Brooklyn
onfidential C
pPlaywright Arthur Miller, who spent his teenage years in the Midwood area, once
described Brooklyn as a collection of villages.
Carol Chera can attest that’s still true today. This
mother of five has spent her whole life in Miller’s
erstwhile southeast Brooklyn neighborhood. What’s more,
her extended family lives just a short hop away, if that.
Carol, husband Ike, and their five children—four girls and a
boy, ranging from ages 19 down to 4—are happily ensconced. “I
love having my kids around me,” she says. “We play board games
on snowy days. We’re really like the Waltons; it’s almost that corny.”
But that clan never lived like this. Carol’s tastes are urbane—
and so is her home. Architect Warren Meister built it for the
Cheras about eight years ago, designing it to blend into its
neighborhood of freestanding houses and tree-lined streets.
Inside, the flowing rooms are human in scale but still generous,
with graceful woodwork, fine paneling, and coffered ceilings. But
life had somehow gotten in the way of decorating. “We slept on
a mattress on the floor,” admits Carol.
That started to change four years ago, when interior designer
William McIntosh stepped in to help decorate the house. “I’m
a control freak, but when it comes to Bill, I surrender,” Carol
offers. “Whatever I dream about, he takes to the next level.”
Taking cues from her wardrobe—and combining them with
his own aesthetic sensibilities—McIntosh chose a sophisticated
neutral palette. He’s one of those rare designers who can make
neutral colors exciting. “There’s so much more than beige,” he
explains. “So that it doesn’t get boring, you need to pull in a
range of tones, from the depth of warm black to cool, icy whites.”
He combined that nuanced palette with tremendous textural
variety—silk and felt, lacquer and plaster, hammered bronze and
Opposite: A Pat Steir painting and luscious lacquer mean high drama
for the dining room. Above: Samuel & Sons bullion fringe, Holland &
Sherry pillows, and a striking tufted pattern give the living room
banquette its elegance. Right: In the entry hall, Roman Thomas
lighting and curtains in Bergamo fabric soften stone floors from Paris
Ceramics. Erik Gunner Asplund designed the leather easy chair in
1925. The side table is from McGuire. Preceding pages: Curtains in
Osborne & Little wool fabric frame the living room’s arched windows.
The marble-topped bronze coffee table is from Matthews & Parker.
