Leyden Lewis: A Brooklyn Home with Art at Heart
Photographs by David A. Land
New York interior designer Leyden Lewis is both the name and creative drive behind the Leyden Lewis Design Studio. For the last sixteen years Leyden has made his home in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, in a beautifully appointed apartment that he shares with his partner, Lazhar and their dog, Nika. For many, creating the feel of a whole home in the 800 square foot, open-plan space would pose a daunting challenge. But for Leyden the challenge has been a nearly two-decade-long opportunity to test his abilities and try out new ideas.
When Leyden and Lazhar first found the apartment in 2003, the former factory had just been converted into apartments, and they were the home’s first residents. Describing his design aesthetic as, “art-curated, layered, modernism,” Leyden embarked on a design journey in the space which has continued to this day centering - of course - around the couple’s extensive collection of art, which can be found on nearly every surface and adorning every wall.
It’s easy for a small space to feel cramped even with little or nothing in it. Yet throughout this space Leyden mixes many different forms, styles, and types of art, tying them all together in a color palette that not only accommodates his various collections but makes the space feel larger and more airy. The living room is a study in warm neutrals with pops of blue and black that set the stage for the oversized black-on-black artwork that is the room’s centerpiece.
Finding room to seat six around a dining table is a challenge in just about any New York apartment. Leyden, however remembers the dining room as being one of the easiest rooms to design. The live-in art gallery feel of the home continues in this space with pieces on display on every wall and the cute ceramic banana centerpiece on the table. Though directly connected to the living room, the dining room feels distinct and separate, which is an intentional result of the design. “It’s all one space,” Leyden maintains, “with visual links and details to designate one area from the other.”
As the unit was new when they arrived, Leyden and Lazhar had little to do by way of renovation. Instead, what renovation has taken place over the years Leyden remembers as, “adding interior-architectural components that just didn’t exist.” Many of these additions were designed to address the homes bigger needs, storage being chief among them. Fortunately, the dining room architecture offered a perfect opportunity. “The niche created by the space between two existing wall-columns seemed an ideal place to design the bookshelves and display,” the designer remembers.
Everything in this home is art. Even in this small cross-section of the bookshelf everything from the books to the figurines and the ceramics on the bottom shelf come together to create a moment and express a perspective. “I love the fact that everything we have collected has been selected with care and thoughtfulness,” says Leyden. For him, it’s these small details and the reflection of personalities more than anything else that makes the space feel like a home.
For Leyden and Lahzar art is as essential to their living space as furniture - and both often arrive at the home in the same way. “We collected the art and furniture pieces over time while traveling,” Leyden remembers. Opposite the living room, this gallery wall shows the couple’s full range of tastes with a variety of paintings and even a life-sized sculpture. At the same time, artistic pieces of furniture like the modern bentwood bar stool and colorful pouf play a similar role, adding notes of color and whimsy to the space.
Much like blending furniture from different eras to make a coherent design, the designer’s ability to mix a variety of artistic styles in this gallery wall is equally remarkable. A close examination shows abstract portraits and text art alongside photography and illustrations. And down at the bottom an astute eye will catch a popular superhero making his way through a surreal fantasy world. More than paint and canvas, the pieces are ways to remember old friends and past adventures. “The objects have stories trapped within them,” Leyden muses, “and a history of friendships and experiences.”
There is also a quiet moment of a solitary piece across from the dining room. And in the hallway near the entry is one of Leyden’s favorite pieces. This “larger than life” drawing by artist, Chinatsu Seya is a quiet statement but a powerful one. Yet its detailed greyscale depiction of what Leyden calls, “the most lush dreadlocks,” is only the start of its appeal. “It’s over-scaled for the space,” the designer also notes, “which really makes an impact.”
Though he resolutely maintains that he has no single favorite space in his home, Leyden nevertheless admits that, “how the sleeping area is defined is very special.” Where the rest of the home is divided into distinct areas by small stylistic shifts, this is the only space to be specifically sectioned off. When closed, the curtain wall offers a soft barrier that completes the living room while creating privacy in the bedroom. When opened, the bedroom becomes part of the living room decor, opening the space and adding further light.
Within the bedroom’s confines, the low furnishings and extensive use of “empty” space evoke a distinctly minimalist feel which Leyden calls, “a nod to traditional Japanese design.” Stylistically, it’s a striking counterpoint to the rest of the apartment, and a perfect moment of respite. For Leyden, who states that the bedroom design is now in its fourth iteration, it continues to be a work in progress, just like the rest of his home. “As a designer it’s complicated settling on a single idea in my personal space,” he says. “I’m never quite convinced the design process is over. Instead I view it as a laboratory for continual experimentation.”
