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Exploring Ford’s Unique Home Design and Artistic Inspirations

Utilizing his carpentry background acquired during his time after art school, Ford revitalized his home by implementing a method known as sistering to bolster the compromised beams. In reimagining the kitchen space, he replaced the outdated particleboard cabinets with open shelving that he meticulously designed and drafted on graph paper for his builder. “When the inspectors came through, they remarked that this has clearly stood the test of time,” he shares with a smile, reflecting on their observations.

His selection of furnishings elegantly blends period style with his own aesthetic preferences. The basement kitchen features a distinctive Lacanche range framed by a medley of vintage blue-and-white Dutch and Portuguese tiles. Meanwhile, the upstairs paint hues draw inspiration from his travels in India, Mexico, and Morocco. Among the decor are pieces that embody an American spirit, like the Windsor bow-backed chair in the kitchen and the stately mahogany four-poster bed in the primary bedroom, adorned with ornate pineapple finials. There are also elements that diverge from American themes, including Louis XV fireplace tools in the living room and a selection of small German animal figurines that add an eclectic charm. Ford skillfully evokes a sense of history through contemporaneous touches, such as curtains made from Schumacher archival prints, artfully crafted by his friend Raffaella Hanley, a fashion designer with a flair for the unique.

With the elegant reinforcement of the ceiling beams and the thoughtful design of the kitchen’s shelving, Ford creates an inviting space. Outside the primary bedroom stands the exquisite 18th-century Chippendale carved mahogany four-poster bed from Salem, Massachusetts, while the walls are painted in complementary shades of Dalila and trim in Varsity Blues, both sourced from Benjamin Moore’s palette.

Ford’s art collection ascends the staircase, a culmination of years spent gathering pieces from cherished friends and esteemed artists such as Goya, Tiepolo, and Maria Sibylla Merian, whose works reflect his passion for the natural world. “Being in the presence of such art influences my work positively,” he reveals.

Although his new residence is compact, it offers an array of comforts. Ford enjoys reading by the fireplace in the kitchen and welcomes friends and family, including his two adult children, to stay in the upstairs spare room. “Those who aren’t fond of New York City seem to find solace in my home,” he remarks. However, he does encounter a challenge: a designated home studio. Unsatisfied with his arrangement in a small office overlooking the rear terrace, he transformed it into a vibrant haven filled with printed textiles and soft furnishings. For his painting endeavors, he cycles to a nearby rental studio, and occasionally, upon returning, he finds visitors inquiring about the plaque on his home’s facade that reads, “Aaron Burr House 1802.”

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www.architecturaldigest.com