Name: Stephanie Adamowicz
Location: West Village — New York, New York
I live in a 450 square foot studio in a walk-up building in the West Village in Manhattan, New York. I work for two art dealers at a gallery on the Upper East Side, and advise young and new collectors, curate exhibitions, and write All Art is Contemporary in my spare time, so I am constantly looking at artistic and aesthetic objects — whether they are painting, photography, sculpture, or furniture in galleries, museums, private collections, or public art. This line of work invariably turns you into a collector, which means that small spaces are extremely challenging!
My aesthetic is very much an evolving subject that is influenced by what I see on a daily basis, as well as my European background, and my love for travel. I am frequently drawn to conceptual artwork or art that makes art historical, historical, or literary references, while staying contemporary and relevant to the present. As a result, my apartment is a mix of old and new, historical and contemporary, refurbished and new. My art collection has 17th century drawings in gilded frames and antique woodblock prints in modern frames mixed in with contemporary works such as a lenticular hologram-like work and sculpture of books by Gareth Long, a watercolor study by Mark Barrow, and a photograph by Sharon Core. My most recent acquisition is a photograph by Rachel Bee Porter that I cannot wait to get framed!
My passion for art has also led to a rather eclectic decorating style. Most of the furniture is in a neutral palette so as to let the art stand out. I have some contemporary, clean, simple pieces like my couch or dresser, which I have mixed with a vintage barn wood dining table/desk from the Brooklyn flea market, a Moroccan-style low side table, and a lucite console. I also recently purchased a 19th century French settee from an antiques dealer in California that is in the process of being refinished. The upholstery has been replaced, and I am slowly working on rediscovering the original color of the wood under an unfortunate layer of gold paint. In the meantime, a shawl from India that a friend just sent me is acting as a throw and is nicely offsetting the gold color.
One of the first things that I tell my art advising clients is to buy what they love. As a guiding philosophy, I've tried to slowly acquire furniture that I really like rather than buying it all at once. So at this stage of my life, I am still putting together my home and figuring out what it is that appeals to me most. Also like art, you won't love everything that you buy today in 20 years, but you hope that as you mature you figure out what it is that speaks to you and makes you most comfortable.
Thanks Stephanie!
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Ok, but I don't see a lot of art here. I expected a lot more after reading the title.
Yeah! Where is all the art?
I see a mess!
I live in a small, white-walled apartment and have a few nice pieces of art. This is an inspiration to me. Maybe I should take down the museum art posters.
I especially love the mirrored triptic.
I agree with suzy8track, where is the art?? I'd expect more out of an art consultant...sorry.
a little harsh people! the title said art collection, not art-filled space. she is highlighting the pieces she has. and she is showing how they fit with larger space, not just a close up of the artwork (which so often raises ire here).
i especially like how the bedroom works. having it so spartan really highlights the piece on the wall.
yeah, i'm looking for the art as well. you would think that an art consultant/art blogger/gallerist would have more than a few pieces. nice pieces, but a little spare considering the title.
There were some comments about the art in my apartment - so I thought I would describe a bit more what is in the pictures.
http://www.allartiscontemporary.com/2011/my-apartment-on-apartment-therapy/
the art is a little spare and the disorganization around the fireplace is distracting from the pieces.
I like the position of the painting near the bed. Are there any special precautions you take to conserve your collection? I’m guessing 17th century drawings are light-sensitive.
There seems to be a concentration of items around the fireplace which can make it hard to actually focus on a single piece of art. I would recommend giving each piece some breathing room - especially when you have such interesting works.
Cute place, but a bit cluttered and lacking in color for my taste.
love the lucite desk! manufacturer?
im sure when an art collector comes home, it might be a whole lot more relaxing to come home to empty walls. it is also probably a whole lot harder deciding on favorite pieces of art to buy.
i think its cute and i always love seeing house tours of teeny studios.
thanks, stephanie!
I'm glad you're getting rid of the gold on that settee, eugh. It seems to be in the exact proportions of what I'm looking for myself (as of seeing something like it at a flea market a couple weeks ago; good thing I don't have anywhere to put it yet or I totally would have jumped already. >.>) But why did you reupholster before tackling the frame? It seems like a kind of bad idea. o.O
Your place is very neutral so am not responding very strongly to it. It certainly looks like you have more space for art, but I guess there's no point rushing it if you haven't found things you like enough.
Why is this on AT? The best thing about this place is that painted brick wall.
I really like this, and would love to see a full house tour.
I think by not plastering your walls with art, the art that IS there, stands out a lot more. It doesn't have to compete with anything else. I love Stephanie's restraint in living with just a few pieces that she really loves. The space really has a very calm and comfortable, and indeed, Parisian vibe about it.
I think its a lovely flat... apartment even... people really need to get of the high horses... really people if you're houses/apartments are so perfect why do you get them posted!
hmmm, still no spam protection?
I counted at least 9 pieces so chill out with the "where's the art?" Does it even matter?
I would change up the focus a bit. All the books and stuff make the fireplace feel cluttered rather than a focal point. I would think about how you show art for your clients and then do that for yourself. It's all about editing.
Hi again -
@hessilou - I tend to frame my works with UV-plexi, which indeed does protect against damaging sunlight
@splinky - the lucite console is from Crate and Barrel from a few years ago
@lepidoptery - great question about the settee! I actually bought that from a dealer out of state without seeing it in person, I had it shipped directly to my upholster because I knew that the fabric on it was not to my liking. As for the finish, it was a more expensive venture that would require some time and saving first.
Lastly, I only buy one piece of art that I really enjoy a year. I also save for that piece and budget accordingly throughout the year. In the interim, I don't find the need to decorate with posters or other pieces.
one more comment: i just followed the link that tells more about the art. sharon core is phenomenal! now i am seriously desiring one of her still life photographs...
boring
Sorry, but "Collection"? I thought she'd have lots more to choose from. And aren't collections supposed to have something in common? Artist, subject matter,etc.? Just saying. Anybody could have chosen those pieces. Maybe she should have highlighted those pieces.
And I had to backtrack after the Lucite desk was mentioned! Really?? A fireplace, a gold settee, silver metal shelving, white,white brick and off white brick all within 5 ft of each other?? Kind of tacky,Sorry!
I think the Lucite desk/table would be lovely in the bedroom with artwork and maybe a small sculpture or fresh flowers.It wouldn't be crowded or invisible in the mix!
I adore the warmth of the floors of your apartment giving the clean white walls a truly warm yet modern feel. Your white walls are an amazing canvas for more art. I have read the other comments and feel they are quite scathing - we all have ideas of what we declare as stylish - this is your style and good on you for displaying it
Hate to say it, but I agree with most of the comments about all the bare blank walls. I was expecting bright bold inspiring art pieces coming from someone so closely connected into the art world.
The art that you do have is so tiny, I couldn't make out what it even looked like on my monitor. But on a more positive note, I do love your painted brick and the clean lines of your apartment.
Where's the kitchen, want to see the kitchen,..and the art!!!
Cute apartment! I guess people only want to see fully decorated apartments like the ones they see stage in mags and blogs. For most people that takes years to accumulate piece by piece unless your budget is other worldly.
I'm going to guess this is someone starting out that is building a base to embellish in the years to come. Not everyone has goo gobs of money to purchase an entire vintage mid-century suite at once.
I say way ta go Stephanie. That's a good place to grow from.
I happen to agree with erinstl and Ambi Dextrous. I wish A.T. would go back to doing house tours on small spaces vs. huge oversized homes. Maybe it's just me but isn't that where A.T. started? I don't mind house tours of houses so long as they're considered small homes or cottages.
As for this tour, I happen to love the art work displayed and didn't have any trouble whatsoever finding it. It's a NY small apartment and I love it! This is the only reason I keep coming back to A.T. Also, I thank each and every person who's allowed us to take a view of their home. I don't care if it's my style or not, I'm appreciative the owners were kind enough to share their design inspirations and open their doors to strangers who at times act juvenile and insulting. It's one thing give constructive criticism another to be downright PLAIN RUDE.
Thanks for all the positive comments! Yes, it's a small space on a small budget, but I do love it! Also, if you liked the art, check the link to my blog to learn more about it - http://www.allartiscontemporary.com/2011/my-apartment-on-apartment-therapy/