BAGS Of STYLE

Designer Brett Heyman uses the same colour combos in her home – amethyst with coral, turquoise and emerald – as she does in her übercool accessories range… And with equal success

Accessories designer Brett Heyman dresses her family home in New york much like she does the world’s glitterati – in eye-catching fashion

‘i’m drawn to American fifties and Sixties style – it’s how i decorate my home’

This is a ‘red-carpet’ home

– the interiors equivalent of a best-dressed-list Oscars gown, accessorised with a diamond necklace and the kind of gorgeous clutch that gets fashionistas in a froth. And this is totally appropriate, as it happens to be the New York apartment of Brett Heyman, founder and creative director of Edie Parker, the brand of über-cool acrylic box-shaped evening bags held (and papped) in the wellmanicured hands of stars including Alexa Chung, Amy Poehler, Karlie Kloss and Reese Witherspoon. ‘I use the same colour mixes in my home as I do in my accessories line – amethyst with coral, turquoise and emerald,’ Brett says. ‘But it goes both ways. When I bought a malachite coffee table, I loved the shade and pattern so much, I was inspired to make a version in acrylic to use in my designs.’

Brett and her husband Greg bought the property in 2007. ‘We weren’t looking to move at the time, but a friend of Greg’s told us the apartment had become available,’ explains Brett. ‘When he was a kid, Greg used to call here for the same friend to go to school together – his friend’s parents still live here and we can wave at them across the courtyard. It’s in a wonderful location on a very special part of Lexington Avenue. Of course, we couldn’t resist it.’

The apartment features mostly south-facing windows and a layout that worked perfectly for the couple. Even so, redecorating was an extensive project. ‘It was a total gut job,’ says Brett. ‘It’s a pre-war building with great bones, but we wanted it to look more contemporary, so we took everything back to the studs.’ Structurally, the biggest changes were raising the height of the doors leading off the lobby to give a sense of scale and drama and removing a wall to increase the size of the kitchen. The décor itself has had a number of incarnations in the nine years the pair has lived here. ‘We moved in as newlyweds; now we have two children and another due any moment, so of course the design has had to adapt,’ says Brett. ‘My tastes have also changed. When we first moved in, I wanted mid-century and Seventies, but I felt that look dated too quickly. Then, I couldn’t get enough lacquer and Venetian plaster. Now I want wallpaper and paint!’

In practice, that means a fearless approach to colour and pattern, with each room treated individually, but working together to create a chic vibe. ‘We’re going for a happy feel – happy colours, happy art. When you have kids, you can’t do muted,’ says Brett. ‘Poor Greg; it’s me that drives the décor, although he gets a veto if there’s anything he really doesn’t like.’ In fact, he made only one request; that his Andy Warhol Flower prints be displayed together. ‘He bought them in LA before we were married and had them hung on one wall, like a neon garden,’ Brett recalls. Now they bloom against the black-lacquered lobby walls – a vibrant greeting for anyone entering the apartment.

Brett tends to fix on a single piece as the starting point for her design in each of the other rooms too. ‘I’d wanted a Yves Klein table forever and started looking for one when we moved here,’ she says. ‘When I found out that I could get one in pink, I was thrilled.’ The silvery sofas of a second sitting room were inspired by the chrome curves of a Paul Evans bar cabinet. ‘It’s very James Bond; the cylinders rotate to open, revealing the bottles and glasses inside,’ Brett explains.

The result is a home that’s hard-wired for glamour, with a current of irreverence running through it. ‘New York is hard and grimy,’ Brett says. ‘I wanted to create a counterpoint to that – a space that’s stimulating and fun.’

Learn more about Brett’s accessories brand at edie-parker.com

Bathroom ‘This Tiffany blue was inspired by a friend who painted her bathroom in the same colour,’ says Brett. ‘It’s a gender neutral colour, which makes it perfect for the kids.’ Get the look Vardo estate eggshell by Farrow & Ball is a similar paint...

dining area The banquette and café chairs lend a bistro feel, but the wall of children’s artwork makes this a totally personal space. Get the look The banquette is bespoke. Find similar chairs at Alexander & Pearl.

Kitchen ‘We took out a wall to combine two rooms and make the space bigger,’ says Brett. The peninsula unit doubles as a prep area and breakfast bar. Get the look The cabinetry was custom-made; try Chamber Furniture for similar. The sheepskin stool...

Living room This room’s décor has changed over the years, but the Yves Klein Table Rose has remained constant. ‘I’m kind of obsessed with tables,’ says Brett. Get the look The sofa is by Dunbar. The Lucite sculpture is by Yugoslavian artist Vasa...

Lobby Greg’s collection of Andy Warhol Flower prints make a striking first impression. Get the look This is a BDDW sideboard.

Second Living room The gleaming bar cabinet and velvet Chesterfields give the space the air of a glam private members’ club. Get the look The bar cabinet is by Paul Evans. These are Dunbar sofas. The malachite coffee table is by Ado Chale. This is a...

Living room ‘My husband Greg and I aren’t avid art collectors, but this piece caught our eye,’ says Brett. It’s also a contemporary use of two of her favourite Art Deco colours – coral and turquoise. Get the look The artwork is a selfportrait by...

master bedroom Brett and Greg’s bedroom looks simple, but an opalescent headboard and a vintage chandelier add glamour. ‘The light looks magical at night, when the crystals reflect across the ceiling,’ says Brett. Get the look the bed and headboard...

Kids’ bedroom ‘I love a sticker wall – I think it looks awesome!’ says Brett. ‘We all buy stickers to add to it.’ Get the look the beds are by Room&board. this is the chevron carpet by David Hicks.

closet Reflections in the Venetian glass used for the doors turn the master bedroom into a jewel box of trippy movements. Get the look this is the Hexagon House carpet by David Hicks.