FR Review:
A young designer unbound by the rules of a rigid aesthetic, Brett Helsham’s work is unfussy, beautiful and effortlessly cool. Her projects often play on the juxtaposition between calm, classic choices for furniture and lively accessorizing: a sumptuous midcentury couch in blue sits underneath a dazzling spiderweb mirror, a simple marble table is lit by a geometric pendant chandelier, and so on. A fan of patterned wallpaper, Helsham has a knack for finding fun choices for each client, like a stylish floral for a bachelorette who wanted something “feminine but modern” or the “Brooklyn Toile” she found for a Williamsburg couple (it incorporates the Coney Island Cyclone and the Notorious B.I.G. into a traditional “chinoiserie”). Art also plays a large role in Helsham’s projects, often making up a third of the budget. Usually the pieces are contemporary, but aren’t limited to a particular vibe: here, a stark black and white painting by Christopher Wool, there a playful snowglobe by Ligorano/Reese that simply reads “Conceptual Art.”
Helsham had a worldly childhood–before college she had lived in five far-flung locales including China, Australia and the truly exotic: suburban Ohio (though her designs aren’t particularly “international” in aesthetic, Helsham has a kind of citizen-of-the-world openness that informs her work). After a BFA from NYU and an MFA from the NYSID, she worked for designer Jon Call and then Wettling Architects before striking out on her own in 2014. Currently Helsham fields a staff of two out of her NeueHouse office, working on a select number of projects (both commercial and residential) and designing a furniture line.
Clients run the gamut, from a young art world publisher creating a beautiful-but-casual home to entertain (“I’m not one to demand the use of coasters from my guests”) to a couple in their sixties who need a dedicated room for video games (for real). They enjoy the process of working with Helsham, saying she is smart, professional and sharp with a “fun and chill demeanor”–this is a designer who can execute a gut reno of a landmarked building while cracking a joke about the mustache tattoo on her index finger. Rates, charged as a design fee and a markup on product, are standard, though references say Helsham can come in at a lower price point than a big firm without sacrificing quality. –Fred Nicolaus
Representative Client Comments:
“She translated my taste into something that will have staying power.” “I swear, my apartment has five separate floral prints in it, but it feels totally contemporary.” “She was often the person who acted as the liaison between the contractor and architect and kept us focused with clear agendas, post-meeting notes, and frequent emails.” “At one point, I wanted brass pulls in the kitchen. ‘Over my dead body,’ said Brett, and she was right. But when I insisted I didn’t want a trough sink for the bathroom, she understood I really meant it. She was great about knowing when to push me and when to hold back.” “She helped us pick every plumbing fixture, every light fixture, door knob, tile, paint color, the list goes on and on.” “I saw a picture of a tile on Pinterest, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. Brett was persistent and resourceful and was able to locate it in Italy...I more or less hugged her in the middle of Ikea at something like our third meeting when she gave me the news!”
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