Talk Shop: Lexi Brandfon // Lex & Hudson
ABOUT LEXI
Lexi Brandfon is the founder and principal of Lex & Hudson, an interior design firm known for its laid-back sophisticated style with a timeless and effortless look. As a decades-long resident of New York City, Lexi has familiarity with a wide variety of design styles reflective of the diversity of the city’s residents. She renovated her first house in 2015 and officially started Lex & Hudson in 2019. Lexi graduated from Emory University and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and three children. We loved chatting with Lexi, and hope you enjoy our latest Talk Shop.
Describe your style in three words or less:
Chic, classic, layered
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
Growing up in a really old house and being surrounded by so many others with storied histories, quirks, and character that new homes don’t have
How did you start your company, and/or what is your favorite thing about what you do:
I started organically with a renovation in my Brooklyn townhome. Friends came over, saw what I did and started asking for help with their homes. It just kind of grew from there. I realized that I knew a lot more than the average person as my grandmother had an antique store growing up and my family has always been serial renovators and in real estate in some form or fashion. My favorite thing about what I do is helping people develop their vision and pulling them over the finish line to a home they couldn’t execute themselves. It’s really magical as I truly believe having a home you love is so important for a happy life!
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
I have a few women with whom I check in from different parts of my life who are all in design. They provide a much-needed perspective when I have a tricky situation or when I was starting they’d be there when I was second guessing myself and helping me power through!
What does your home say about you:
My home evolves as my family does and while I have certain pieces I love and would never get rid of I’m constantly tweaking, adding, and editing in my own home. So I guess it says that I know when to invest, edit, and evolve!
Where do you find inspiration:
Vacations, antique stores, hotels, restaurants, and nature!
Who are your style icons:
Chloe Sevigny for her swagger, Sienna Miller for her natural beauty, Kate Middleton for her class, Blake Lively for her effortlessness
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Good music, good lighting, interesting people, humor
Do you collect anything:
I have a collection of really nice scarves from my grandmother, and gorgeous ceramics from my mother-in-law both of which I add to. I collect art that speaks to me from all different kinds of sources and have fun finding new walls for them from time to time.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
@brownstone_voyeur, @upstate_down, @buchanan.studio, @sarahbrowninteriors, and @jhinteriordesign.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
I can’t stand a rug that’s too small, so I always follow that rule! I don’t always follow rules about where to put lighting or how high to put it because I think lighting is like jewelry and sometimes you want it to make a statement! It shouldn’t always be symmetrical or at a certain height because it really depends on circumstances!
What are you working on right now:
Two renovations in Manhattan and three in Brooklyn. Also seven furnishing projects of various sizes. Oh and desperately trying to find the time to plan a renovation for our family’s lake cottage.
Wardrobe staples:
Long colorful dresses, great jeans, a great flat, whether a loafer or sandal (loving Sezane right now), and earrings, always earrings
Favorite fabric/wallpaper:
Kelly Ventura floral papers, Zak and Fox small-scale prints, and love the tone of Castel’s linen fabrics right now
Best interior advice you ever received:
Don’t think about resale value. That shouldn’t be part of your equation when renovating!
Best career advice you ever received:
Know your superpower!
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
I think it’s important to invest in pieces you just LOVE or a classic piece you’ll want to pass on. I also think an investment in lighting always pays off. Depending on the room, it’s possible to save on rugs by using jute for example. I think saving on console tables and nightstands is okay too!
Your greatest extravagance:
Hotels and experiences on vacation
Favorite places to shop for home:
Litchfield County, CT, and Dutchess County, NY have the best antique stores that I adore browsing in
Most prized possession and why:
Family photos, heirloom jewelry, and my vintage LV and Chanel bags from my grandmother and mother because well… family!
Your interiors motto:
Measure twice, cut once
Your life motto:
It’s never too late
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Buy what you LOVE and you’ll figure out how it all goes together.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Salad Nicoise
Drink: Wine
Film: Anything Wes Anderson
Hotel: Troutbeck currently
City: Brooklyn!
Bedding: John Robshaw
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Coffee with a splash of milk and sugar
Playlist: Khruangbin, Devendra Banhart, Maggie Rogers, Talking Heads
Weekend Activity: Ideally tennis, a hike, riding, or hanging on a lake or ocean beach somewhere with my husband and the kids!
Design Book: I really love looking at old magazines and media and using that as a window into design in that time period