Brooklyn Restaurant Chic

By Lauren Sherman
July 1, 2011

Seersucker

Seersucker restaurant in Brooklyn

Seersucker These days, it’s hard not to find interior inspiration in Carroll Gardens, home to quintessentially “Brooklyn” restaurants like homey Frankies 457 and Buttermilk Channel (not to mention a host of hip boutiques like Bird, whose owner, Jen Mankins, we spoke to earlier this week). These Brooklyn eateries pair locally-sourced, comfort food meals with decorative accents inspired by everything from turn-of-the-century general stores to contemporary Japanese furniture.

left: Seersucker owner Kerry Diamond and her boyfriend/business partner, Rob Newton

One of our favorites is Seersucker, a modern Southern restaurant on Smith Street’s bustling restaurant row. Co-owner Kerry Diamond—a former magazine editor who juggles a full-time job as a big-time publicist with managing Seersucker—is the mastermind behind the joint’s modern-but-cozy look. We love everything from the long wooden boxes used to store silverware to the vintage record album covers used sparingly to decorate the bathrooms. Diamond recently shared her interior design ideas with us.

This Inside Source: When you first decided to open Seersucker, what was your vision for the decor?

Kerry Diamond: My boyfriend and business partner, Rob Newton, really had the original vision. He wanted something clean and minimalist, but welcoming. Some people have said it looks very modern farmhouse. That pretty much sums it up.

Seersucker

The Inside Source: How did you go about sourcing items?

Kerry Diamond: We used a variety of sources. We did a road trip down south about eight months before the restaurant opened and we hit every interesting second-hand store we saw. Our favorite was in the Arkansas Delta next to a gas station in the middle of some cotton fields. We came back with milk crates, crocks, vintage cookbooks and old rolling pins. We get a lot from the local hardware store, including the Mason jars we use as water glasses and candle holders. The bathroom is decorated with framed albums from Southern alternative rock bands, like R.E.M's Murmur and Big Star's #1 Record. I found all of those on eBay. And then there's good old Ikea.

The Inside Source: Did you find anything surprising in your search that ended up working out really well?

Kerry Diamond: I'm a big music fan and I still love LPs, so the albums make me smile every time I see them. The old crocks have been really useful. We use them as vases on the bar, planters in the window and the umbrella holder in the entrance way.

Seersucker

The Inside Source: The restaurant has a very homey feel but it's also very crisp and modern—it doesn't feel "purposefully old." How do you think you were able to achieve that?

Kerry Diamond: I think it comes down to the design and the materials. Neither Rob nor I like restaurants that have a lot of stuff or clutter. So it's sparse on purpose. The whitewashed brick wall, the reclaimed snow-fence wood and the shades of grey used throughout definitely contribute to the modern feel. But certain touches keep it homey—the flowers on the table and on the bar, the banquette that runs the length of the restaurant, the wall with the pickled fruits and vegetables...

The Inside Source: Any tips for searching on eBay? Any keywords that worked well for you?

Kerry Diamond: I love vintage dresses from Diane Freis and I've found my favorites on eBay. A lot of people think her last name is spelled Fres, so I always check both spellings. Sometimes typos can send you in an interesting direction. And don't be easily discouraged. If you don't find what you're looking for, check back in a few weeks.

Seersucker

The Inside Source: What are you currently hunting for?

Kerry Diamond: I'm always looking for vintage dresses from Diane Freis, vintage Irving Penn books and the last few Domino magazines I need to complete my collection. At the moment, I'm looking for a recently-released Smiths double album of rare takes of their hits. It's on blue vinyl. I'm not sure if it really exists or it's just a myth, but if it does, I'm sure I'll find it on eBay.

We put Seersucker co-owner Kerry Diamond's favorite eBay searches to the test. Here's what we found:

Roll over items for details

Vintage Diane Freis Dress

(buy it now price, $129.99)

Vintage Diane Fres Floral Dress

(buy it now price, $119)

R.E.M. "Murmur" Sealed LP

(buy it now price, $129.99)

Irving Penn Signed First Edition

(buy it now price, $1,295)

Lot of 17 Domino Magazines

(starting bid, $30)

1. Vintage Diane Freis Dress: "I'm always looking for vintage dresses from Diane Freis," says Diamond.

2. Vintage Diane "Fres" Floral Dress: "I love vintage dresses from Diane Freis and I've found my favorites on eBay. A lot of people think her last name is spelled Fres, so I always check both spellings. Sometimes typos can send you in an interesting direction," says Diamond. We searched "Diane Fres" and found this dress along with 50 other options.

3. Lot of 17 Domino Magazines: Diamond searches eBay to complete her collection of beloved-but-now-folded Domino magazines. This lot of 17 might just do the trick.

4. Irving Penn Signed First Edition: Diamond shops eBay for vintage Irving Penn books. This one, though admittedly pricey, is a rare signed first edition.

5. R.E.M. "Murmur" Sealed LP: "The bathroom [at Seersucker] is decorated with framed albums from Southern alternative rock bands, like R.E.M's Murmur and Big Star's #1 Record. I found all of those on eBay," says Diamond.

(images courtesy of Kerry Diamond/Seersucker)

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