Designer Living: John Loecke and Jason Nixon

Where do you live and how long have you lived there?

John and I share rooms in a circa-1910, Tudor-style row house in Brooklyn, New York. We live in an up-and-coming neighbourhood with lots of personality that's only minutes from Manhattan by subway.

What made you choose this property?

We're both diehard anglophiles. We loved the Tudor sensibility and wonderful bones and details in the home. There are several bedrooms and bathrooms and a backyard, and we carved out two decks - what a luxury in New York City.

Describe your home in three words.

Warm, whimsical, wonderful.

Is there anything you would change about it, or anything you wish you had done differently?

We are crazy about the home and wouldn't change a thing. It's inviting and engaging.

What is the key to creating a happy home?

Have fun with your space and take some risks. Why not cover a room with a fabulous wallpaper from Thibaut (www.thibautdesign.com), for example, or use wallpaper on a ceiling? Mix patterns and colours. Be playful.

What item would no home of yours be without?

Wallpaper. We are absolutely crazy about wallpaper. It's such a transformational tool that can transport you and a space to another world. We have even wallpapered the insides of our closets with a whimsical pattern from Thibaut. There's no space in a home that shouldn't have wallpaper all over it.

Where do you like to shop?

We mix flea-market finds with items that we have picked up on our travels around the world. In our living room, you will find Indian influences, English moments and plenty of inspiration culled from trips to Dubai and Oman.

What are you working on right now?

We have just finished designing a home in New Orleans and are working on a home product line. We'd love to get a client in the Middle East or India.

What inspires your work?

We like to connect dots between fashion, food, travel and design, and bring these worlds into our storyline for a project. How can you encapsulate a client's brand and bring it to life through interior design? That's the magic.

How would you describe your interior style?

Colourful, witty, exciting and engaging. For us, beige is boring, and who wants to be boring?

If you could live anywhere else in the world, where would it be?

New Orleans for part of the year and London and LA for the rest - with a few field trips to New York City.

Who are your favourite designers?

We are crazy about the legendary designers Nancy Lancaster and Dorothy Draper. We love their mix of big, bold colour and theatricality paired with a passion for the tongue-in-cheek and the whimsical. We love designers who make a "hello" statement. Madcap and marvellous - that's how we roll.

What is the best way to simply and instantly update a room?

Change out your accessories, whether they be pillows or lampshades. Maybe rehang your artwork to switch it up a bit. And why not slipcover your couch to give it a new look every season?

www.jloeckeinc.com