Sophisticated Briarwood Cottage Boasts Designer Interiors, European Appeal

As soon as we peeked past the screen door of this sophisticated Briarwood cottage we knew we were in for a treat, and so are you. It’s filled with character, charm, and clever design elements. Just as we expected, it’s the home of a very talented interior designer, Lisa Henderson. It’s clear to see she’s taken a fresh approach to classic European style with an emphasis on comfort. Let’s just say, if Kate and William were searching for interior design help, they’d be very pleased with Henderson’s taste and talent.

Her serene color palette and attention to detail have produced a house that is truly a home, and now this adorable 1939 cottage can be yours. Henderson listed her 2,186-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home at 5011 Stanford Avenue for $759,000 just a few days ago with Clair Storey of Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s.

We’re are all intrigued by homes belonging to interior designers, so we rang Henderson up to ask a few questions and get the inside skinny on this Briarwood beauty.

What was your inspiration?
Lisa Henderson: My goal for the house, above anything, was comfort. We love to entertain and I always want to make sure people have a place to sit and they want to stay awhile! When the original house was less than 1,000-square-feet, people would ask how I got so many bodies in for a party. I would say, we just did!  We would put the bar on the screened-in front porch and turned it into a second living area. I still like to put a bar out there to pull the party across the house, or give people a surprise cocktail on their way in.

What about those beautiful paint and wallpaper choices?
Henderson: All of the paint throughout the house is by my favorite English paint company, Farrow & Ball. The living room is painted in Mizzle, the den area is Dimpse and the master bath and guest room are Pale Powder. It’s a color that looks really different in the two spaces because one has more light than the other. The wallpaper in the dining room is by Sanderson. The downstairs bath is by Zoffany and the master bedroom is by Sister Parish. Wallpapering up to the beam in the master was so much fun. A few people really questioned it before seeing it installed, but the effect it gives is so great. It really makes the room seem much larger and grander.

    

What is your favorite room and why?
Henderson: This is such a hard question! I have different favorites for different reasons. The kitchen and den areas are where we live most of the time. We love how comfortable and friendly it feels. But the master bedroom is what I will most about this house. I call it the treehouse.

Tell us about the updates and remodeling you did.
Henderson: This place was a wreck when we bought it!! I will never forget sitting at the closing table wondering if we had made the worst mistake. We spent two weeks refinishing floors, painted every wall, took up the linoleum in the kitchen and added crown molding throughout. Then we could start to tell it would all be OK in the end, although it was a very long road!

In 2013 we more than doubled the square footage of the house with an addition. We opened up the back wall so the kitchen overlooks a new den with an office. We added a laundry room and the master suite upstairs.

Our final project was the backyard. The brick patio against the back of the yard was original. When we did the remodel, we completed the path all the way around to meet the brick patio, and created another patio under the new covered porch. We added the synthetic turf and it’s turned out to be our favorite thing. It really extended our living area into the backyard and opened up our possibilities of use immensely. We even had my brother-in-law’s rehearsal dinner back there!

What do you like about Briarwood ?
Henderson: We love the neighborhood. I put the kids in the stroller and walk up to Inwood Village. It’s such a convenient neighborhood with so many great offerings.

This is a rare opportunity to nab a beautiful, move-in ready Briarwood cottage . It’s perfect for young professionals that value style, character, walkability and of course, love to entertain!