Name: Heather Anderson
Location: Hell's Kitchen — Manhattan, New York
Size: 516 square feet
Years lived in: 2 years; rented
Walking through the door to the home of Heather Anderson in Hell's Kitchen, it is immediately clear that she is a creative person. Over the last two years she has made her space uniquely hers. From the well curated selection of furniture spanning a variety decades and styles, to the customized stripes on the walls (a DIY done with paper and paint) to the chalkboard wall in the dining area, Heather's home is pure design inspiration.
As a designer and fashion illustrator, it makes sense that a love of fashion would come naturally to Heather, but her interest in and love for design does not stop at the wearable. Her passion for interior design and furniture (as well as architecture) is evident in her home. Each piece is selected with great care, and many were found in antique shops, thrift stores or on sites such as Craigslist. With a keen eye for good design combined with patience and knowhow, Heather has managed to accrue great pieces that many would only dream of being able to own, but for a (very small) fraction of the price.
While a Saarinen Tulip Table dug up in a Salvation Army in Brooklyn and an Arne Jacobsen Egg Chair discovered on Craigslist are two of the many scores in her apartment, designer pieces are not the only items Heather is interested in. Always on the lookout, Heather is able to spot beautiful things anywhere, be it a set of chandelier crystals rescued from a hotel dumpster in Pennsylvania or the square alabaster lamp found on the street in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. Once brought home, cleaned up and added to her collection, something that could have easily been overlooked by the casual shopper (or pedestrian!) becomes an envy inducing piece in her well edited home.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My Style: Rickety Luxe! The luxe is mid-century designers, primarily the latter period of the early to mid-1970s (Karl Springer), a sprinkling of the late 1950s (Saarinen, James Mont, Tommi Parzinger), mixed in with European Art Deco, industrial rusty bits and some late 1800's general store displays to keep it interesting. The rickety is that pretty much everything is not in pristine condition, I love that they have had a previous life.
Inspiration: My Mom, old issues of Domino, William Haines and whatever crazy things I find at the Salvation Army.
Favorite Element: The windows are floor to ceiling, and take up the entire exterior wall, giving me a fantastic view from almost anywhere in the apartment. There is nothing quite as lovely as laying down to sleep with the Empire State Building as your nightlight.
Biggest Challenge: Although this space is almost twice the size of my last apartment, working at home and finding space to store all my supplies completely out of sight is a challenge. There is space for more storage furniture, but I enjoy the luxury of having empty space for my eyes to rest.
What Friends Say: My friends say it better than I ever could:
"So idiosyncratically Heather in all its evident influences, obsessions, loves, and artistic experiences. It's a living history of you and your life as a Designer. Note the capital D. :)" "You manage to make junk that you found in a dumpster look elegant."
I so love this quote from one of my best friends: "This is where old beautiful broken down things come to be reborn."
Biggest Embarrassment: The mural of sorts in my hallway that I started almost 6 months ago, and haven't come close to finishing.
Proudest DIY: It's a toss up: re-upholstering my sofa (my first re-upholstery project) or the black wall stripes that continue onto the laminate built-in. Since this is a rental, painting the laminate was a major no-no, so I had to come up with a removable, non-damaging solution.
Biggest Indulgence: The Italian Art Deco commode. It is the most expensive item in my entire apartment (and it was still really, really inexpensive)&helilp; but the combination of the warm patina of the burl wood and black mirror top is just so very lovely.
Best Advice: Learn the hallmarks of quality furniture, i.e. finishes, wood types, and construction, and buy for investment. If you buy the best quality you can afford, it will always have a resale value that you can reinvest into your next dream purchase.
Buy what you love. Nothing in my apartment was acquired with regard to what matches what. If you love it, it will work.
Dream Sources: 1st Dibs, ABC Carpet and Home, US Army furniture depots, friends' apartments.
Resources of Note:
PAINT & COLORS
- • Kitchen: Benjamin Moore Blackboard
• Living room: Benjamin Moore "Winter's Gate" Satin
• Entry stripes: Martha Stewart "Francesca" Semi-Gloss
• Bedroom: Hand mixed to match Farrow&Ball "Hague Blue" Eggshell
ENTRY
- • Cabinet: Patterson Flea Market (Brewster, NY)
• Alabaster Lamp: Salvation Army (Somerville, MA)
• Key Tray: Baccarat
• Sterling Silver Letter Holder: Unique Thrift (Woodbridge, NJ)
• Collage: Lila Katzen
LIVING ROOM
- • Sofa: Craig's List
• Egg Chair: Craig's List
• Giacometti White Plaster Lamp: Craig's List
• Ruhlmann coffee table: Salvation Army (NY,NY)
• Harvey Probber Wall Desk: Salvation Army (NY, NY)
• James Mont bench (book storage): Salvation Army (NY,NY)
• Tommi Parzinger floor lamp: Craig's List
• Eames LCW chair: Craig's List
• Baker Side Table: Craig's List
• Rug: Williams-Sonoma
• Deihl Steel Fan: Ebay
• Oak Floss Cabinet: Salvation Army (NY, NY)
• Chanel Pumps (as sculpture): Salvation Army (Middle of nowhere northern VA)
• Illustration/Empire State Chapeau: Albertus
• Large Format Photograph/"The Apparition rises before me": Amy Finkbeiner
• Jackson Pollack poster: Craig's List
• Franz Klein Exhibition poster: Craig's List
• Brooklyn Floor Screen: Time Galleries (Brooklyn, NY) Painted by me!
DINING ROOM
- • Saarinen table: Salvation Army (Brooklyn, NY)
• Panton chairs: Salvation Army (Brooklyn, NY)
• French side chairs: Craig's List
• Burled Wood Commode: Lampedo
• Venetian Glass Chandelier: Trade
• Lucite Boxes(used as trays): Salvation Army (Brooklyn, NY)
• Mirror: Craig's List
• Mandilion (Chryssie Hynde) Icon: Amy Finkbeiner
KITCHEN
- • Cardiac Cart: Antique store on Tomkins Ave in Bed-Stuy that I can't remember the name
• Stripe Vase: Ikea
• Orchid Photograph: Goodwill (LA)
BEDROOM
- • Karl Springer Bone Side Table: Craig's List
• Plycraft Lounger: Craig's List
• Paul McCobb Dresser: Street find (Allston, MA)
• Square Alabaster Lamp: Street find (Jamaica Plain, MA)
• Mirror: Craig's List
• Chandelier: Street find (Brooklyn, NY)
• Chandelier Crystals: Pennsylvania Hotel Dumpster (NY, NY)
• Steel side table: Street find (Somerville, MA)
• Wall Lamps: Tolomeo
• Fashion Illustration: Steven Stipelman
• Diehl Steel Fan: Bargain Betty's
BATHROOM
- • Vintage Silver Trophy Cups: Value Village (Patterson, NJ)
• Patchwork Cowhide Rug: Craig's List
• Lucite Stand: Salvation Army (NY, NY)
• Eiffel Tower(s): Paris!
• Metal/Frosted Glass Medicine Cabinet: Weber's
Thanks, Heather!
(Images: Liana Walker)
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LOVE
Love the disco balls - so unexpected and fun!!
Very classy place. Would like to see more of how your work space is set up when working.
Both thumbs up to Heather's resourcefullness and creativity.
The funny thing is that I used to have an identical mirror (to the one above Heather's bed) but I hated it and I gave it away. But that was years before I started to take active interest in interior decor. Now I smack myself silly for being so short-sighted.
As an atheist, I always like to say that I want to end up in hell after death because I would be too cold in heaven. And if hell looks anywhere close to this, then I will be very comfortable. <G>
I agree wtih @LyonStill. You show a close-up of the bathroom sink, but can't show us the entire room? PLEASE stop showing only the trinkets.
I agree with the comments re: the preponderance of items in the apartment rather than the space itself. That said, I can tell that this is a great space. I, too, would have loved to see the workspace better. And I love Heather's hair! :)
A. This place is AMAZING. The layout/style/furnishings are thrilling to me. The fact that so much was found on Craigslist is INSANE! How do I only find "used Billy Bookcases" and she furnished her entire place with the most stunning MCM pieces around?? Well played, m'lady.
Also: Hysterical that there are so many comments regarding the crazy close-up photos so often used in these tours. I thought I was alone in how frustrating I find them to be.
That said, this place is great. Xo
have the same alabaster lamp! a pair actually, inherited.
Well put together with nice pieces
Wow. WOW. This is the best place I've seen in AT in AGES. Heather is a damn genius, is what. This is intricate and layered without looking cluttered, sophisticated but still warm, personal but not kitschy. I love the suitcase stacks—I bet they're great functional storage for her supplies, and they have a fabulous cohesive-but-not-matchy quality that keeps them from being a cliché. I think maybe what I like best of all about this apartment is that Heather doesn't seem to have a Program for her place. It looks thoughtful but not try-hardy. I'm *so* impressed with this place. I'm moving into my own just-over-500 soon and you best believe I'm bookmarking this and returning to it. Beautiful, beautiful job, Heather!
As always, AT, wish there was a floor plan, or at least more of a suggestion of how it all fits together.
Oh, and this apartment is exquisite. This is what I come to AT for-- seeing how the gifted put together their spaces.
BEAUTIFUL. I really love the bedroom and then with the addition of that view - WOW. That bedroom should be in the Color Contest as it's the best use of color I've seen for awhile.
very well done. packed with style, but also lots of nice individual pieces. must have taken awhile to assemble all that. love your natural wood front sideboard.
Lovely!
This tour is a good example of what keeps me coming back to AT even though the site seems to have become little more than a way to market to people whose imagination doesn't go much further than the closest IKEA. This apartment isn't my style necessarily but it is such a personal reflection (or appears to be) of the woman who lives there and has made it her own by hunting for stuff all over the place and putting it together. I love the cabinet/case with glass on photo 8 or 9 and I love the way Heather describes her place and her style. I applaud listing your mother as your inspiration.
I can't get over that view, wow!
That bedroom color is exactly what I want someday. Did I miss the color somewhere?
The rug, the chairs, the ottoman, I love it all!!
I love the book How to Decorate a Dump. I am going to look for that. Beautiful apartment. I would love those windows.
Well done, Heather! I am so envious of your Craigslist and thrifted finds. You truly have a gift. And that view! I would love that as my home office, but I wonder how you do it in such a small space. I work with textiles in a smallish apartment and have managed to find a place for everything but when I'm working it looks like a tornado came through. It's an effort to put it all away every day, so ithe apartment stays messy most of the time.
i like this place, but for some reason - it looks really cluttered/too busy for me - and i've never said that before. the corner with the chalk wall and that closet just looks so busy and messy compared to the other places in the house. i don't know, it's not my thing - but i can appreciate what you did with the place.
Beautiful apartment! Heather provides so much inspiration in just a tad over 500 square feet. Amazing!
I like houses with personality. .....I have the same Chanel shoes to
Heather has a good eye & the ability to put it all together in a space which is stylish,yet human. Well done!
Heather, Wow!!! So impressive. I also agree with Smarteralec re: the used Billy bookcases on CL!!! I scour CL and so far have not found gorgeous stuff like this. Your place is unique and beautiful!
Wow! Who are all these people taking ruhlmann, harvey, saarinen & panton to salvation army? CRAZY!!!
What makes this apartment so successful is that it's backdrop is grounded in quiet gray neutral tones where the furnishings can stand in fluid relief. The fundamentals here are solidly based on classical design and iconic pieces are pulled in that span the decades. This makes for a very elegant and confident mix. Nicely played, Miss Anderson!
If this home were my own, I would NEVER draw the blinds...even at night...with all the lights on...AND I was walking around in the nude. I would hope that the people in the neighboring buildings would have the decency to do the same for me! :)
I really love the style of this apartment, but it's too small for the extra embellishments--like the pumps, and the eiffel towers and multiple cups in the bathroom and the hat heads. They are all fantastic ideas and perfect for the style of the place, but in 600 square feet that also must serve as an office it's too much.
Wow! Although I'm a daily AT reader, I rarely comment, but I just had to express my love for this place. As a fellow New Yorker, I am mightily impressed with what you've done with your space. Love the moody bedroom vibe. FANTASTIC!
I am just gobsmacked, AT!
This is Heather, and I can't thank you lovely readers enough for the lovely comments! The comments are so thoughtful, and kind. It is so nice to know my crazy assemblage of awesome junk appeals to someone other than my friends, who have to say they like it ;)
Thanks again!
ok this is one of my favorite house tours on AT since i started coming here. as a fellow NY-er, craigslister, savo-rescuer, obsessive DIY-er i instantly fell in love and felt a kinship with heather/her space. its *so* well-done and she makes such good use of a mere 500 sq feet--that's not a lot of room especially for someone who needs a creative space in addition to the living space! she makes everything work and did it all on a budget, as well as re-using and repurposing forgotten bits--my MO in life. if i see heather on the street i'm coming in for a hug because this is such a victory for stylish small-space living! way to go, heather! breath of stylish fresh air :)
"gobsmacked", Heather? Brit, maybe?? ;^)
Really beautiful, and I am so jealous of your view as well!
domino! one of the reasons i am a magazine hoarder.
Love everything here but particularly, the striped bookcases, chalkboard wall and all the vintage displays and touches. This is my favorite type palette - beautiful!
loved it! i adore the coffee table, is it really ruhlmann? that is completely insane if it is.... the dining table def is a replica. i love the painted cabinets- very inspired!
Tres Chic! This is my favorite tour ever, so warm and so whimsical. It is elegant. Please invite me over for tea, or champagne. You radiate artistry!
At first glance I thought clutter then went to the House Tour and thought gorgeous. I love the berdroom.
Well, you can't beat those floor to ceiling windows in the bedroom! The chandelier is a beautiful touch.
These things are really very different and impressive, I would say such creative designs makes home look beautiful and attractive. Good job Heather.
Adore this so very much. Thank you for sharing your amazing space with us Heather.
Having lived in an almost identical Hell's Kitchen apartment (but a bland corporate rental) a few years back how I wish we could have turned it into something half so gorgeous.
And "Rickety Luxe"? Love that description.
Who did the interesting artwork across from the bed? Love it! The rest of the apartment looks great also and really gives one confidence to paint not only bright (I do) but dark! Thanks for sharing!
Lyonstill is so correct in her statement.....although Heather has nice things I would rather see the apartment, not a pile of suitcases for example. A floor plan would be nice as well as wide angle views of each room.
She made me see gray in a whole new way,love the paint colors.Very nice,very chic,and I dont see it cluttered at all.
my home is clearly missing a few necessities: floor to ceiling windows and disco balls.
great stuff!
kelly of www.twentysixeast.com
i'm in love with the place!! can we be friends pleeeeaaaase?!?!
This place is beautiful! Such a great use of space, and that's a fabulous apartment for Hell's Kitchen. Going to feature this on our NYC lifestyle blog Naked Real Estate
@formosagirl, @MoRich...come on over!
@bonphoto, the painting is a result of a bored me in the middle of a frigid January day!
@LCDes, The Tulip table is a Knoll base but some bizarre wood/laminate, but I'm not complaining-it was reeeaaalllyyy cheap. I am not all sure about the Ruhlmann table..I am assuming it is inspired by his work, but who knows. If it is real, I think I would probably pass out...!
@Lewis of Long Beach, I rarely close my blinds...to the chagrin of my neighbors ;p
@betweenbars, I hand mixed to match Farrow & Ball "Hague Blue", (which is $125 a gallon) the color is a really restful, beautiful color.
Everyone, thank you again. And yes, everyone needs a disco ball in their life!
Too much to be said because I loved it all!
@ Everette305 I DON'T belive AT is marketing to anyone as it pertains to IKEA. OBVIOUSLY this woman has money. Did you NOT see her view? Also her location alone lets you know that she can afford more than what Ikea has to offer. I really hate it when people just harp on Ikea, it's really annoying....end rant.
Heather, I LOVE your space! I think your use of space is genious, I think the overall style is impeccable and I love the fact that AT is featuring a woman of color in her space living in such a glitzy area as you are. One of my favorite features of your home are the stacked vintage suitcases. I also really like that your use of the color black. Normally black is very dark and sucks the life and light out of a room but you were able to make it actually more vibrant and light and spacious. Thanks for sharing your home! BTW is there a link to your work, or site?? I'd love to see your stuff.
Heather! Thank you so much for submitting your amazing space to AT. It is sooooooooo refreshing seeing someone take a chance and do something bold that really reflects their personality. I live in Copehagen, and I swear to God if I see one more white walled, bare floored, minimalist space that looks exactly like every other apartment....well, someone might get hurt, is what I am saying.
Zebra rug!? Girl, I LOVE YOU.
You ever come to DK, you call me.
Hey StudioGirl11...thank you, chicklet! I know my home is cluttered and odd for some, but I truly do love my space...and I so appreciate that you do too. As much as I love Copenhagen, I will definitely take you up on your offer-I think we would get on famously!
What a fabulous place! Not only do we share the same name although I have an "e"instead of an "o" our styles and design philosophy are so similar. We have a blog "Shoestring Abundance" geared toward helping people understand quality and design. We've acquired amazing Hans Wegner pieces as well as Brueton, Hickory Chair Co., Peter Hvidt, Le Corbusier, Milo Baughman etc....all from St. Vincent de Paul, Goodwill and Salvation Army. Thanks for sharing such an inspiring place! Best regards, Heather Andersen
<clap, clap, clap>
Amazing! You are an artist, Heather. Your home is stylish and comfy!
Wow, what a gorgeously done space! And Heather's luck with finds at Salvation Army and Craigslist is inspiring. What a fantastic eye.
I registered simply to comment that this is the most beautiful and stylish apartment I've seen on AT since religiously perusing this site for the past 6 months. Good job, Heather!
Hi Heather! Just wanted to say that I moved in to my new apartment today, and here I am, revisiting your place, hoping to bite your style.
Hi @prolix! You are too kind, I am sure your space is gonna be awesome. Would love to see the finished product!
Of course, the redecorating itch has hit, and I'm starting a whole new look, hopefully even better.
Hi Heather,
I just keep comming back to get the great feeling of your home again. It contains all the things I love, design and art-deco, the amazing view, the warm, welcoming colours, the arty feeling, a bit of bling, european-american, sensual, .... .
Thanks for charing,
Tom