My Houzz: Smart Storage and Bold Colour in a Compact New York Apartment
Different tastes are cleverly blended to create a chic yet warm and comfortable open-plan home
Deby and Vivek Matthews faced a dilemma common to newly married couples: merging their stuff and their styles. Deby loves colour and pattern, and Vivek leans more toward a conservative, masculine style. For help with their apartment, in New York’s East Village, they turned to designer Amanda Gorski of Homepolish. Gorski worked closely with the couple to create a space that each of them could love and feel at home in.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Deby and Vivek Matthews and their cat, Penny
Location East Village, New York
Designer Amanda Gorski of Homepolish
Size 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here Deby and Vivek Matthews and their cat, Penny
Location East Village, New York
Designer Amanda Gorski of Homepolish
Size 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
In the beginning stages of the design process, Gorski studied every detail about the couple to get a sense of what kind of space would work for them. ‘I tune in to every element I can, from the way they dress to the art, books and music they have in their homes,’ she says. The Matthews wanted a home that felt warm and cosy, yet chic and sophisticated. They told the designer they wanted ‘storage and colour without it being overwhelming’. The challenge in decorating the one large volume was maintaining the feeling of three separate spaces — a kitchen, living room and dining room.
To solve their storage dilemma, the couple installed a built-in wall unit where there was nothing before but a wall-mounted TV and some stools underneath. ‘This massive wall was screaming for attention,’ says Gorski. The unit has closed storage underneath to hold electronics and DVDs, while a sliding library ladder allows easy access to things on the top shelves.
Before the wall unit was installed, Deby and Vivek had a lot of books, photographs and ornaments, but nowhere to display them. The cabinet doors are accessorised with chestnut leather drawer handles fitted with polished-nickel studs from Turnstyle Designs.
Paint: Bermuda Turquoise, Benjamin Moore
Check out more ways to turn storage into a stylish feature
Paint: Bermuda Turquoise, Benjamin Moore
Check out more ways to turn storage into a stylish feature
Since Deby and Vivek both have demanding jobs, they wanted their home to be an inviting space where they could relax after a long day of work. To make it calming and warm, they went with shades of blue in the living room. Benjamin Moore’s Night Train is painted on the walls to complement the deep blue (Benjamin Moore’s Bermuda Turquoise) accenting the back of the shelves.
The main living space is a great spot for entertaining because of the open floor plan; the space flows back and forth from the kitchen to the sofa to the dining table. Deby and Vivek also love to spend quiet evenings at home in this space.
Corner sofa: Crate & Barrel; Rustic storage coffee table: West Elm
Corner sofa: Crate & Barrel; Rustic storage coffee table: West Elm
Deby has a background in fashion and loves to decorate with pops of colour. Bright cushions complement the blue sofa; the wall above displays a vivid world map, which she divided into sections and mounted in frames.
The original wood floors were painted white and were in rough shape. To warm up the space, the couple replaced them with Euro Oak floors from LV Wood, wire brushed to a matt finish. ‘We loved this particular floor because it gave a slight hint of rustic character with the wire brushing, while maintaining a more clean and modern look with the oak species,’ says Gorski. The couple were also really drawn to the colour of these floors because they aren’t a typical dark brown or light yellow wood. They have a soft, muted tone.
The dining area is surrounded by tall windows.
Chandelier: Arctic Pear, Ochre; chairs: Tobias, Ikea
Chandelier: Arctic Pear, Ochre; chairs: Tobias, Ikea
The kitchen is original to the space and fits seamlessly with the design of the rest of the room. The bar stools were reupholstered in fabric from DecoratorsBest.
Deby and Vivek’s favourite part about their kitchen is how it’s open to the other spaces.
Countertop: Caesarstone; wall paint: Night Train, Benjamin Moore
Countertop: Caesarstone; wall paint: Night Train, Benjamin Moore
Gorski added an eye-catching wallpaper (Ula, Prima from Eskayel) to the small hallway for visual impact. ‘It has a beautiful peacock blue in it that we used for the door and skirting in the hallway, and then again in the back of the built-in unit.’
Wallpaper: Ula, Eskayel; rug: West Elm; door paint: Bermuda Turquoise, Benjamin Moore; console: custom, Etsy
See schemes decorated with flamboyant wallpaper
Wallpaper: Ula, Eskayel; rug: West Elm; door paint: Bermuda Turquoise, Benjamin Moore; console: custom, Etsy
See schemes decorated with flamboyant wallpaper
For the master bedroom, the couple wanted a light and airy colour palette to contrast with the living room’s darker tones and to create a serene atmosphere. To incorporate Deby’s love for colour, they brought in artwork and ornaments in shades of yellow and orange.
The wall behind the bed is lined with a Holly Hunt textured covering with a subtle herringbone pattern in a soft grey and blue colour palette.
Wall paint: Half Moon Crest, Benjamin Moore
Wall paint: Half Moon Crest, Benjamin Moore
A leaning ladder shelf in the bedroom provides a stylish storage solution and a way to display some of the couple’s colourful ornaments.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, send some photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. If you would like your home to be featured, send some photos to ukeditor@houzz.com.