Lindsay Faulkner created a home for her growing family in a quaint brownstone in Manhattan’s West Village — a home that’s sophisticated yet comfortable, without being crowded, without being grand. That balance is hard to achieve, but it’s not even the most admirable aspect of the Faulkner house’s design. (The designer began her career as an Askam Associate, then worked at Daniel Romualdez’s renowned architecture and decor firm before starting her own design practice.) While you’re there, take a tour of that fully furnished, custom-built apartment. In fact it’ll be even more impressive, given the curtains and changing Rose Uniacke wall colors are available for rent.
“We don’t know how long we’ll stay in the apartment, but our family is growing and we want our space to feel like home for the kids,” said Faulkner, who became a mother of two girls this month. “I think it’s worth investing the time and money to paint the walls, buy curtains and purchase significant furniture and art for our space while we’re here.”
While Faulkner’s lease prevents her from implementing day-to-day, long-term changes in her clients’ homes, she uses small decorative upgrades that make a big impact. Initially, she chose to paint the white walls a less clinical white. “It might sound crazy, but changing the color of my white walls from a very dull bright white to a very bright white made a huge difference and created a better backdrop for my art and decor, which are vibrant, bright colors.” Her favorite color? Benjamin Moore’s “Gentle Deer.”
Next came her desire to decorate the windows with fabrics. “I always justify custom curtains by reusing them later. The easiest way to do this is to use the fabric for pillows, but you can also use the curtain fabric to make Roman shades in your new space, or use the fabric for a bed headboard, window seat or chair cushions – the possibilities are endless!”
A huge tapestry-covered console greets visitors before they step into her living room—a corner has been cut out of a floating pressure wall to create a nursery—and you’re greeted by a green velvet Austrian Art Deco-style, pair of chairs that also feature plexiglass footrests upholstered in a Claremont & Rose fabric. “I always reupholster existing furniture every few years (and whenever I move) so that it looks new again—I’m always moving the pillows on my sofa around, it’s a nice way to freshen up a room.” Helen Kohnke Winston’s large fern painting—the artist, like Faulkner, was from New Orleans—adds a splash of color throughout the apartment, both paying subtle homage to her hometown. See the beloved New Orleans pillow and the antique orange lumbar pillows from fabric emporium B. Wiss.
“I’ve always loved antiques and French interiors, but as my style evolved I became drawn to a mix of antiques and modern furniture,” Faulkner explains. At the same time, she had to add some masculine elements to her mostly feminine taste. “My style and aesthetic has always been feminine, light and sophisticated, but when I got married I had to tone it down a bit for my husband… It’s a great place to have a drink with friends and watch Manchester United.
In the nursery, custom curtains made from gold fabrics, a sofa bed from Serena & Lily, and antique stools from Faulkner’s mother’s childhood bedroom fill the room with sophistication and fun. “Before moving into the apartment, we designed Philippa’s nursery before we found out the gender, so I chose a lot of happy, neutral colors and prints,” she says.
For the second nursery, cleverly created by adding walls, Faulkner leaned toward femininity. “As Philippa got older, her room became more playful and childlike, and I really wanted to keep Daphne’s room sophisticated and elegant.” Here, Rose Uniacke’s GraphQL in Peach is accompanied by Tulip chairs by John Derian, antique dressers by Doyle Auctions, and custom curtains by Pierre Frey. That’s what Faulkner is most proud of about the small space.
As for her bedroom, Faulkner continues to appreciate luxurious fabrics. The head of her bed is covered in Rogers & Goffigon mohair, while her Leontine linen bed is embroidered with twining vines and monograms. The onyx base invites Faulkner to decorate it with flowers from time to time.
“I put a lot of thought into every element of the design process,” she says, adding that flexibility has always been an important part of her process: For instance, she transformed a dining room table into a large console table in the game room. For Faulkner, the most beautiful spaces are those that evolve according to the needs of the people who live there. She adds, “Plus, whenever the day comes that we move into our ‘forever home,’ we can at least decorate the first floor with all the furniture and artifacts we’ve collected over the years.”
