The retail arm of the business became known as Briar, opening its shop doors in summer 2021 after a six-month renovation, mostly consisting of cosmetic upgrades like painting and floor refinishing. “I actually still have portraits of the original owners who built the house and ran the store,” Kimberly adds. In another stroke of magic, the space’s original built-in shelving from its apothecary days was still intact, a perfect place to merchandize her array of thoughtfully collected and expertly curated homewares. Goods are sourced from both neighboring farms and international destinations alike, particularly highlighting the work of female artisans and sustainable handicraft.
Kimberly turned the back of the shop into her full-fledged design studio, operating as the official workspace for Bevan Interiors. “Thankfully, I’ve met a lot of my interior design clients through the shop,” she says. “It’s like a direct portal into my aesthetic.” Today, her portfolio includes both local homes around the Catskills and NYC-based projects stemming from meet-cutes at Briar.
With the initial focus on launching Briar, she turned her attention next to the 1,500-square-foot apartment upstairs. Removing old lead paint from the walls and unearthing original wood floors from underneath dozens of coats of paint were just some of the initial tasks at hand.
Kimberly found creative solutions to meld the historic charm with modern touches, bringing together an eclectic farmhouse style and elements of her cosmopolitan tastes. “Having grown up in the English countryside then living in New York City and now spending time in Andes, the house feels like a reflection of all these aspects of my life,” she says. A burl wood cabinet in the corner of the living room was acquired from her father who happens to be in the antique furniture business, while a pink mohair ottoman in front of the sofa was found at an upstate barn sale, a remnant from the former Barney’s New York changing rooms.
