In a quaint brownstone in Manhattan’s West Village, Lindsay Falconer has created a home for her growing family—one that feels sophisticated yet comfortable, grand but not stuffy. It’s a difficult balance to achieve, but that’s not even the most commendable design aspect of Falconer’s home. (The designer began her career as a Vogue assistant, before going on to work at Daniel Romaldez’s lauded architecture and decorating firm and then launching her own eponymous design practice.) A tour around the space feels even more impressive when you learn that the well-appointed apartment, featuring custom window treatments and a shifting array of Rose Uniacke wall colors, is, in fact, a rental.
“We don’t necessarily know how long we will be in any given apartment, but our family is growing and we want our space to feel like home for the kids,” says Falconer, who, as of this month, is now the mother of two girls. “I think it’s worth the time and money to paint walls, make draperies, and buy significant pieces of furniture and art for our space for the time that we will be here,” she says.
Though Falconer’s lease certainly limited her from implementing those longer-lasting changes she makes on a day-to-day basis at the homes of her clients, she did take advantage of smaller cosmetic upgrades that have a big impact. First was her choice to repaint her white walls a less clinical shade of white. “It may sound crazy, but just changing the tone of the white walls from a very sterile bright white made all of the difference, and created a better backdrop for my art and furnishings, which all have vibrant, glowing colors.” Her shade of choice? “Soft Chamois” by Benjamin Moore.
Next was her desire to dress the windows in textiles. “I have always justified custom draperies by repurposing them later on. The easiest way is to use the fabric to make throw pillows, but you can also use curtain fabric for Roman shades in a new space. Or, use the fabric for a headboard, window seat, or chair cushions—the possibilities are endless!”
A gorgeous brocade-cloth-covered console greets visitors, before you step into her living room, you’ll find a pair of green velvet Austrian Art Deco armchairs and a lucite-legged ottoman upholstered in fabrics from Claremont Rose. “I always reupholster existing pieces every few years (and moves) to make them feel new again—I am also always rotating the throw pillows on my sofa, which is also a nice way to refresh a room.” Overhead, a large fern painting by Helen Kohnke Winston adds a punch of color—the artist, like Falconer, is from New Orleans, and throughout the apartment, Falconer has paid subtle homage to her hometown. See the antique orange lumbar pillow from beloved New Orleans pillow and textile emporium B. Viz.
“I have always been drawn to antiques and French interiors, but as my style has evolved, I have started to gravitate towards the mix of both antique and modern furnishings,” Falconer explains. Plus, she’s had to bring a few masculine touches to her largely feminine tastes. “My style and aesthetic have always leaned feminine, airy, and delicate, but when I got married, I had to pare this back a bit for my husband’s sake… It is a great place to both host friends for a glass of wine and watch a Manchester United match.”
In one nursery, custom shades with fabric from Soane, a daybed from Serena Lily, and an antique stool from Falconer’s mom’s childhood bedroom fill the sophisticated yet playful room. “I designed Philippa’s nursery before we moved into our apartment and before finding out the gender, so I just leaned into very happy, gender-neutral colors and prints.”
For the second nursery, which was created with the clever addition of a wall that sliced off a small portion of the living room, Falconer leaned into femininity. “Unlike Philippa’s room, which became much more playful and childlike as she became older, I really wanted to keep Daphne’s room very sophisticated and elegant.” Here, Grafclean in Peach from Rose Uniacke envelops the room, which is furnished with a Tulip chair from John Derian, an antique dresser from Doyle Auctions, and a custom shade with fabric from Pierre Frey. The small space is one Falconer is most proud of.
As for her own bedroom, Falconer continues her appreciation of luxurious fabrics. Her bedhead is wrapped in a mohair from Rogers and Goffigon, a Saved NY blanked adds a geometric pattern, while her Leontine Linens bedding is embroidered with twisting vines and a monogram. An onyx pedestal invites Falconer to punctuate it with fresh flowers from time to time.
“I put so much consideration into every element of the design process,” she says, noting that flexibility is always an important part of her process: For example, she’s repurposed her dining table into a large console table since her dining space is now the children’s playroom. The most beautiful spaces, for Falconer, are the ones that evolve to fit the needs of the people who inhabit them. “Plus, whenever the day comes that we do move into our ‘forever home,’ we will be able to decorate at least the first layer with all of the furnishings and art that we have collected over the years,” she adds.
