a spot for keys, but designed to perfection!!
Work from home and work from here. Its the desk of an artist, creator and an edicator. I placed it right next to the window so she gets natural light to and additional surface to keep her supplies. She loves all things Grecco-Roman so have spirnkled in some columns and busts and the Andy Warhol bookends to add some color.
This is the upstairs kitchnette which came with the house. The girls don’t drink as much, so they use it more as a tea station and the cubbies for the wine bottles is where they keep their art supplies.
The dining room is an amalgation of of pattern, texture and color. The fronts of the chairs are performance materials to keep the young feelng young and carefree and the backs are more statement. The Old China cabinet has been in the family for generations and I’ve styled it with heirloom dinnerware. To make the old China cabinet a feature, I added some modern elements like the chandelier and the snake rug. Its a beautiful marriage.