City Homes
July 26, 2023
A Design Collab Between Friends Results In A Reimagined Family Home
Jo Levitan and Maayan Kessler have the easy rapport of friends who’ve known each other since they were teens. They chat like sisters, swap advice and share inspiration. They even became mothers around the same time five years ago. So, when Jo came across a midtown Tudor-style house with six bedrooms and irresistible heritage charm in a good school district, she called Maayan to see if she might be interested in collaborating on the design. “We’d always talked about working together,” says Maayan, “but nothing had been firmly decided,” adds Jo. “Eventually, the stars aligned.”
The listing came through at the height of the pandemic, when Jo and her husband, Sam Lipson, weren’t actively looking to move from their downtown Victorian — they were too busy wrangling their daughters while Sam, a restaurateur, also worked toward opening Manita, his latest restaurant. Jo wrote off the viewing, but Sam insisted they take a look. “It was the first and only house we saw,” she says. When Jo and Maayan discussed the design project, it was clear they were on the same page: the look would be modern European — they’d keep enough of the original architecture to preserve the character, then gut the rest. Although Maayan leans toward an open, modern look while Jo skews traditional, “we come together on a lot of our aesthetic choices,” says Jo. “And if we’re both crazy about something, we know it’s got to be good.”
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Jo with her husband, Sam, and their daughters Lou (left) and Stella. The family stayed with Sam’s parents during the renovation. The monumental staircase, with its grand archway, became a hero of the design, though Jo describes the decision to demolish a second archway to clear access to the living room as “devastating.” But opening up the layout allowed for contemporary, Maayan-esque additions such as the long desk under a new picture window off the kitchen, and the bold principal ensuite in what once was the fourth bedroom.
On the fundamentals of millwork, for instance, they both agreed. They added to the existing crown moulding, and introduced chair rails and panelling. Antique pieces and heated black and cream checkered floors provide a warm welcome in the foyer.
The kitchen’s marble slab and integrated shelf were inspired by the Parisian kitchen of architect Joseph Dirand. Subtle, Shaker-style cabinets adorned with unlacquered brass hardware and fixtures are the epitome of sophistication. “I naturally gravitate toward Shaker-style cabinets,” says Jo. “I didn’t want to rewrite the map.” Jo found a slab of marble just wide enough to bridge the cabinets. Original Cesca stools and antique, mid-century Italian sconces are vintage touches.
It’s a testament to the friends’ collaboration that they managed to dismantle the main floor to the studs, reconfigure most of the upstairs and stitch it all back together in under a year, when Covid restrictions meant they couldn’t just hop into stores to feel tile samples.(They also give credit to their contractors from South Park Design Build.) The new picture window above the built-in desk — a last-minute decision — beautifully frames the ivy outside.
For the powder room sink, they earmarked a dynamic block of Calacatta Viola marble. They were so captivated, they ordered more for the ensuite. “The fabricator called to warn us about the antique-looking golden background,” says Maayan. “The contractor thought it was a mistake; everyone was telling us this was a ‘no.’ ” Jo adds: “Stone is so personal, but we were aligned. We loved it!”
New wall panelling and a vintage Italian chandelier complement the dining room’s original leaded glass windows.
Because the living room ceiling is only nine feet high, a neutral palette — anchored by Benjamin Moore’s Oxford White — makes the space feel airier. Jo added dimension with furniture, textiles and art.
They recouped an old step-down sunroom for the principal bedroom, having cabinets built in to the slope to make it feel like part of the room. Vintage lighting has a softening effect.
Mixing different marbles gives the principal ensuite a European aesthetic.
The custom white oak vanity with marble top resembles freestanding furniture; the sconce has a mid-century look.
Lou’s double spindle bed frame is sophisticated enough to see her through her teens.
In their vision for Jo’s home, Maayan and Jo stuck to their guns in every way. And the next time they collaborate, it’ll be as Kessler Levitan Design.
Lauren Miller
Maayan Kessler and Jo Levitan