A Design-Savvy Duo's Enviable NYC Digs

Jeanine and Bryan are the founders of AphroChic, a New York-based interior design firm. With the company’s motto of modern, soulful style, it’s no surprise that their home, located in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, is an ode to global culture at home. Their live-work space, part home, part design studio, is infused with a cultural aesthetic that is unmistakably AphroChic.

White walls warmed with wood floors create the canvas on which this living room is created. Dating from the mid-1800s, this Brooklyn home is filled with original architectural accents. Interior designers and homeowners Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason tailored their design to accentuate those details for a subtle and sophisticated design.

Bright pops of color in unexpected places keep the living room feeling fresh and lively throughout. Above the fireplace, a bright pink juju hat, originally a sign of nobility worn by royalty and aristocrats in the Cameroon, hangs in a regal position, bringing color to the room.

The key to the couple’s design aesthetic is layering contemporary, prewar and cultural elements seamlessly. In this entryway where crown molding sets the stage, a Moroccan pouf bought during travels sits together with a basket the two designed with a women’s collective in Rwanda. A collection of art also highlights this area including a silhouette photograph of Bryan and a message of social activism by artist Ann Lewis.