Timeless designs take time to design. Just ask Jordan and Jesse Gould about the historic Mesta Park home they purchased in 2020.
“Any drapery you see, we took days going through multiple fabrics,” said Jordan Gould, who worked closely with interior designers Hannah Sutter and Kellie Schwartz to select the perfect patterns and trims.
All collaborated to achieve a singular vision: traditional interiors that honor the history of the home, and that were also fun and fresh. In addition to the thoughtful window treatments, the home boasts stunning artwork, contemporary fixtures, local antique finds and custom-upholstered furniture with classic lines.
“I was really wanting [something] like ‘traditional 2.0’ — grounded in traditional antiques and design with contemporary touches,” Jordan Gould said. “Anything we bought new, we didn’t really want it to look new.”
The home was built in 1910 by architect J.W. Hawk, known for building stately hotels and courthouses throughout Oklahoma. There is speculation on whether Hawk actually lived here — the second floor balcony stonework contains an “H.” However, while researching the home’s history, Jesse Gould found a 1910 newspaper clipping tying the property to Lee Bernstein and his Jewish family.
“It’s an interesting and cool connection that it was originally built by a Jewish family in 1910, over 100 years ago,” said Jesse Gould, who is also Jewish. “It kind of goes hand-in-hand with the history, but the sidewalks, the trees and the walkability of the neighborhood are all also very appealing.”
Jesse Gould, who works for the Oklahoma City Thunder, was raised in an 1850s row house in Philadelphia. Jordan Gould, a family law attorney who grew up in a newer California neighborhood, gained an appreciation for historic homes after the couple rented a property in Mesta Park.
The first item Jordan Gould purchased for the home was a round marble top table with a carved base from K&N Interior Consignment. Sutter and Schwartz helped place the large table in the dining room and finished out the space with the right chairs, sideboard, light fixture and rug. The room blends new and old seamlessly while incorporating a rainbow of soothing pastels — a concept that also defines the entry and living room.
“I wanted to go with soft colors so, when you’re here, it’s calming,” said Jordan Gould. “I didn’t want to have blue overload, because that can happen. So we tried to branch out with other colors as you move upstairs and downstairs.”
Sutter says she enjoyed working with so many colors — like lavender, sky blue and chartreuse yellow — compared to the ever-popular neutral tones people often request.
“There’s no white, beige or gray anywhere,” Sutter said. “Every piece of furniture that was upholstered is a color. Every drapery is a color or a floral or a print.”
Schwartz added that Tabriz Oriental Rugs was a great resource for rugs that pulled all of the colors together.
“We really lucked out there, because a lot of those area rugs brought in the different blues, purples and greens,” she said.
Charming details like the pom-pom trim on the living room drapes exemplify the Goulds’ thorough and thoughtful approach to interior design. With this home, they are putting down roots in Oklahoma City while establishing long-lasting designs. Such meaningful endeavors simply take time.
