Above: Harmony Sofa and Hayes Chandelier, West Elm; Velvet Throw Pillows, Coffee Table, Trio Marble Table Set, Moroccan Area Rug, Bouclé Marshmallow Chair, Mushroom Floor Lamp, Dyphor; Vintage Armchair.
Above left: Drift of Mist Paint, Sherwin-Williams; Wood Minimalist Sconce, Allied Maker. Above right: Mirror and Floor Lamp, West Elm; Pillows, Dyphor. Vintage Bench.
With Adrian and Karesse’s shared passion for sustainability, the eco-friendly components came together more smoothly. Although some of the original wood beams had to go during demo, the milled timber got a second life as hallways, floors, and a slatted ceiling above the dining table. Anywhere there’s paint, it’s zero-VOC by Sherwin-Williams. And on the roof, a solar thermal system warms the tap water and powers the radiant floor heating (and will reduce their bill in the long run).
Reflective surfaces are the designer’s other secret to bringing in light where there is little of it. In addition to rich metals like brass and copper, an arched mirror sits above the hearth, looking as if it had always been there. Picturing the antique fireplaces in Paris apartments (the brownstone’s exaggerated proportions would have fit right into the City of Light), Bailey-Babenzien had it framed with inexpensive premade mantel molding, then coated, along with the walls, in plaster for an old-world effect.
Below, from top: Metal-Frame Floor Mirror, West Elm; Vintage Vase, The Modern Republic; Vintage Stool; Sconce, RH; Vintage Mirror, Horseman Antiques; Vase by Jun Tsunoda, Roman and Williams Guild; Gradient Painting Wallpaper, Mr. Perswall.
Above: Cane Bed Frame, Ball Side Table, Contemporary Table Lamp, Silk Bedding, Velvet Pillows, Safari Chair, Sheepskin, Moroccan Area Rug, Dyphor.
“My mom is a light in my life.
The same careful consideration went into the decor choices. “The main objective of this project was for it to be a conscious home. And not just in terms of the environmental footprint, but also the furnishings,” says Bailey-Babenzien. “This really became a community project. We wanted to collaborate with people who felt connected to the neighborhood who could bring their ideas.”
It was Adrian who suggested recycled denim insulation. Forever a storyteller, he sees the construction alternative as a great narrative—these fibers were once your jeans!—to spark people’s imaginations of what’s possible. Plus, he adds, “It’s as good at insulating as the pink stuff.”
I wanted to give that back
to her.”
FPO: VIDEO
My mom is a light in my life. I wanted to give that back to her."
Below, from top: Metal-Frame Floor Mirror, West Elm; Vintage Vase, The Modern Republic; Vintage Stool; Sconce, RH; Vintage Mirror, Horseman Antiques; Vase by Jun Tsunoda, Roman and Williams Guild; Gradient Painting Wallpaper, Mr. Perswall.