“As she read, at peace with the world and happy as only a little girl could be with a fine book and a little bowl of candy, and all alone in the house, the leaf shadows shifted and the afternoon passed.”

– Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn 

With its leafy treetop view, this charming corner bedroom offers a space for respite and quiet contemplation - a place to curl up with a good book or to get lost in one’s thoughts over the course of an afternoon.  The room was designed with this feeling of expansiveness in mind.  The floral silhouette wallpaper on a blue background connects the room to the sky, the gently swaying branches, and the passing shadows just beyond the windows.  Ivory window treatments and an abundance of natural wood keep the space bright and airy, while punches of color from the textiles and furniture reference the vibrancy of the cityscape and sidewalks below.  

In recent years our firm has been inspired by the craftsmanship, artistry, and timeless character of British design both old and new.  We’ve included several pieces from the UK in our room, ranging from the antique dresser and bamboo etagere to the bedside tables made in London specifically for the Showhouse in Farrow & Ball’s Preference Red.  The wallpaper and many of the fabrics are designed and printed in the UK, and the subject of the contemporary photograph above the bed is the naturalistic, wild English countryside.

On a personal note, the first time I ever set foot in Brooklyn was to visit a dear friend living on Monroe Place. She was working in an art gallery and I was working in the museum world, and now we are both interior designers who love what we do.  Having the opportunity to design a room in this year’s Showhouse feels like coming full circle, and because I now live and work in Brooklyn Heights, it also feels like coming home.