To transform a newly built “stark white box” into a sanctuary of serenity and warmth, a Brooklyn designer used a layering prowess honed over time.
For interior designer Lexi Brandfon, a student of history, refurbishing historic homes is second nature. After all, the native of Tuxedo Park, New York, grew up in one herself.
Lexi knows their storied details bring lived-in comfort, an aesthetic she desired as she pivoted to a new client’s just-built townhome on a historic Clinton Hill street.
Lexi’s design approach to essentially “a stark white box” was to create layers of texture, fabric, and wood anchored by beautiful, curated furniture. “To transform the stripped-down space and create a dynamic environment, I used drapery, lime wash on the wall, sculptural furnishings, and big chandeliers. I brought in earth tones, greens, greys, and blues, using natural materials and textured pieces,” Lexi told us of the project for an international family of four with two teenagers and dogs.
This vision for a warm yet modern space inspired Lexi’s design partner, Renata Luigi, in her selections for the dining area, a narrow space off the foyer and adjacent to a glass panel that opens to an outdoor deck and barbeque. “There’s a lot of foot traffic,” she told us.
Renata grew up in Brazil, studying architecture and design. With an eye for the skill needed to create something structurally pleasing with clean lines, Renata sourced a dinner table and then searched for chairs to complement it. “ I thought of the well-crafted Giulia chair by Aristeu Pires that I’d seen in the Sossego showroom. Brazilian design can be minimalistic, but Sossego furniture lends itself to transition between modern and layered.”
Lexi, Renata, and an ecstatic client were impressed by Giulia’s structure and exquisite craftsmanship; its smooth, wide, slightly angled back pitches away from the table, offering a gentle recline. Renata chose the warm, dark walnut Brazilian jequitiba wood and a black faux leather seat. “The Giulia has personality. It embodies warmth and modernity, adding a lovely layer to the family’s new dining space,” Renata says.
A space perfectly imagined for a busy family to gather, share stories, and write the next chapter in their history.
For each Giulia chair delivered, Sossego funds the planting of a tree in Brazil to replenish the resources and ensure the long-term well-being of the planet.