“I have been collecting art, textiles, objects and vintage furniture for quite some time. Last year my husband and I purchased our first home together and it’s been a labor of love renovating and decorating it,” writes interior designer Antoinette, founder of Antoinette Allande Interiors. “It’s a pretty brownstone-esque home with east-facing windows that bring in tons of light and views of the Manhattan skyline. There’s also a majestic old tree that hangs over the facade. In the warmer months the view out my front windows are green leaves on the long branches and birds chirping. Magical!”

My style: My aesthetic is eclectic. I enjoy mixing up many design styles and creating unique and bold spaces.

Inspiration: Moroccan tile floors. I’ve always been obsessed with everything Moroccan. This pattern was a great starting point. I always dreamed of having all of my favorite things such as iconic modern furniture (Akari fixture and Gio Ponti chairs) layered in with artisanal textiles and exotic Moroccan tile. 

Favorite element: Tons of natural light and NYC skyline views.

Biggest challenge: When we purchased this home the interiors needed a lot of work! I envisioned my design studio within my home, but I still needed room to live. The biggest challenges were creating functional living spaces for our needs in small spaces and finding a solution for the exposed and unattractive hot water heater in the kitchen. We were able to achieve all of our goals through some renovating and creative space planning. 

Proudest DIY or product hack: In the dressing room, I painted the existing inexpensive tall shoe shelving the same color as the walls to give the impression that they were built-ins. The room looks quite luxurious now.

Also, I made a DIY wall tapestry for my dining room to hang above my credenza. I found a beautiful Pierre Frey fabric and I ordered a yard of it and then glued it to hang off of a long wooden dowel that I purchased at my local Home Depot. 

Budget: I lived in a rent-controlled tiny apartment for 10 years. When we were finally able to buy our own home I was ready to splurge! We decided to invest in our furnishings; custom sofa, custom window treatments, luxury textiles, antiques, art and iconic classic modern pieces. 

Is there something unique about your home or the way you use it? Our dining room doubles as my design studio!

Please describe any helpful, inspiring, brilliant, or just plain useful small-space maximizing, cleaning, or organizing tips you have: I really love rattan storage bins because I hate clutter. I have them in every room. They store all kinds of things that are not necessarily attractive (e.g., books, files, yoga mats, etc.). If there’s anything ugly I just hide it in a bin! Also, I always buy large furniture because it is luxurious and, believe it or not, my small rooms look larger. Small furniture looks cheap and makes a small room look smaller!

Finally, what’s your absolute best home secret or decorating advice? Don’t put anything in your home that you don’t love. Donate anything that no longer serves a purpose in your home or in your life.

• Public spaces — Benjamin Moore“Decorator’s White”
• Dressing room — Benjamin Moore “Perfect Peach”

• Custom-made sofa designed by Antoinette — Paul J. Mazzola
• Sofa fabric — Kravet performance fabric
• Area rug — Stark Carpet
• Chandelier — Signoret by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort
• Pillow fabrics — Makrosha, Ismay Boucle
• Art above sofa — Vintage 1960s, purchased from Stuart Ross
• Art — Painting of a woman by Stuart Ross
• Wall sculpture — Global Views
• Coffee table — West Elm Collection
• Chair — Chairish

• Moroccan tile floor — Granada tile
• Credenza — Vintage Campaign style 1970s, Chairish
• Wall hanging art — AMENHOTEP TERRE CUITE, Pierre Frey
• Pendant — Akari by Isamu Noguchi
• Window treatments — Custom by Evelin’s Creations
• Dining table — Restoration Hardware, Flatiron table
• Dining chairs — Gio Point, Superleggera, Cassina
• Table runner — Aero, NYC
• Bar cart — Chairish
• Art — Vintage, Ben Albucker
• Art — Vintage, At Home Modern
• Bookcase — Restoration Hardware, Library shelf
• Miscellaneous ceramics — Vintage, Flow Modern
• Mirror — West Elm

• Cabinets custom — NVR custom cabinetry
• Refrigerator — Smeg
• Tile — The Tile Shop, square subway tile
• Countertop — IKEA walnut slab
• Hardware — Rejuvenation
• Window treatment — Anthropologie
• Art — Ten Church Street, Lambertville, New Jersey

• Rug — Tuareg Moroccan vintage, Eliko Rugs, NYC
• Ceiling light — Vintage Moroccan, Chairish
• Bed — Restoration Hardware canopy bed
• Window treatment fabric — House of Hackney, Artemis linen
• Storage bench — Anthropologie
• Bench cushion — Jazz fabric, Pierre Frey
• Bench pillow fabrics — Rogers & Goffigan
• Bed pillows — stripes, Kettlewell Collection
• Figurative art — Ten Church Street, Lambertville, NJ
• Abstract painting — Stuart Ross, Lambertville, NJ

• Abstract painting — Stuart Ross, Lambertville, NJ
• Window treatment fabric — House of Hackney , Artemis linen
• Vanity desk — Chairish
• Chandelier — Chairish
• Vanity bench — Connelly bench, Ballard Designs

Thanks, Antoinette!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.
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