Interior designer Jessica Gersten has always possessed an innate understanding of scale, materiality and balance, spending many years in the fashion industry before parlaying her skills into the world of interiors. The designer’s most recent projects include two Tribeca apartments located one atop the other, sporting identical layouts – yet Gersten has produced two distinct, highly individual interiors. Effect sat down with the New York native to discuss the connection between fashion and interior design, and her love for ceramics and vintage.
You had a successful career in fashion before founding Jessica Gersten Interiors. How did this transition come about?
When I stopped working to have my second child, I knew that despite it having served me well, I didn’t want to go back into the field. At the time, I had developed a love for vintage furniture and had been spending a significant amount of time seeking out unique pieces. I decided to decorate my own apartment, and the process gave me the encouragement that it was something I could pursue. Then I started being approached by people to select the odd pieces for them before one particular mum took a big leap of faith and asked me to complete an apartment that Carol Egan had designed for her. It was such a beautiful backdrop within which to work, and I was able to finish the project for her. It set me on a path in the field.
What skills did you take from your fashion experience into interiors?
I didn’t realize it at the time but I can now grasp that on a macro level, the connection between working in fashion and interiors was inherent, which made the transition so natural. I had always worked for lifestyle brands, and aesthetics were always top priority, so I always saw things from that perspective. On a micro level, when you’re pulling together the perfect outfit, it’s all about proportion and balance and materiality.
When you’re pulling together the perfect outfit, it’s all about proportion and balance and materiality. The same logic applies to interiors—it’s an understanding of scale, textural and spatial dynamics.
Jessica Gersten
The same logic applies to interiors. It’s an understanding of scale, textural and spatial dynamics. When I design a room, I look to contrast fabrics – a chunky versus a flat weave, for example. Ultimately, everything needs to work together. In addition, the way that my clients dress also tells me a lot about their personal aesthetic.
What do you think defines your style, which you have referred to as ‘modern eclectic’?
I like to mix forms and shapes. I am always drawn to create something that moves me personally, that pleases me, and I love to use sculptural elements and contrast in every project.
This is evident in your two most recent projects in Tribeca which feel dynamic, calm and sophisticated all at once.
They’re the culmination of many ideas and developments in my practice. In the Pied A Terre project, I responded to the clients love for jewel tones, and I weaved them through the entire apartment, but also made sure to offset them with more neutral tones like walnut – which I used in almost all the bespoke millwork.
I then contrasted these materials with unfilled travertine (in the form of the custom coffee tables designed and fabricated by JGI), and cognac leather dining chairs. I also love to include playful elements, which in this case, was a novelty accent chair in the living room. The trick was also to balance heavy and light furniture and contemporary pieces with vintage elements, like the Bernini sconces, which bring in an element of glamour.
Your signature look is evident in the Tribeca penthouse, which has the exact same floor plan, yet the feel is distinctly different.
In this project, the client wanted a palette of neutral tones and materials. We used a lot of natural oak, natural and textured textiles and ceramics, which give the apartment a very calm and natural feel. We also covered the niche in the living room with an amazing custom fabric by Toyine Sellers and hung a Noguchi lantern. The geometry of the fitting, texture of the wallpaper and the floating console all come together in a relaxed but sophisticated way.
Both apartments removed the dividing wall between kitchen and living room, which left a void in the center of room. How did you approach the solution to this?
In the penthouse, the client wanted a bar area. Instead of a built-in, we designed a freestanding, plaster bar that straddles the two areas. In Pied a Terre, we created a double-sided banquette. On one side, it serves as a seating area for the kitchen area, and on the other, it functions as a server and storage unit. These are the situations and solutions that really excite and drive me as a designer.
4 rare design pieces chosen by Jessica Gersten:
Read more: Interior Designers I Interiors | Vintage | Design | Penthouses | Mid-Century | New York