Name: Alec (the first Apartment Therapy LA editor!) & David
Location: New York, New York

This is the apartment I share with my fiance David. It's a one bedroom (about 550 square feet) in Hell's Kitchen. The apartment has a few amazing aspects (a little back yard! Really tall ceilings!) and some not so great ones (a tiny bedroom that can only fit a double bed! No closets!) Luckily, the amazing aspects far outweigh the not so great ones.

This apartment was all about two people falling in love, moving in together and EDITING. My favorite example of this would be the melding of the CB2 dining tables we each had, where we took the base of my white table and the wood top of David's and made our own faux-Saarinen version. The Wishbone chairs are from my childhood home, and are pulled to the table when extra seating is needed. The desk is a simple DIY: a plank of wood covered with some rattan wallpaper remnant David had, placed on some cheap sawhorse legs. We painted out the wood trim on the windows in a glossy black to contrast the taupe walls. The rug is an outdoor mat so it's easy to keep clean while still fitting the style of the room. We removed the living room and bedroom doors, and hung heavy curtains to gain space (best trick ever).

The kitchen is a New York City marvel in that it is quite big, which is great because we both cook and we do lots of entertaining (pic doesn't show the full space). The little secretary desk is another family heirloom, and has been stripped and repainted at least a dozen times since I've had it. I made the french ribbon board that holds important mail as well as revolving photos, postcards and notes.

The tiny bedroom came with a poorly built-in wall of storage (which is why the bedroom is so small). When the thought of ripping it down and building a proper closet became too price prohibitive, We put up a rod and made long drapes in a chocolate velvet to hide everything. We are lucky that we are two grown men who seem to do fine in our little double bed! I DIY-ed the headboard. The little mirror side table was a crazy-cheap Target find- I think we paid less than $70 for it. Flor tiles in Dusty Turquoise and Chartreuse help cozy the space.

The backyard is still a work in progress, but it serves as an extra room during warmer months (although the pesky "no-see-um" bugs tend to keep me away). David takes his tea and computer out there every morning. It is beyond quiet and, if nothing else, it's always great to be able to look out the window and see something other than a city street.

Thanks Alec & David!

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