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photography by CHAZ CRUZ
produced by ALYSSA CLOUGH
While it’s not rare for a single room of a home to inspire a variety of feelings, we’ve never reacted so strongly to a kid’s playroom before. Like seriously, never. (You’ll understand when you see it.) Unsurprisingly, that isn’t the only room of this Cobble Hill, Brooklyn house we’re obsessed with. Lanie List, Founder and CEO of Lovely Bride, did an impressive job designing her family home she shares with her husband and two young children. Keep reading to learn how she balances kid-friendly and adult-only decor, the inspiration behind the home’s mixed aesthetics, and more.
WHEN DID YOU DESIGN YOUR HOME?
We moved into our Brooklyn home just two weeks before my first son was born in January of 2013. So the interior design has been a slow process, and I still build on it every few months. The vision happened quickly, but the curation is ongoing.
HAVE YOU ALWAYS DESIGNED YOUR OWN SPACES? DID YOU HAVE ANY HELP?
I did it all myself! I always want to hire someone, but get so nervous because I hate saying ‘no’ to someone if I don’t like something. So I killed myself trying to turn this house into a home while dealing with the trials of new motherhood! I remember nursing with the iPad, buying things from the One King’s Lane app!
WAS FINDING A HOME WITH A LARGE BACKYARD IMPORTANT TO YOU?
It was because I always fantasized about outdoor space (like every New Yorker). I’m surprised we don’t use it more, but even being able to see it from the kitchen while cooking makes it feel homey. It makes it feel like we live in the burbs. And it allows us to have an outdoor grill that my husband makes amazing pizza on.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE OVERALL AESTHETIC?
I’d call two of our floors moody and feminine and the others are modern fun. The palettes are quite different, but when you have five floors, it’s doable to segment a home. The gray geometric floor runners pull it together because they look appropriate for both looks.
CHANDELIER Lindsay Adelman
WHAT WERE YOUR GOALS WHEN DECORATING YOUR HOME? HOW MUCH REDESIGNING DID YOU HAVE TO DO?
A lot of the hard fixtures were already in place, like the marble waterfall countertops and the gray stained wood floors. Thankfully we had a great foundation to start with. I wanted to stay true to the sophistication of the home, including the historic ceiling, while still creating some kid friendly zones that melded seamlessly with the rest of the house.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY OF THIS DESIGN PROCESS?
I think the best part of doing the design myself was visiting the designers’ showrooms and stores and getting to know them more. It was so fun to talk to Shannon fromEskayel about her fabrics and the guys at BDDW about our Lindsay Adelman chandelier. It was like making friends and learning the art behind their crafts along the way.
YOUR HOME IS ALSO FILLED WITH AWESOME LIGHT FIXTURES. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU FOCUSED ON?
It is. Designer light fixtures are so having a moment right now! I always invest in good light fixtures because I view them as mobile artwork. You notice it before you see anything on the walls.
That’s the framed wallpaper!
DINING TABLE Ligne Roset
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITE PIECE IN THE HOME?
It’s so hard to chose but I’d have to say ourCynthia Rowley print. I fell in love with her wallpaper at her candy shop, Curious, and they printed a 5ft x3ft piece of it for me to frame in our dining room. It’s so girly and totally me.
COUCH AND RUGABC COFFEE TABLE Dwell Studios WALL PAINT Blackened by Farrow & Ball
THE STATEMENT WALLPAPER IN THE LIVING ROOM IS AMAZING. WHAT MADE YOU DRAWN TO SUCH A BRIGHT, GRAPHIC PATTERN?
Our old apartment in the West Village was black and white plus brights, so I’ve always had an affinity for the bold. This room reminds me the most of our old apartment, and I’m glad that we got to memorialize it here since that was the apartment where we got married and made a baby. Also that wallpaper flows down the stairs into the playroom, which was a detail that really make it look custom.
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU RAN INTO?
How to make a kids space look chic! They are naturally drawn to the gaudiest toys, so storage was key to keep the crazy ones out of sight. Sometimes our toy box randomly ‘moos’ with a kids toy at night and it’s the creepiest thing ever!
OKAY, THE KID’S PLAYROOM. IT’S AMAZING. HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON A CHALKBOARD? AND IS THAT A REAL CHALKBOARD OR CHALK PAINT?
It’s paint! That room is such a hit with our BK parent friends. It’s filled all winter long with kids! We had that basement dug out from a 5ft ceiling to a 7ft ceiling and the first thing we did was used foam padding on the floor to make it a kid’s haven. We used a grass green color flooring so it felt like the outdoors all year long. We loaded it up with the bright toys, and had a chalkboard artist mural the entire wall. It has since had some editions from artists aged 1-5 years.
HOW DID YOU DECIDE ON A COLOR PALETTE FOR THE BEDROOM? I LOVE THE LUXE, RELAXED FEEL OF THE SPACE.
It was a small room and very bright previously and we decided to go the other direction. I didn’t worry about the illusion of making it smaller, I just decided to make it a lair! The king bed practically fills the room but family movie nights are so fun when the whole room is soft and cozy.
THE NURSERY IS TOO CUTE. CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT THE BUTTERFLIES? AND THE CEILING!
The animal prints are Sharon Montrose and I love having them right next to the rocker. We say goodnight to each animal every evening. The ceiling is actually decals, that my husband hand applied! A real labor of love. I got most of the products on Etsy (including the butterflies) which makes me happy that they were made with someone’s hands, since I was too busy to make it my own!
YOUR HOME IS ALSO FILLED WITH AWESOME LIGHT FIXTURES. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU FOCUSED ON?
It is. Designer light fixtures are so having a moment right now! I always invest in good light fixtures because I view them as mobile artwork. You notice it before you see anything on the walls.
YOUR HOME ALSO FEATURES A TON OF NATURAL LIGHT. WAS THAT A PRIORITY WHEN YOU WERE SEARCHING FOR A SPACE?YES!
I’m all about the natural light. We have giant skylights on the top floor and it’s such a happy place to have kids rooms.
WHAT INSPIRED THE DARK HUE IN THE BOY’S ROOM?
I love a navy wall, and used that room as my office originally so he inherited it (along with a pink chandelier from the previous owner’s little girl). It’s the least done of our rooms, but there is a Batman Flavor Paper mural that will have a home there soon.
HOW DID YOU BALANCE FILLING YOUR HOME WITH OBJECTS AND DESIGNS YOU LOVE AND WHILE ALSO MAKING SURE THEY’RE KID-FRIENDLY?
Well we bent the rules a little. We definitely have some sharp corners. I think it’s important to designate areas that are for the adults, like our parlor floor, and just know you’ll have to be a little more hands on there. You can always gate those zones off, but if you are going to invest in good furniture, it shouldn’t all be just for the kids.
ANYTHING YOU THINK I MISSED?
The only thing I would highlight is the importance of rugs in a home. We carpeted our stairs with this cool wool, subway token geometric design, did oversized carpets in the bedrooms, and used an alpaca rug in our baby’s room, and it makes the house SOOO homey. I think ‘carpet’ has gotten a bad rap, and I’m not talking wall-to-wall shag, but having large and cozy rugs can make even the smallest space feel warm.