Jesse Parris-Lamb’s hack for the optimal night’s sleep?

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A bedroom wrapped in cork with a grain so rich in movement, it’s as if it dances across the walls. “It helps with sound absorption and to create a warm, cocoon-like space,” says the studio co-founder Whitney Parris-Lamb. She and her design partner Amanda Jesse are fans of the once-retro, now-trending material: “Cork is great on walls, floors, and furniture too… there are so many different variations,” says Amanda.

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The Experts were hired by a self-confessed bibliophile couple who struggled with sleep. Planning had already started with their architect, The Brooklyn Studio, and the vision was clear: “They had visited a lot of historic houses and wanted us to reference the warmth and the functionality of a Frank Lloyd Wright home with lots of built-in seats and millwork moments,” remembers Amanda. “In every room, they wanted a place where they could kick back, relax, and read—and they enjoy doing this horizontally.”

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The house, an early 1900s neo-Tudor looking out onto Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, is unique thanks to its stately facade. But having been renovated several times over, the interiors were devoid of original features and lacked the lofty volumes of a classic brownstone. “The challenge was to make it feel homey, comfortable, and lived-in through color, pattern, and furniture,” explains Whitney. “We had to add as many layers as possible to make the rooms feel alive.”

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Another major dilemma was ensuring the house felt bright. One clever way of maximizing light streaming through the front door was to add a glass wall between the entrance and the living room. Because it’s fluted, silhouettes are obscured, and passers-by can’t see in. The dining nook and kitchen also required more lighting sources as the project progressed: “We used the same sconce over and over so that it didn’t feel like a lighting showroom,” explains Amanda.

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Checking the box for desired woodwork while uniting the open-plan areas downstairs is a continuous run of built-ins that takes the form of bookshelves in the living room, then morphs into a pair of drawers in the dining area, and ends with a generous daybed in the kitchen. Tying it altogether is a lick of Farrow & Ball’s Green Smoke. “Introducing this color with wood feels earthy and neutral,” says Whitney. “It’s a good backdrop for a lot of spaces.”

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The green theme continues in the powder room, where a feat of expertly engineered enamel makes for an unforgettable sink. “That pop of color is really successful in a room that otherwise wouldn’t have much going on. The Pyrolave material took a little convincing for the client, but it’s extremely durable and works best in saturated, jewel tones,” says Amanda.

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Upstairs, the couple settled for a petite bedroom but still managed to squeeze in an upholstered window seat. An adjoining hybrid dressing-come-bathroom (Whitney christened it “the boudoir”) means the space can function purely as sleeping quarters (concealed blackout blinds and a newly installed shutter over the stained-glass window ensures not a peep of light gets in).

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The biggest space of all was given over to a family room where George Smith’s Turkish sectional imposes itself alongside a pair of Jesse Parris-Lamb’s own Grete ottomans. Based on a vintage ottoman by R.M. Schindler that Amanda and Whitney had admired at auction, it’s comprised of a wooden base with a cubic cushion. The Grete’s low profile makes it the perfect footstool, occasional table, or—as Whitney’s son favors—a base for board games. “We find it's a super functional and versatile piece,” says Whitney. And of course, it provides another opportunity to inject texture.

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The setting provides the ultimate movie-night comfort for the couple and their daughter. “We're not usually big sectional people,” admits Amanda. “We’re more likely to go for a sofa and chairs or a loveseat, but taking over the whole room with one big upholstered piece was a bold move that paid off. It just feels cozy.” Bonus: extra room for those coveted weekend reading sessions.

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