Name: Stephanie Julia
Location: Greenwich Village, NYC
Type: Apartment
Size: 900 Square feet
Years lived in: 14
Visiting Stephanie's Greenwich gem was a peep into her passionate soul. Through the years she carefully collected items that reflect her deep love for travel, family and animals. Steph has lived in this apartment for more than a decade and her home has evolved with her changing needs, you instantly sense this is her resting place and haven.
The eclectic art collection were gifts and creations from friends and family and her sentiment is clear as she reminisce a tale of every item. Her love for animals are revealed with pictures of horses in every room, a fantastic example of a personalized design theme. For Steph nesting is an ongoing process and she is always on the lookout for a new treasure, most recently she found a new pet on the window sill!
Apartment Therapy Survey:
My/Our style: Vintage, International, Modern and Traditional Indigenous.
Inspiration:Every element that surrounds me has a story, every blanket, bowl, dish, picture, painting. That my home reminds me of travels I have made and relationships I have kept.
What are your hopes and dreams?: That someday with my help even, that cruelty towards animals will diminish greatly. To inspire people to eat less meat or no meat at all. For the world to be aware of their impact and that individuals alone can make a difference. I hope that I can make a film to envelope these ideals and that people watch it and learn from it and feel inspired by it. I try to do this every day though, why wait to make the film, when I try to live it.
Biggest Challenge: Clutter, I love to showcase, I find myself moving things around constantly
What Friends Say: It feels like a home
Biggest Embarrassment: I had a date over one day and I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye flapping. A pigeon flew in to my apartment — pooped everywhere. I have a family of pigeons that sit on my bedroom window sill. They coo every morning. I know they are rats with wings but I love them! The sound they make I am glad we don’t have those anti pigeon razors on the sills of our building. We need the pigeons, they clean up the streets!
Proudest DIY: Rewiring the chandelier in my entry hall that I purchased for $100. They have the same ones at ABC carpet for like $1,500 dollars!
Biggest Indulgence: New double pained sound proof windows and my new kitchen (still under a little bit of construction. Almost done!
Best advice: There is a place for everything and everything for its place. I try to buy real things, nothing made in china or found in home goods. I prefer things with a history. I get why IKEA does so well, but I find you can do so much better at antique shops or flea markets. To have one of a kind pieces is really important and to give old furniture a home, is really special, try to buy things that support local industry. I love estate sales. I also do most of my shopping on vacation, bringing back pottery and fabrics that I rotate depending on the seasons. I love things made by hand. I never bargain, I always pay full price, especially in Latin America. What is the difference of a couple dollars?
Resources:
Kitchen Furniture: Crate and Barrel
Accessories: Villeroy and Boch, Williams Somona- Copper pots, Trevi espresso machine, Sub Zero
Lighting: Simon Pearce and antique chandelier from flea market
Rugs & carpets: One was given, the other from Greece and 1 Siesel.
Paint: Eco paints in Country stove white and linen whites.
Tiles and Stone: Terra Cotta Kitchen, tumbled marble bathroom, subway tile, and counter top is reclaimed Israeli quartz. Leftover from some huge kitchen someone build. I took the spare pieces.
Art: Photographs from my friends that are photographers. Paintings from my mother and prints from antique shops. Also I consider the vintage saris made out of pillows and blankets art work as well.
Window Treatments: Wooden shades
Bedroom furniture: All eBay antiques
Dining Room: Antique dining room set that I found at an antique shop for 700 dollars. Chairs were given to me by an old neighbor and others found in antique shops. Tiffany china in autobahn pattern.
Desk: Ebayed Danish modern, The Secretary Desk is an antique that my mom gave me for highschool graduation.
Other: Living on the second floor I have felt like I have really lived with the people in the village, I hear them outside my window at night and I love it! Sometimes friends yell up if they see my lights on! I love that!
I love the trees outside my windows and the birds that chirp in the morning in addition to my pigeons. Also on Sept 11 and the black out, friends came to my place, since I am only on the second floor, they figured it was easy to get to, and that they knew I had food. Both times I made pasta on my gas stove. People know they are always welcome and that there is always time for a good bottle of wine, friends conversation and delicious vegetarian food from Union Square market home made.
Thanks Stephanie!
(Images: Liezel Strauss)
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Great piece... thanks for posting... this home has a wonderful sense of luxury and livability... very special.
view CapetoCairo's profile
Cozy and very homey. I really like the kitchen a lot.
view queenbee1230's profile
Very nice. I like the collections in glass jars. Great use of plants too.
view aj's profile
What a lovely home.
Can you please tell me where your coffee table is from? I'd been looking for one just like it. Thanks!
view scooterpies's profile
I really love it.
view travislessness's profile
A nice blend of traditional plus comfortable plus personal, with a healthy dose of quirky... I like it! And I love your wabi-sabi door.
view mirandabee's profile
As yummy and homey as those cupcakes. This is a timeless, personal space that would make company want to hang around. I like the way you've used the chairs in different ways and the headboard bookcase is a great way to maximize that space.
view colibri's profile
I'm having the worst case of real estate envy ever. 900 sq feet? in the WEST VILLAGE?? Sigh.
p.s. Love those doors, wish i could do that with mine...
http://www.tangiedecor.blogspot.com
view LTangie's profile
Stephanie lucky girl Village apartment for 14 years we know what that means :).
I am with you on the animal issues.
Love your apartment so warm and cozy. You did a great job with the lighting too. Love the SP lamp and the horse prints.
The green wall is so fresh, do you recall the color of paint?
Love you bedroom the corner piece behind the bed is smart it gives a little place for a shrine.
The kitchen is really pretty.
view LoriSF's profile
You have a lovely home. Everything is so beautifully layered and it doesn't look forced - great job. I, too, am in love with your door.
view robinette's profile
Stephanie has managed to make this lovely abode look bigger than 900 sf. Great job and very homey.
I'm interested in the coffee table, too. Where can I find it?
view lella's profile
yes, 900 sq. feet in the village--it's a mansion! great space with a comfortable aesthetics.
view timmy jr.'s profile
Beautiful home with lovely bones! It just looks so inviting, all of it ---and to think it is in NYC!!
Total agreement on animal issues. YOur horse pictures are great, esp like the one of the white face close up.
Thank you for sharing.
view sassydo's profile
wow. 900sq feet!!!! this is one of my favorite house tours ever...definitely in my top 5...LOVES IT!
view rosaleen's profile
Scooterpie, I want to know the provenance of the coffee table too because I have the exact same one! I found it at a shop on Knox Ave in Dallas, TX. No idea where it came from though.
view shwynn2's profile
Very livable, realistic and lovely home that looks comfortable! I like all the personal touches throughout that gives the place personality. Very nice!
view junklover's profile
the coffee table was a 100 dollar special at crate and barrel 14 years ago. it was a house warming from my parents. it has been through the war! not fussy and i am sure will last another 14 - 30 years! at least! buy things that will last!
the white pony close up was a picture i took myself. it was my pony and one of my best friends. he was in our family for almost 2 decades!
i can get the green color of paint if you really want it!
the doors are stripped. they are the originals from the 1930. had at least 20 layers of paint on them.
view stephanie1's profile
This is beautiful apartment. I am moving from Manhattan to Philadelphia at the beginning of the year and I plan to so something very similar to what you have done! Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous!
view hrlemwrlddiva's profile
Fantastic looking apartment. I love the plant in front of the fireplace. It is obvious the rooms have evolved over time. Your home is like a book on design. I love it. My only critique is regarding those socks.....My Gosh what were you thinking?
view latinwaterpolo's profile
Nice place... different moods around the place (I don't know about bones and such...LOL). I really like your entryway. Bathroom cabinet is wonderful. Does you living room need a little item or two of color? Maybe just my taste... seems like it is too brown and beige... not a mood lifter. I dunno. Great place :-)
view Laughing Tiger's profile
Were did you get your bed linens: sheets comforter throw. i love the look!
view initomo's profile
yes the green paint color would be great to know. That white pony picture and story brings tears, so sweet.
view LoriSF's profile
The lucite chair in the bathroom is a good idea. (I think it's lucite, anyway.)
Please share the source for the bed linens! They are so pretty. :)
view graefix's profile
lovely place. i know there must be a donut lurking somewhere... ;)
view marc10's profile
second graefix request...bedding source?
view rosaleen's profile
What a beautiful home. Thank you for sharing and also for speaking your mind about the welfare of animals and crafts people. Can hardly agree more (except I don't get to South America quite often enough ...)!
view EAM's profile
I like the socks! I think Stephanie's outfit perfectly represents her design aesthetic - great sense of color, innate style, unpretentious, definitely not trendy and unashamedly oriented toward comfort. I also love your home! Thanks for sharing.
view KT575's profile
the sheets are yves delorme and are the best sheets in the world! they are made in France. they last a lifetime! the best investment you can ever make!
view stephanie1's profile
I was holding back, but am now emboldened to say: I like the socks too! Very well said, KT575!
view mirandabee's profile
oh yes, and on the bed is my old vintage sari that i bought from a woman at a flea market here in NY. (the one on greenwich ave). i could tell she had a hard time parting with it. i told her i would take great care of it and even gave her more money than she asked for. i will never forget her, she was wearing a beautiful yellow sari. she had kindness in her eyes. that is in addition to the yves delorme sheets!
view stephanie1's profile
This place is very "storied." It's clear that everything has meaning and was chosen intentionally. A very comfortable aesthetic. Love it!
http://inspiredroomdesign.com
view farmhousemoderne's profile
Love the apartment, love the socks. But the crookedness of the middle picture next to the desk is killing me! I want to reach out and virtually straighten it! :-)
view iphigenia's profile
Very very beautiful house, the only thing is... that I'm not convincing by the position of the bed, but I love everything else
view emal's profile
Great apartment. I love the coffee table, too!
view Midwestdiva's profile
I think this may be my favorite NYC home tour! I love how warm and cozy the space is. It's got that "NYC apartment you only find in a movie" feel. The apartment seems a lot larger than 900 sq ft, it must be laid out well. I love all the decorative items all over the place. I kinda want to move in.
view HeyNowTex's profile
lovely tour. I was happy to see the bursts of humor and color (like the plastic figurines on the mantel, the green in the bedroom) in a house tour which at first struck me as quite muted and serious.
view Tara Emelye's profile
KT575, I thought exactly the same thing when I saw her in the last photo. Her design aesthetic is chic, with a sense of humor and a touch of ethnic. I love it and am insanely jealous.
This is what comes to mind when I think of a Greenwich Village apartment.
view sarrazak's profile
Your home is lovely and truly "feels like home". Very warm and inviting.
view bejeweled's profile
i love your place!! beautiful, accessible, livable, and so reflective of a real human being. lovely
one small gripe: the write-up was not up to par. please improve the grammar and word usage. sorry - i hate to complain, but in this case the writing took away from the home a bit.
view formosagirl's profile
It's lovely to see a real HOME for a change.
view mschatelaine's profile
But no pictures of the "proudest DIY" chandelier in the entry?
view whitepeacock's profile
In addition to all of the other wonderful things you have incorporated into your home, I am obsessed with the shelf behind your bed, sitting snug in the corner. Did you install that? And is it just that one shelf? (I imagine the bed would get in the way of anything else)
view rmhct's profile
Love this house.
Personal effects, but not kitschy or junky.
Used furniture, but oh so tasteful.
Your home is so lovely and embracing.
I could easily live here.
view visual's profile
Stunning! I LOVE everything about your apartment. Thanks for sharing it with the world. I wish you could come and help me with my home. Could you recommend some antique shops in the city?
view momof3andluvit's profile
This is definitely one of my favorite NYC house tour. So lovely and personable.
view mstina's profile
i am in ny. most of the antiques i have found, though are not from new york, although, i have taken chairs off the street! housing works has some great things i have to say.
view stephanie1's profile
Cozy, yet fresh and airy! Impressive! Please tell us if this home stylist has a blog.
view Silver's profile
Wow. Absolutely stunning with so much character ~!
view Jen Coutureglass.com's profile
Wow, I really like this space!
view colleen2009's profile
S, your place is gorgeous & warm. We must've been soulmates in our prev lives, bec I share your love of animals incl pigeons & someday my dream is every animal/bird/fish will live a cruel-free life. Couldn't help smiling that you love Chanel#5 as well. Like you, my bedrm is my private domain & noticed unlike a lot of people your TV is in there, as are a house full of collectibles bringing memories of travel, people & incidences to mind. Hate to cook so unlike your lovely kitchen mine is empty!
view siamcatwoman's profile
What a great space, and I love it. I have to say that it's great to see someone that shares my hopes for the treatment of animals in the future, home decor aside!
It's pretty funny - I have the same squeaky buddha toy that's on your bookshelf.
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_y_OlExbcD9g/SXa8WiDVpnI/AAAAAAAAAR4/YHaq6BJbPMc/s1600-h/26447538_d929c3daf6.jpg
I believe it's a collector's item, as it is out of production!
view tgoly's profile
I love this place!! (Especially all the horsey art.) Your sensibilities seem very similar to my own.
view pixiedust03's profile
Love this home! If I were you, I would NEVER move. I miss NYC now.
Can share the neutral wall color? Is it just linen white from Ben Moore or something else? I am about to paint my kitchen and LR and want a creamy white but not sure which way to go.
view allyg's profile
I'm glad that you said that the yves delorme sheets were an investment. Anyone who spends over $300 on one flat sheet should call it an investment. As beautiful as they are, I'll have to stick with a sheet set from Target at $30!
Beautiful place, nevertheless!
view LeighM's profile
Love it! Green wall SO fresh and inviting. Everything feels tidy and contained, yet really playful at the same time.
Thanks,
Roz
www.bitchesonabudget.com
view budgetbitch's profile