Weekend Getaway

Deborah Lloyd’s home in upstate New York is a light-filled showcase of mid-century style

As the president and chief creative officer of Kate Spade New York, a fashion brand that is the epitome of all things girlie and fun, Deborah Lloyd’s typical workweek is an incredibly busy one. So come the weekend, she likes nothing better than to escape from Manhattan and head to her second home in Sullivan County, upstate New York – a modern, light filled house with views of the mountains and a lake.

The house features a clean, box-like architectural design, an aesthetic that is mirrored by the predominantly mid-century style of the interior.

“I love the mid-century modern look. They are design classics and the secret is in their name – there is a modernity to them that looks timeless,” says Lloyd. “I like it for the upstate home because the clean, unfussy lines go well with the austerity of the house.”

The style choice was also the ideal middle ground to reflect both Lloyd and her husband’s tastes. “I’m very feminine and girlie and my husband is very masculine, so mid century modern is a nice design compromise.

“Our city home in Brooklyn is a little bit more refined and classic, a little more ladylike, and there is more colour,” says Lloyd. “Our upstate home has more of a neutral palette because I wanted the colour to come from the views.”

This palette prevails throughout the house, with the furniture providing pops of colour. The black window frames provide a striking contrast to the white walls and create ‘framed’ views of the beautiful countryside surrounding the house. Many of them are French windows, helping to blur the lines between the outdoors and indoors while flooding the house with light.