At the end of 2020, fashion designer Carly Cushnie became one of the most high-profile talents forced to close their businesses due to the pandemic. For independent designers like Cushnie who specialize in evening wear and going-out clothes, the shutdown had proved especially brutal. But the London-born designer—who first made her mark on the New York fashion world as the cofounder of Cushnie et Ochs—was determined to prove that the closing of one door could lead to the opening of a new one.
And now, it seems, it has. Cushnie recently completed her first interior design project, a two-bedroom apartment in a landmark building in TriBeCa, marking the first step into a projected expansion into the interiors business. “Interiors have been a lifelong passion of mine, but it was only after I closed my brand that I had the time to work on any projects aside from my own homes,” she says. Her fashion creations, she explains, have long been inspired by the proportions, colors, shapes, and lines of interiors and architecture. “I’ve always loved the connection between the two disciplines,” she adds.
The apartment was commissioned by a longtime client of Cushnie’s, who had also admired the designer’s own home, a brownstone in Brooklyn. “I love Carly’s taste, and when she told me she wanted to design some interiors I immediately jumped at the chance,” says the client. “I trust her eye in everything.”
“She gave me a lot of creative freedom, which was lovely for a first project,” adds Cushnie.
As Cushnie explains, her goal was to create a “clean, calm, and relaxing space” while also reflecting the homeowner’s personal style, which she describes as “Parisian chic.” Cushnie started with color, painting the living room walls the faintest shade of pinkish sand (Dimity by Farrow & Ball). “It’s not overwhelmingly pink but just enough to give the space some dimension and depth,” she explains.
The sofa, chairs, and cocktail table, all from Lulu and Georgia, flaunt clean lines and subtle curves that might remind Cushnie fans of the designer’s signature slinky minimalism. The star of the room, however, is surely the lighting: two rose glass starburst ceiling pendants that punctuate the room as glamorously as a pair of statement earrings. “They create the most beautiful glow,” she says.
The homeowner, who is Indian American, was keen on incorporating the work of Indian artists and makers into her home. With that in mind, Cushnie sourced a console for the entryway from Kubi, a retailer based in Bengaluru, India. The slender black and white bone inlay table makes the most drama out of its small footprint and, as Cushnie points out, introduces hints of black that are echoed in the living room rug and the kitchen stools. For the wall behind the sofa, Cushnie procured a painting by contemporary Indian American artist Amrit Rai that adds another note of pink to the living room.
When it came to the bedroom, Cushnie had slightly more trouble finding the right artwork, so she ended up creating a wall hanging from an Indian textile. “It’s made of vintage saris,” she explains. The bedroom is anchored by the deep blue navy of the bed’s headboard and set off by linen bedding in shades of flax and turmeric. “I’ve never been afraid of color and I love playing with texture,” says Cushnie.
“The whole design is so serene and beautiful,” says the happy client. “It has a light, ethereal quality but also a warmth that makes it feel like home.”
Beyond becoming New York’s most glamorous new decorating gun for hire, Cushnie says she is open to designing home accessories and furniture as well. Still, loyal fans of her ready-to-wear needn’t worry. “I’m not done with fashion,” she says. “I’ve got some projects going on there too.”
See Inside Carly Cushie’s First Interior Design Project
