When the interior design of a new home in Old Westbury, Long Island coincided with the birth of the homeowners’ infant daughter, a brand new chapter was cause for dual celebrations. “Our clients moved in the week that they had their third child, a sweet baby girl,” says interior designer Monica Fried, principal of Monica Fried Design. “We literally birthed at the same time. She birthed a baby, and we birthed our ‘baby,’ a beautiful, curated forever home.” To achieve an everlasting aesthetic, Fried blended Pierre Frey, Dedar, Mokum and Crosby Street Studios fabrics with deliberately neutral tones to complement the homeowners’ art collection. The designer’s mantra for this project, “Keep it livable and chic,” exceeded all expectations.
“The views into to the dining room are so amazing, a truly ahhhh moment when we were installing,” Fried recalled. The aim of creating stylish, child-friendly spaces like this was based on the liberal use of long-lasting textiles. “Our objective was to find fabrics and carpets that would live up to the wear and tear of toddlers, yet still look worthy of the special pieces that we were using in the project,” Fried said. “We worked with all of our favorites but focused on finding durable and forgiving pieces that would work for a young family and their needs. Nothing is too precious.”
Old Westbury is an area of primary residences, so the interior designer leaned into an ambiance of refinement over seaside casual. “I love the Brazilian lounge chairs by Jorge Zalszupin in the living room, such a chic moment that helped guide the rest of the selections,” Fried said. “We love incorporating mid-century pieces in all of our projects to inject personality and make new spaces feel more authentic. I especially love the elevated, organic vibe of the Brazilian mid-century designers, and Zalszupin is always a standout.”
Fried combined neutrals, wood and stone to give each space depth and interest. “The homeowners are interested in collecting art, so the neutral tones will give them more flexibility as their collection evolves,” she noted. “We think this home hits the right notes of timelessness with a modern, sophisticated flair.”
“We joined the project at mid-construction and were able to influence the material selections and vibe of the interiors. With these clients, our synchronization was exceptional on all the design selections,” Fried said. “The process took about nine months from design presentation to move-in.” Here, the kitchen dining area showcases plaster pendant lights by Condor, a table from Stahl + Band and David Gaynor dining chairs.
The baby’s room is a departure from the design seen in the rest of the home. “This was our clients’ third baby but first daughter, so we knew the room needed to be a sweet ‘wow.’ Our clients are not trendy, so we found the sophisticated floral Gucci wallpaper and worked from there.” A custom bed finished in blush-toned boucle and nightstands by Made Goods complete the enchanting look.
Photography by Nicole Franzen.
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