In the Home with Julianne Fraser

Home to me is the sound of my two-year-old Navy’s feet pitter-pattering across the hardwood. It’s the mixture of ‘Frenglish’ we speak all together as a family. It’s the smell of shallots and garlic simmering in butter on the stove top, the base of nearly all of my favorite recipes, and it’s the sound of jazz, usually Chet Baker, that we have playing in the background every night. My husband Robinson and I travel often, but regardless of where we are, a few things never change and there’s comfort in that for me.

This past summer, my family and I moved into an iconic cast iron loft building, which was designated a heritage landmark in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As Robinson and I both love interior design, we have been eager to design this space into a home that inspires us. Between leaving for France for the summer, my husband starting school and us welcoming our second daughter, June, in September, the design process has taken far longer than expected and we’re laughingly still sitting on living room bean bag chairs, months later.

Robinson and I have different design inspiration, he is more minimalist, contemporary and brutalistic – pulling inspiration from Rick Owens and Pieter Mulier and I lean more iconoclast and eclectic, loving designs by Sophie Dries and Kelly Wearstler. The inspiration is there and I’m hopeful we will be settled in, sitting around our dream Vignelli Serenissimo dining table, on a refinished Saratoga couch, listening to our evening jazz on our new vintage vinyl player. In the meantime, we’re embracing the ‘imperfect’ experience of the design process, and the gorgeous sunlight the south-facing heritage windows allow!

As a new mom of two, I’m reminded of the importance of compartmentalizing the elements I juggle in life. I’m not great at doing things in a hybrid nature, so I’ve found it most effective to time block my days, church and state.

For example, when I head to the office (only a ten minute walk from my home in Williamsburg), my mind is in work mode, I’m focused and motivated to be as productive as possible. When I return home, I turn my phone on DND and switch to family-mode, cooking a dinner we sit down for each and every night (a tradition I hold close to my heart), I make bathtime fun or play tea time with Navy and snuggle my newborn, June.

Certain rituals help me make that conscious shift. In the morning my husband and I head to Marlow and Sons for cappuccinos which we enjoy on their sunny terrace, as a way to decompress from the morning madness and prepare for our days ahead. When I get home, I light a Cire Trudon candle, turn on music, pour myself a glass of wine and crack open my recipe book (requesting feedback from my sous chef, Navy, who’s usually apron-on, at my side).

The incredible heritage windows in our living room and my daughter June’s nursery. They’re nearly floor to ceiling, let in the most glorious, warm light and frame our living room space beautifully. I’m in the process of designing custom curtains to add privacy, while preserving their design.

I met my husband Robinson over 12 years ago and have sat front row in a master-class of French entertaining ever since. Between Christmas dinners for 20 around his tante’s table in the South West of France, to elaborate al-fresco lunches at his mother’s for the Beziers’ annual Corrida, I’ve taken detailed notes along the way. This passion led me to enroll in a three week intensive course at Ferrandi Paris on the fundamentals of French Cooking in 2020.

Each French region and host puts their personal spin on dinner parties, but there are common elements found throughout. The French don’t skimp on quality ingredients, dinners are meant to be enjoyed comfortably over several hours, from amuse bouche to petit fours, seating plans are important to nail a vibe and never, and I repeat, never put a cracker on a cheese board (HA!).

Last year, I hosted a four course Christmas dinner for ten in Brooklyn. I called Robinson’s aunt for instructions on how to make a juicy capon,I ordered (not nearly enough) black truffle to make pommes purée à la truffe and served a pile of whipped salted butter and radishes to start. The key to success was asking for help and being willing to learn. Two of the women in attendance are exceptional French cooks, so I gladly accepted their offers to bring homemade foie gras and their advice on when the capon was ready. The key to being a great cook is to recognize it is a lifelong learning process!

Pick recipes that you can cook ahead of time and plate at the table, so that as a host you can be present and enjoy your own party!

Flipping through French AD on a Saturday afternoon, with the sun streaming through our windows, a cappuccino in hand, while both daughters are napping, and the house is silent. Bliss.

My husband and I will be spending the holidays in New York this year. While we love traveling home to our families in France and Canada, we can’t this year with June being too young, so we are excited to establish family traditions of our own in Brooklyn. This will entail Christmas baking, hosting holiday dinner parties and watching holiday classics on our new projector!