NEW YORK STATE OF MIND

In Brooklyn, designer Kesha Franklin intuitively taps into the desires of a young family to create a home that is both classic and characterful

In a Brooklyn home, interior decorator Kesha Franklin strikes the perfect balance between classic and cool

here’s a scene in The First Wives Club (yes, the 1996 divorcée-revenge comedy) where dame Maggie smith’s character, new York society doyenne gunilla garson goldberg, is advising sarah Jessica Parker’s ingénue, shelly stewart, on the value of finding the perfect decorator. ‘see, your house is your calling card. It has to be perfected.’ and while in the film, this might be more for the purposes of deception than decor, the sentiment still holds true, both in the Big apple and everywhere else.

This particular project, however, is very much in new York – Boerum hill, Brooklyn, to be exact. ‘It’s a real melting pot, as new York city is, but Brooklyn in particular marches to the beat of its own drum, and there is a rich culture to it,’ says designer and halden Interiors founder Kesha Franklin, who oversaw the installation of this both timeless yet modern interior for a young family. ‘over the last decade or more, though, Brooklyn has had an urban feel to it, and we wanted to bring that in here, with an added level of sophistication. It needed to strike a chord between being comfortable and livable butat the same time, was something that offered a more grown-up experience.’

as with all of her work, Kesha’s first step is getting an understanding of her clients – their needs, their lifestyle, what really makes them tick – after all, as she puts it,

‘I see the design process as a partnership,’ with the objective being interiors that represent the client. For Kesha, who makes no secret of her love for streamlined, modern homes, the key is to incorporate rich, earthy textures and colours.

‘The organic elements such as stone, timber and brass bring the outside in and establish a natural sense of balance. They have this warm, livable element that I feel completes the story,’ she says.‘to me, what tells you who a person really is – much more than the clothes they wear or the car they drive – is their home. It’s a picture into who they are, it’s the character-revealing moment that strips away the external by showing the internal.’ and gunilla garson goldberg would almost certainly agree.

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‘Stone, timber and brass bring the outside in and establish a natural sense of balance’

KESHA FRANKLIN

the kitchen features custom cabinets with marble bookmatch wall tiles. the stools are designed by craig bassam OPPOSITE PAGE a record Player by music hall audio and custom record console by halden interiors. the art is by the client’s mother

in the living room, a custom chaise sofa and vintage danish armchair. the coffee table is from west elm and the leather hide rug is from edelman

id quias esti officte landiore debit, volorehent, odipit renis expero occus

the kitchen features golden oak floors and artwork by form design studio OPPOSITE PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT a Pianca spazio wall unit with west elm Porcelain seafoam vases; the Primary bedroom with artwork by kelly o’neal and antique ‘karrington’ brass chandelier from arteriors; kesha franklin; a chenille bench by joybird and artwork by benjamin critton

id quias esti officte landiore debit, volorehent, odipit renis expero occus in the dining room, ‘stix’ Pendant led light by sonneman lighting and Pianca gamma chairs around a custom walnut dining table

everard read gallery ‘COUNTERPOINT’ CORNER COMPOSITION SOFA, POR, roche bobois STUDIO.W DIPPED WOODEN BOWL, R399, woolworths

MAPPING LIV BY PENELOPE STUTTERHEIME, OIL ON CANVAS, POR, ‘GIOIA WHITE’ MARBLE SLAB, POR, womag

STEEL FRAMED ROUND MIRROR, R3 650, knus

ARTERIORS ‘KARRINGTON’ PENDANT LIGHT, POR newport lighting

BEDBOX TUFTED OTTOMAN, R5 990, shf