This Renter Filled a 450-Square-Foot Apartment with Vintage Finds and Small-Space Solutions
This 450-square-foot rental apartment in Manhattan’s Lenox Hill, built around 1910, hadn’t been recently renovated, so it offered some “old-school quirks” when Bailey King moved in three years ago. The doors didn’t close all the way, for instance. And there was a window above the bathroom vanity instead of a mirror.
Kermit the cat is apparently "horrible about clawing" on the furniture, so she made sure she picked a couch with a very tight upholstery weave so he can't get his claws in it. "The couch is performance velvet, and the chair is rustic chenille produced by Pottery Barn."
Bailey describes the space as a blank slate, with white walls and a white kitchen, and without much detail, but she was “happy to overlook the quirks” to have a space she could make her own. The small unit also came lots of natural light near the front of the apartment and a darker section near the back — perfect for Bailey to make a cozy sleep cave.
"I like to keep my closet door opened," she continues. "It requires me to keep the space clean and tidy and give a chance to use my bags as decor. In addition I repurposed the space behind the door to store shoes.
The bedding, pillows, and blanket are from Lauren Ralph Lauren and Ralph Lauren Home, and the console was purchased on Amazon. This gallery wall also includes pieces I got from Hobby Lobby for a great price."
As a self-proclaimed homebody, the most important thing to Bailey was that the one-bedroom apartment needed to feel comfortable. “I wanted the space to feel more traditional and cozy. I really wanted an apartment that I could enjoy reading a book in or watching a movie with my cat,” writes Bailey, who shares her home with Kermit the cat.
"My gallery wall above is a mix of vintage and new," she explains. "The plate and technical pedestal drawings were found at an antique mall in NC. The two lower framed pieces are from Hobby Lobby, which I suggest for anyone looking for inexpensive art. It is already framed and they have a very diverse selection. I also wanted to create a gallery wall with some untraditional finishes, so I mixed vintage book art and plates, and DIYed wrapped picture frames that I wrapped in fabric and matched the matte to the frame. Inside are some of my postcards."
Bailey is a designer, and says she’s been creating spaces all her life. “I knew I wanted to go into design since I was young child watching ‘This Old House’ reruns with my dad. I latched onto the more traditional style early on, given my exposure, and that presented in adulthood to finding pieces with character and history,” she writes.
“The work I do professionally is all about heritage and historic design, and it allowed me to learn how to focus on the smallest details. I look for furniture with an interesting finial or wood grain,” Bailey continues. “My work is definitely reflected in my home. I have had the opportunity to work with some of the best designers in their fields, and it has allowed me to move away from some of the more cookie-cutter pieces that everyone has.”
This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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