Chris & Jenny’s Collective Elegance

Name: Chris Corrado and Jenny Kaplan
Location: Williamsburg, Brooklyn NY
Size: 1,300 square feet
Years lived in: Chris 7 years / Jenny 10 months

It’s not often that I walk into someone’s home and feel instantly inspired. To begin, the combination of their two separate styles merge effortlessly. Their home is filled with bold and unique pieces that are beautiful yet practical for everyday use.

The space is refreshing and unique in its color scheme: Neutral walls and furniture act as a foundation to the striking color choices made with their artwork. Hanging out in the dining room instantly transports you to a tropical paradise complete with turtle shells and palm tress. It’s definitely an oasis in the heart of Williamsburg.

My Style: We moved in together almost a year ago. For 2 independently creative people, it can be a little disconcerting when having to give up some of the control of the design of one’s space. Fortunately, we respect each other’s visions. While we both work in the fashion industry, Jenny is a fashion stylist by trade. So of course it’s super helpful to have her trained eye on hand when trying to figure out how to blend our 2 worlds without ever forcing it. Our style is a collaboration, a merging of our 2 collections, but Jenny did the majority of the heavy lifting when it came to the arrangement (and to the editing).

The result of our collaboration is something that is modern, but also very comfortable. We love for things to be visually intriguing, but we never take it too seriously… clean and easy. Many of the pieces in our home have a story, which we use as a foundation to expand on a larger idea within a particular part of the apartment.

Inspiration: We are inspired most by our family and friends, our travels, and the city in which we live.

Favorite Element: Our terrace. We both grew up on the coast of Maine and miss having easy access to things like a beach or a back yard. Our terrace is such a treat. We have it set up to act as another full room. It’s a place we can have a little reprieve from the hustle of living in a big city.

Biggest Challenge: Working to make this Ikea-built “luxury” building into a warm, unique, modern home. Our building has a lot of modern luxuries, but lacks any type of special charm you would find in a more historic space. It took time to find a way to erase the generic feeling, transforming it into a look that felt like an extension of our personal style.

What Friends Say: “Let’s have a BBQ this weekend!” Our space is great for hosting parties. We love to cook and have people over on the weekends, especially during the warmer months.

Biggest Embarrassment: Before Jenny moved in, the living room was painted entirely in Regent Green (see resource list). We decided to use the preexisting green as a faux, exaggerated baseboard around the perimeter of the living space while painting the rest of the walls white. While painting, Jenny knocked over a rather full can of white paint from about 6 feet off the ground. It not only spilled all over the hardwood floor, but splattered Chris’ back and our dog Zuko traipsed through the puddle tracking it through the house! Not the most “effortless” part of our merge to say the least.

Proudest DIY: Chris designed and built the outdoor furniture. The couch is actually comprised of two pieces pushed together- and are intended to be modular. We sourced the cushion on top from Crate and Barrel and added cushions on the back to create a sort of chaise lounge.

Also, we made our blinds and curtains in our bedroom. After finding fabric, we adhered it to our existing blind panels with fabric glue to give what was a plain thing more texture and warmth.

Biggest Indulgence: Art by Jenna Snyder-Phillips. Jenna’s artwork really works as a way to ground an overall space. Her work adds a touch of sophistication that is very unique. The two pieces we have in our dining room add a huge amount of warmth to the overall vibe.

Best Advice: Work on one room at a time. Don’t pressure yourself to tackle a big project all at once. The best part of focusing your energy a room at a time is you get to feel some sense of accomplishment on a regular basis. Also, when considering a room or an area, use a piece you love and make a “moment” with it. Chris had collected the turtle shells shown in the dining room over the course of a few years (they once were hung in the living room). When Jenny moved in, Jenna Snyder-Phillips gifted her the palm tree painting. From there a “tropical” dining room theme was formed. We continued to use that idea to build out the room gradually.

Dream Sources: eBay and Etsy are endless resources for finding just about anything. We frequent both sites. If we could have a free shopping spree anywhere it would have to be either ABC Carpet & Home or MATTER. How about both?

• Living Room: Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White and Regent Green
• Master Bedroom: Benjamin Moore Gentlemen’s Grey

• Art: Jenna Snyder-Phillips; Jeffery Corrado; Mammoth and Company; Unknown Artist; prints Jenny
• Tapestry: Found on a trip to Marrakech

• Pillows: Etsy
• Pottery: Tortus Copenhagen ; Jenny
• Rug: West Elm
• Lamp: DWR Gilda Lamp
• Sofa: DWR Reid Sectional
• Coffee Table: Custom made by Stephen Kenn
• Sling Lounge Chair: Paulistano Chair in white leather
• Upholstered Chair: Craigslist – Vintage
• Mirrored Ball Floor Lamp: Tom Dixon
• Entertainment system: Geneva Lab
• Cork table: Jasper Morrison for Moooi
• Tree stumps: salvage yard painted by Chris
• Print above sofa: Mammoth and Co, shot by Troy Moth

• Art: Jenna Snyder-Phillips
• Table and chairs: vintage passed down from Jenny’s Grandmother. Upholstery by Cleveland Cushion.
• Console: Organic Modernism
• Pottery: Jenny
• Wall unit: CB2
• Pendant Ball light: Tom Dixon
• Turtle Shells: collected on ebay
• Industrial table lamps: Cleveland Art

• Lights: Ikea, painted by Chris
• Art prints custom work by Santhu Mustonen for the Capsule Show
• Nelson Ball Clock
• Bertoia bar stools: DWR

• Linens: Society
• Pillows: Steven Alan Home, etsy, and Burkman Bros
• Table lamp on dresser: vintage
• Taxidermy: horse and impala skulls from ebay. Impala skull adorned in Tord Boontje garland
• Bedside lamps: vintage
• Macrame wall hanging: custom by Charlene Spiteri
• Lounge Chair: Wassily Chair in butter leather from Knoll
• Dresser: eBay – vintage
• Bed – built by Chris
• Bedside tables: vintage trunks/boxes from the flea market
• Chairs: Victoria and Louis Ghost chairs by Kartel
• Pendant light: Random Light by Bertjan Pot for Moooi
• Plant stand: old prop from a retail installation
• Pottery: Tortus Copenhagen
• Window panels and curtains: DIY project by us both

• Rug: ABC Carpet & Home
• Tapestry: bought on a trip to Marrakech
• Pottery: Tortus Copenhagen
• Ceiling Light: passed down by Jenny’s Grandmother
• Chair: ghost Chair by Kartel
• Armoir: Ikea

TERRACE

• Café Table: Domitalia
• Green café chairs: DWR
• Black Lounge Chair: CB2
• Outdoor sofa, coffee table, and planter boxes: built by Chris
• Cushions and pillows sourced at Crate and Barrel and Allmodern.com
• Tree Stump: salvage yard, painted by Chris
• Rug: Home Decorators
• Black planters: Sprout Home

Thanks, Chris and Jenny!

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