Name: Kelly & Greg
Location: Brooklyn — New York, NY
Size: 1,300 square feet
Years lived in: 6 months — rented
As a fashion blogger and photographer combo, Kelly and Greg have a special knack for revealing the glamourous in the unassuming. Behind the doors of their simple and sleek modern apartment lies a whimsical, elegant and diverse collection of finds that is telling of the couple’s adventures in taste-making.
“You’re just in time! Come downstairs and see what my Grandmother just mailed us from Texas!” This type of greeting, along with a friendly kiss-kiss, is nothing out of the ordinary when paying a visit to the home of the fashion stylist/photog duo (and good friends) Kelly & Greg. As the bubbly and inventive personality behind the fashion blog TheGlamourai.com, Kelly spends her days mixing high and low to create chic and unique, trend-setting looks - and her personal style in the home is no different. We scoop up Bunny (their irresistibly adorable Papillon) and follow Kelly down into the office to find Greg assembling a vintage aluminum Christmas Tree. “It was in my Great Grandmother’s attic, still wrapped in newspaper from 1962. Isn’t it perfect?”
It is. You see, Kelly and Greg’s home is a menagerie of glittery, one-of-a-kind objects, set against a crisp, white backdrop of a modern apartment. By smartly mixing new furniture pieces with an impressive assemblage of vintage items, the two succeed at what many residents of new buildings struggle to achieve - bringing warmth and personality into a stark and minimal framework.
But warmth and personality are only the beginning of the list of impressive traits of this creative super-couple. The two are also matched in a harmony of finesse and ingenuity - equally gifted with a keen eye for snazzy, one-off items and welcoming of the challenge of making shabby or unusual pieces work in a sophisticated way. Neither are afraid to get their hands dirty when they see a must-have item - like the time Kelly spotted three, giant theatre marquee review signs on the sidewalk across from her former office in Times Square, hauled them across the street herself and convinced a doorman to let her store them in his lobby until she could find a friend with a truck.
As savvy deal hunters, the two make regular trips to yard sales in the Hamptons and the flea market in Brimfield, MA. They love discovering and sharing the stories behind their special finds - like Greg’s framed lithograph by Hermann Zapf: “He’s the guy who created Wingdings!” But as we’ve heard them politely (yet ever-so seriously) reiterate time and time again to those who enthusiastically invite themselves on their thrifty excursions, “You are always welcome to join us, but you must provide your own transportation...we usually pack every square inch of the car by the end of the day.”
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Midcentury-simplicity meets ramshackle-regency.
Inspiration: The apartment itself is quite modern, so our goal was to work with the best parts of that (the clean lines, the black, white & chocolate brown palette), combine it with my [Kelly’s] love of unique, vintage oddities, and tie it all together with glam metallics.
Favorite Element: Greg loves to cook, so for him it’s the big (by NYC standards), open kitchen.
I really appreciate the absolute separation between our living and working spaces. When you’re in either of them, you are almost unaware that the other exists ~ they even have separate entrances. We tried to reinforce this division by decorating each differently. The studio is much more casual than the apartment proper. It’s a place to get inspired, get messy, get crafty. Meanwhile, upstairs is totally geared for relaxing and entertaining.
Biggest Challenge: The living room is set on an odd angle. We played with a lot of furniture configurations in an attempt to maximize that space.
What Friends Say: They’re always surprised by how warm and cozy the place feels, despite the desaturated palette.
Biggest Embarrassment: When you live with a small pup in the big city, “weewee pads” are an unavoidable fact of life. We hide them as best we can (in a nook off the kitchen), and clean the area multiple times a day so that it never, ever smells!
Proudest DIY: Greg custom-built the table behind the couch, which makes brilliant use of the oddest possible angle. And though we didn’t do it ourselves, reframing the windows to let the blinds hang midway down (creating skylights while maintaining privacy) was an exciting makeover. This little change brought a new architectural element to the living area, gave us a ton more light, and saved us from having to invest in new, more expensive window treatments.
Biggest Indulgence: Because we’re renting, we’ve been pretty thrifty with everything in this space. But I must admit that Greg has been very ‘indulgent’ of my love for all things shiny! Fortunately, he’s slowly growing to love brass as much as I do.
More pragmatically, I think lampshades are a really important investment. Most of the shades in our house cost ten times what the lamps below them did. It’s the sort of finishing touch that makes a world of difference.
Best Advice: Greg says: compromise. I say: It doesn’t matter if you’re living in a space for one year or ten - put the effort into making it a place that inspires you and reflects your personality. You deserve to wake up every morning and feel excited about your environment!
Dream Sources: The classifieds! Or their modern equivalent, EstateSales.net. We love treasure hunting.
I also dream-shop on First Dibs all the time - then try to track down my favorite specimens for a steal on eBay!
Resources of Note:
ENTRY
- • Mirrors: Antique stores and yard sales
• Table: Reclaimed Wood
• Painting by Kelly Framel
LIVING ROOM
- • Paint Colors: Decorator's White by Bejamin More & Wenge by Behr
• Couch: Crate & Barrell
• Rug: Walmart (via Beso.com)
• Coffee table: Two Jakes
•
• End Tables: Various Yard Sales
• Illustration by Alex Daniel
• Pillows: Etsy and Urban Outfitters
• Lamps: Junk
• Candle: Church tag sale
• Hanging Screen: Ebay
• Framed Prints: French Vogue
DINING ROOM
- • Antique Frame: Texas vintage store
•Glass Table: Brimfield Market
•Stools: West Elm
•Sheepskin: Ikea
•S-Curve Photograph by Greg Kessler
Lithograph by Hermann Zapf
KITCHEN
- • Glassware: Mercury Tip Collection by Dorthy: Various antique markets and Ebay
• Bar Cabinet: Yard sale in NJ with a DIY touch.
• Flower Flutes: East Hampton
• Appliances: Bosch
• Stools: Sidewalk find!
• Marble Sugar Canisters: Brimfield Market
• Mismatched China: Junk
• Scrabble Notebook (For Wine & Cheese Notes): Artists and Fleas
BEDROOM
- • 1970's Sculpture by C. Jere: Brimfield Market
• Step Stool: Hamptons Yard Sale with a DIY touch
• Corner Chair: Brimfield Market
• Sconce: Junk
• Bed: Ikea
• Bedding: Restoration Hardware
• Table Lamps: Brimfield Market
• End Tables: Brimfield Market
• Dresser: Craigslist with a DIY touch
• Prints: Sam Haskins
BATHROOM
- • Floor Lamp: Sidewalk find!
• Painting: Austin-based artist Marlin Linville
OFFICE
- • Daybed: West Elm
• Pillows: Ikea & Future Perfect
• Coffee Table: A DIY project. Plate stand & mirror from Junk
• Directors Chair: Junk
• End Table: Sidewalk Find!
• Panther: Antique store in Florida
• Shelves: Ikea
• Desk: Ikea
• Theatre Marquee Review Signs: Sidewalk Find!
• All Lampshades: Just Shades
• C-Stand with Clamp Light: Greg's own photography equipment
• Cowhides: Ebay
Thanks, Kelly & Greg!
• HOUSE TOUR ARCHIVE Check out past house tours here
• Interested in sharing your home with Apartment Therapy? Contact the editors through our House Tour Submission Form.
• Are you a designer/architect/decorator interested in sharing a residential project with Apartment Therapy readers? Contact the editors through our Professional Submission Form.
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Comments (72)
It's like walking into Z Gallerie, lol! This is lovely, they succeeded in creating a glitzy, expensive look for what (I'm guessing) was not TOO terribly much money.
I *love* her blog and I have dying to see how her apartment was decorated. Thanks Apartment Therapy for giving a glimpse of her home. Side note: She has great pics of her beautiful and well-organized closet on her blog.
At first glance, with all of the GOLD pieces, the living room immediately reminds me of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkMsSIjQXxo
I mean this in a good way!
I think the video is hilarious.
Wow. Ok I just checked the house tour and it IS just like the video! Even down to the miniature giraffe (thumbnail photo #47.) Freaky.
--I do like the horizontal stripes in the bathroom though. Otherwise, the place is way to opulent for my taste. I think I would question my husband's tendencies if he allowed me to decorate our home 100% in this direction.
Well I think I know which picture is Bunny's favorite lol.
Love Kelly's blog and apartment! Though they're both much more opulent and "glamourous" than I can live practically - it's always fun to glimpse in the lives of others and live vicariously. Bunny is so adorable!
The collection of mirrors is splendid!
I love the gold. It's opulent, but still feels warm and comfortable. They've done a nice job.
Bunny's very pretty and huggable, and Papillons are unusually trainable for such a small breed. My sister, who's big on obedience training her dogs, will adopt a Papillon when she's too frail from age to handle the larger breeds she has now. The Havanese is similar to the Papillon in size, trainability, and qualifications as a house pet.
I'm going to have to hide this from my daughter, who already thinks that fashion blogging is a viable career option. Oy veh. Being more pragmatic (and a mom) I remain unconvinced. I'll let her see this when she has her diploma and a day job! :) That said, I do love the way in which the art and books are displayed and I think the mirrors are fantastic. This is a far cry from the wretched little hovel I had when I tried to make a go of living in NYC back in the day! Well done.
@Photogirl723 -- I think Kelly is one of the exceptions when it comes to full-time fashion bloggers. I know she works with/consults for high-end brands (Erin Fetherston, Coach, Ralph Lauren, etc.), in addition to writing her own (ad-supported) blog and selling her original jewelry designs. Not for everybody, but it is possible to earn a living from it!
I just saw her blog she is adorable and can now see how this apartment reflects her own personal fashion styles.
Bunny is too cute in that picture.
Vey cute and detail oriented!!
Very like my step-sister's taste and style from her old pad, plus she and her partner have an adorable Papillon too!
A little too opulent for me to live in, but it's fascinating to look at.
Looks like a luxurious show room :) Beautifully done.
And the dog is too cute!
Love the space. Its fantastic.. well done!!!
I am surprised that there are not too many comments!!!
Where is Rita Hayworth? I half expected seeing Rita in a beautiful gown lounging in one of those chairs. Very cool place!
It's clear that Kelly and Greg have more elegance and sophistication in their little fingers than I have in my entire body. How they marry this with such warmth and wit in their interiors is beyond me. Even their popcorn storage container is classy! GAAAH!
I love the old plant stand repurposed as a handtowel shelf in the second bathroom. And their use and placement of frames (either empty or with pictures in them) needs its own lengthy post.
P.S. "Glamouramous"?
Admire all of the effort and the interesting taste in the collections of objects but where is the line between living with great things that make life more enjoyable and gratuitous display that looks like a retail display? I mean what purpose could there be for displaying seltzer bottles below a sink?
must agree with buster.
it looks a little garish to me
"giselle" sculpture equates to "gazelle", right?
i am absolutely in love with it, all of it.
Apt's gorgeous, and I love her blog. Great taste. So jealous!
I admire the commitment this must have taken. The vintage items are a nice surprise, and the studio area is fantastic. It's very feminine... I wonder if Greg agrees?
of note, re: the "giselle", i follow aldridge's atlantis blog too. i have yet to find mine. m
oh my, so much I like but some of that gold scares me LOL. The kitchen, bedrooms/workspace and bathrooms are fabulous! Yes some of it looks too showroom like, but wonderful home otherwise.
Seriously gorgeous styling! Love the tree. I think the little dog thinks he is supposed to be the subject of all the photos!
i like it and think it is well edited, but I can't imagine what it takes to keep it clean!
Gorgeous!
Does anyone know how those west elm side tables hold up to being sat on? I was thinking about putting one in my entryway to be used as a stool to assist with taking off shoes. Thanks!
Until I looked at Kelly's blog, I was thinking the same thing, that perhaps their place (while absolutely gorgeous) was perhaps a bit too styled to actually feel like a real home. To me, it looked more like a glamorous movie set than a glamorous home. But then I saw the blog. And now it all makes sense: Kelly is born to style! If some decorator came in and did this, I'd feel differently. But now that I know a bit about Kelly, I can totally see how this would be "home" for her (and her cute husband). Fantastic.
Kelly has impeccable taste and style. When I saw the Gazelle on the coffee table I knew it was her apartment.. as it makes frequent appearances on her blog.
My only gripes with this tour is that you did not include any photos of her closet! Aside from that, I LOVE the work spaces and overall composition... Bravo!!!
love her personal style but her apartment is too busy for my taste
Whoa, this looks like a set from a 1980s soap opera. Although a bit too annoyingly aspirational in the sense that it literally looks like a highly-staged interior design showroom, not a home. But I absolutely love the painting in the entryway. I was surprised to see that she actually painted it; I was almost certain it was a flea market treasure. I would love to see more of her work.
WOW
I'm going to throw out everything I own and start over.
LOL
This is mesmerizingly gorgeous.
Along the lines of dspero's comment, who keeps this place so clean and shiny/sparkly? Having worked with black and white (which are sooooo pretty), each shows the dirt that the other does not - and shiny things show everything else! Please share your cleaning secrets!!!
What a glam home! Where did you find the 'ever after' print? So pretty!
I wish I could stick to such a limited palette. Very calming and beautiful. Where did you get the cabinet with drawers that slips so beautifully beneath your desk?
This is really quite beautiful. To my stern Yankee eye, it's too styled and a little overcrowded. For instance, God forbid a 2-year-old ever sets foot in there. But that's a matter of personal taste, and hey, I don't live there. Clearly, Kelly has a great eye for design. I'm really impressed with the palette, which limits and focuses what might otherwise be a busy, messy look.
Also, that dog is too cute for words!
WOW need I say more. Oh yes the dog is a little doll
PERFECT......
Hello everyone; thanks for checking out the house tour!! Will do my best to answer all your questions:
@ Lisa Hunter: I found the review signs next to the dumpster of an Off-Broadway theater! I dragged them to the basement of my at-the-time office building, where they sat until I found a friend with a truck. I just HAD to have them!
@ Blandwagon: "Glamouramous" is an old joke between the writer of this story and us. "Mount Glamouramous" was the theme of a Greek Bacchanalian-themed party at my last apartment.
@ Buster1: the bottles below the studio sink are used to store filtered water for our workspace ~ to save a trip upstairs every time someone needs a refill. We used to keep store-bought bottled waters down there, but these reusable glass bottles make for a much greener solution. They're definitely NOT a prop :)
@ sunan: Greg loves the place! He's so relieved I stuck with a desaturated (ie: gender-neutral) palette, and compromised my lifelong goal of having a pink kitchen ;)
@ mlme: the West Elm side tables are super sturdy, but not super comfortable ~ which is why we added the sheepskins to the tops. With that little addition, they're comfortable enough for multi-hour dinner parties!
dspero & citipearl: The only thing we really struggle to keep clean is the black rug ~ if it's not vacuumed weekly, it SHOWS! Otherwise, the place isn't really as high-maintenance as you might think. Although, Windex is obviously our friend ;)
@ emilykayeb: the "Ever After" print was a gift to Greg on our second anniversary. I found it at a gallery in Canada ~ but can't remember the name of it for the life of me. So sorry!
@ Oregon74: the desk-tops, legs, and cabinets all came from Ikea.
@ ericasullivan: I guess it's not for everyone ~ but it certainly suits our lifestyle. We don't entertain a lot of 2-year-olds, otherwise it might be another story!!
--
Hope that answers everyone's questions!
XOKelly
I love the apartment , I could just look an look. We live in a condo in Milwaukee and also trained our small dogs to puppy pads that we put in the shower. It works. You two are darling.
Everything is so glamorous..almost untouchable to me, I would be afraid of leaving a finger print or breaking something lol.
How funny that you have the couch I was just looking at on Crate & Barrel's website..is it comfy?
Thanks for the answer. I still admire the effort but the initial reaction of too much holds true. As a fashion person you must know Chanel's quip, "one should get dressed then take off one item before leaving home" which also applies to decorating.
While this isn't my style I still think it's well done. Lovely place!
OMG!! I cannot tell you how much I love this!! Thank you so much for posting!! I am reposting, like, now, b/c I love it so much. I will def. link back ;)
xx
Becca
Dans Mon Boudoir
I find this MCC / Regency combination really intriguing. I think the reason it works is because of the limited color palette and the layered textures. K&G, thanks for sharing.
Holy sh*t. I haven't even looked through all the pictures yet and I'm in love.
This is an amazing apartment.
Why is everyone calling it a "gazelle"? It is clearly a deer, and a Thai lucky deer, at that.
Why is everyone calling it a "gazelle"? It is clearly a deer, and a Thai lucky deer, at that.
Meg..I could not have said it better!!!!!
@TheGlamourai: Will get more Windex so I can add some sparkle and candlelight, especially now that it's so dark and dreary as we approach mid-December, while avoiding dark rugs -- had been eyeing a charcoal gray rug, but will re-think. Thanks!
hooray for maximalism!
Hey Kelly you are awesome. I love what you have done. I think some of these people who are leaving borderline cruel comments wouldn't know Hollywood Regency Glam if it hit them in the face. I assume they are the same people who go to Walmart and Target to buy furniture and whose decorating is beyond predictable. I am the same as you LOVE everything(I am debating on the gold addition to the loft when we move.) I am scared...haha I spent years hating gold(but for some reason it works and surprisingly with silver.) You need it when you buy anything vintage Hollywood Regency. I am all over the board I love that style and I love minimalist all white beach feel. Going to go for the Hollywood Regency feel in the loft and when we buy in SO CAL will switch to the beach feel(mixed with some glam.) YOU ROCK!
PS: I forgot to add saying your bf/hub is borderline "gay" because he likes that stuff? REALLY MATURE!!! Sorry I am venting for you.
haha and one more thing since I am Aries and I have to blurt out thus forgetting things I want to say...in regards to the whole clean thing. To put somebody down because they want to keep their place clean is RIDICULOUS and yes there are people who can have opulent looking things AND be clean at the same time. There is NOTHING wrong with that way of life, as a matter of fact I am sure deep inside almost everybody strives or at least desires to be clean. It is only the people with discipline who can actually be clean and keep things organized. It's a state of mind. And as far as anything you have being over the top, I don't see that. Your place doesn't remind me of a disorganized thrift store at all. PS: I have a few(won't say how many haha) small dogs similar to yours and three go on pads. I am thinking of litter training. Apparently it works. Will keep you updated.
It looks like merchandising for retail accessory store, not that there is anything wrong with this.
Poor Greg. I don't think it's very nice of women who make men live in such feminine places... The home office is the best part. All those accessories... really. When going to TjMaxx one has to edit their belongings. If you bought something new, put something old away, sell it or trash it. I think it's cute how the photos are so staged! what is that thing over the bed? what is the style here? Regency? Asian? glam? 80's? 50's? I can't tell...
Love it! I am proud that I have the same gold oriental picture. As for the poster above me who commented about women "who make men" live in feminine places--we don't know what their relationship is, plus there are some men who just don't care what their house looks like (and this could very well be his taste).
And I just saw Kelly's post that her husband loves the place--as well he should! It's very fun.
Wowza!
Fabulous! LOVE LOVE LOVE:)
I love all of the different elements in this house - there seems to always be something unique to look at in the most unsuspecting places. Really keeps it interesting, lively, and warm!
i usually dont like suggesting Competition, but... hands down, BEST house tour / fav of mine since i became a member, Aug this year..
i still live with folks (bummer.. my country's law about only able to legally own a place WHEN YOU ARE 35.) but if i have my own place now it would look EXACTLY like this. my collection and all... gold, black and opulent..
wow (in shock).
btw...it's not all THAT staged.. a completely staged-place shows no wires and i can see wires ALL OVER THE PLACE... so.. this place is 'real'. not that bad... =)
I have posted before and I have to say...even at a second look...I LOVE THIS HOUSE!!!!...Gush!
holy hell! i am so incredibly jealous of those marquee signs & they were FREE! why does that never happen to me? my husband is a comedy writer & they would be the perfect gift for him! if you are EVER in the market to sell any one of them please let me know, kelly. i will haul them back to LA on my back if need be.
I think it is absolutely charming, though the gazelle makes me think of the golden calf in "The Ten Commandments," LOL! The dog is precious. I was going to get a papillon as a companion for my yorkie-poo but somehow a toy fox terrier adopted us when my back was turned so, oh well! :)
Love it.
Complete and total commitment. This place is awesome.
Ever since Kelly posted these pics on her blog, I have tried shamelessly to copy her amazing vignettes wherever I can in my apt., but I'm still falling short!
Kelly-My shih tzu uses wee wee pads, too! But his are in my foyer. Wretched. :-(
This is, BY FAR, my favorite house tour Apartment Therapy has ever done. I adore every last sparkling bit of it. It is well edited and full of things which clearly mean a great deal to this couple.