Minette Hand's Recent Articles
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Artist Shyama Golden’s Brooklyn Home Is ‘PeeWee’s Playhouse Meets Tropical Modernism’ Style
This home's inspired by earthy and colorful Mexico City style, '60s and '70s architecture books, and Abigail Ahern's dramatic and moody use of color.
Jun 10, 2019
This Stylist’s Austin House Is a Must-See Maximalist Wonderland
From giant mural wallpaper to layers of plants, bold romantic colors and multiple art galleries, this home has us swooning.
Jun 6, 2019
An Apartment’s Eclectic Interior Includes a Grape Chandelier and Other Must-See Decor Treasures
House Tour
Aviva Falk's Brooklyn apartment filled with one-of-a-kind finds thanks to a unique resource: Her mom owns an estate sale business!
May 31, 2019
A Fashion Designer’s Fort Greene Apartment Is Chic and Parisian-Inspired
Danielle Ribner is the founder of Loup, a Parisian-inspired women’s wear collection collection that focuses on well-made wardrobe staples. She lives in this minimal, bright apartment in Brooklyn's Fort Greene rental apartment.
May 29, 2019
A Pretty Pink Austin Bungalow Is The Product of Resourcefulness and Neighborly Help
Not only did this couple do much of the house's renovation work themselves, the entire neighborhood pitched in. Their style? Reverent and resourceful!
May 28, 2019
Three Roommates Foster Creativity in a Stylish, Cozy Austin Rental Home
Name: Sara Barge, Shelby Goodwin, and Stephanie Gutierrez of Foster ATX Location: Austin, Texas Size: 1,344 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting After a five-week backpacking trip, Sara, Stephanie, and Shelby left Europe exhilarated by all they’d seen and done. At the time, they were convinced that kind of joy, excitement, passion for life—it was temporary.
May 27, 2019
A Small But Sunny NYC Apartment Was Decorated with Community in Mind
Name: Simone and Mimi McGurl, their cats Jimmie and EZ Location: NoMad (Flatiron) — New York, New York Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting (but 10 years in NYC) Simone and Mimi had moved away to San Francisco for the winter a couple of years ago, with a plan to come back in the spring. After looking at hundreds of apartments online and many in person, she let her lease lapse and figured they’d find something after they took a pause on searching.
May 9, 2019
A Super Small 375-Square-Foot Studio Is Masterfully Arranged
Name: Madison Malone Kircher Location: Brooklyn Heights — Brooklyn, New York Size: 375 square feet (closet included) Years lived in: 2 years, renting Found her: A witty and talented writer who magically fits a kitchen, living room, bedroom, kitchen, dining room, bathroom, and storage in 375 square feet—including the closet. Meet Madison Malone Kircher. Madison’s an Associate Editor at New York Magazine.
May 6, 2019
An Older Charleston Home Is an Inspiring, Eclectic Art Haven
Designer Teeny Morrison's Downtown Charleston home is an art-filled, worldly space.
Apr 3, 2019
Painter Chambers Austelle’s Art-Filled Charleston Bungalow
Name: Chambers Austelle Location: Charleston, South Carolina Size: 1,374 square feet Years lived in: 5.5 years, renting Chambers Austelle is a renowned artist based in Charleston, South Carolina. She’s actually lived in Charleston all her life; she grew up learning to swim at her family home on East Battery. This connection to her city continues to be strong and she’s heavily involved in the artistic community.
Dec 25, 2018
This Couple Made the Cutest Home in Just 380 Square Feet
Andrea her husband, Brian, live very cleanly and simply in a third floor apartment in Brooklyn.
Nov 29, 2018
A Cozy, Warm Industrial Remodeled Chicago Loft
Sruthi and Gautam sought to create a cozy home with "come sit here and chill" vibes, something that would fit their family's personality.
Nov 28, 2018
An Open Chicago Loft Apartment Is Full of Color
What do you do with a white walls, brick, and cold concrete: Add lots of color! Holly Conrad's studio loft in the heart of Chicago is refreshing and full of vibrant colors.
Nov 26, 2018
A Chicago Condo Is Modernized, But Its Charm Remains
This Lakeview home needed major renovations, but while the couple wanted to modernize the space, they didn't want to change its architectural charm.
Nov 21, 2018
Before and After: A 115-Year-Old House Is Updated on a Budget
When Oriane and Chris Williams walked into this house they knew it was the house. But then Oriane made a list of everything they would want to update to make sure the 115-year-old house was really in the cards—and budget—for them. She budgeted everything from moving walls to door knobs on a spreadsheet and gave both a low- and high-end estimate of what she thought it would cost.
Nov 21, 2018
A Watercolorist Creates in a Cozy Chicago Apartment
Carly and Scott have lived in this warm Chicago apartment for just over a year. It is both a haven from the busy city life and a creative space for Carly's watercolor business.
Nov 16, 2018
The Gut Reno of a 119-Year-Old Brooklyn Home Is Impressive
Name: Vivian Okwuagwu, Erik Solomonson, and cats Sugar, Neil and Lemon Location: East Flatbush — Brooklyn, New York Size: 1,900 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years (but owned for 3 years) Vivian Okwuagwu uses the word “survived” to describe the gut renovation of her and her husband Erik’s 119-year-old Brooklyn barrelfront limestone and brick rowhouse.
Aug 15, 2018
This Dallas Apartment Is Incredibly Quirky, Witty & Colorful
Melissa's apartment is full of subtle, tongue-in-cheek cultural references to movies and TV.
Aug 9, 2018
An Incredibly One-of-a-Kind Plant-Filled Brooklyn Loft
Name: Ashley Taylor and Tymer Tilton and their dog Moseby Location: Red Hook, Brooklyn Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Golden accents around this Red Hook loft shimmer in the warm sunlight beaming through a large south-facing window. Healthy green plants cheerfully spread their leaves from corners, tabletops, and even the ceiling. A deep, soothing teal grounds the space.
Aug 6, 2018
This Small Brooklyn Apartment Excels at Storage
This couple from Charleston settled into a 550-square-foot NYC apartment with lots of light but little storage... until they implemented their smart ideas.
Jul 25, 2018
A Tiny 300-Square-Foot Studio Apartment Is a Jewel Box
Name: Heather Alexander Location: Washington Heights, New York City Size: 300 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, renting After divorcing a “design-curmudgeon,” Heather says she really went for it when she moved into this place six years ago. Filled with so many colors, fun finds, and treasures she dubbed her home the “Jewel Box.
Jul 23, 2018
A Couple Compromises in a Small Clinton Hill Home
Name: Adam LaGreca and Gabriela Gallegos Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, NY Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Adam was coming from a minimalist studio already in the neighborhood. Gabriela was coming from the East Village, where she could walk to her office in Astor Place. They both were tired of packing overnight bags, and after five years of dating, knew it may be time to combine forces.
Jul 12, 2018
A Pro Organizer’s Exceptionally Serene, Minimal Rowhouse
Go ahead...take a look behind her doors and drawers.
Jan 1, 2018
Two World Travelers and a Sunny, Plant-Filled Manhattan Loft
This place is filled with so much sunlight, green plants, and gorgeous views it's going to make you want jungle vibes in your own home.
Nov 14, 2017
A Blogger’s Recently Remodeled Farmhouse Modern Georgia Home
Name: Jessica Garvin, husband Brandon, and daughters Harper, Eloise and Claire Location: Just north of Atlanta, Georgia Size: 3,200 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned “Our style is a mix between modern farmhouse, eclectic, and a touch of whimsy,” writes Jessica Garvin, the blogger behind the wildly successful blog Garvin & Co.
Oct 25, 2017
A Handmade South Austin Home
Name: Lara and Adam Location: South Austin, Texas Size: 930 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, owned Not counting the couches and chairs, nearly all the furniture in this home was built by its owners! Pallets, old fences…any reclaimed wood Lara and Adam found around their neighborhood became building material for their home’s contents. And they saved a lot of money by salvaging fencing they took down during the renovation and other wood scraps.
Aug 4, 2017
A Compact Classic DC Home Filled with Chic Secondhand Finds
Name: Sarah Lyon Location: Georgetown, Washington, DC Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: Almost 1 year, renting You’d never guess by this rental’s chic, classic style, but Sarah purchased 95 percent of her furniture off of Craigslist. The only things she bought for full price (in other words, from a store) were her bed, headboard, couch, and front console table. Everything else has been the result of successful scavenger hunts! Sarah’s a Washington D.C.
Aug 2, 2017
A Bag Designer’s Eclectic Dream Barn House in the Louisiana Countryside
Designer Kelly Moore and her husband (also named Kelly) designed every detail of this expansive and eclectic home they share with their three daughters.
Jul 6, 2017
Before and After: A Brooklyn Brownstone’s Living Room Opens Up
Nicole and Dan’s house tour of their Park Slope brownstone had me green with envy. A large space, it was lovingly renovated and beautifully decorated. The way in which they designed the home — to maximize light, to embrace color and pattern — is impressive enough. But wait until you see what the living room and entryway looked like before they renovated.
Jul 3, 2017
A New York Apartment Filled With “Bookish Warmth”
Location: Manhattan, New York Size: 830 square feet Years lived in: 10 months, renting These are not living spaces designed after a single period style. Instead, these are rooms full of variety, filled with delights in the surprise achieved by pairing disparate design elements. (For example, a family heirloom seascape painting in a heavy baroque frame mounted above a mid-century-inspired couch topped with African mud-cloth pillows.
Jun 29, 2017
A Beautiful Brooklyn Home Designed on a Tight Budget
Name: Marcus, Alicia and Phoenix Brandon Location: Prospect Lefferts Gardens — Brooklyn, New York Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting First of all, this beautiful apartment has a private elevator. Call in, beam up, doors open and you’re there. It’s a wildly easier ride than a fifth-floor brownstone walk-up and definitely one of Marcus and Alicia’s favorite aspects of their home.
Jun 27, 2017
A One-Bedroom Becomes Two in a “Traditional Glam” Manhattan Rental
Name: Chelsey Brown and roommate Location: Manhattan Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Chelsey is a fiery go-getter who lives in a small Manhattan apartment with a roommate. No bunk beds are needed here, though; Chelsey transformed this one-bedroom apartment into a two-bedroom home by having temporary faux walls built! An editor by day (for the Dr. Oz Show) and an interior designer by night, this New Yorker does it all.
Jun 23, 2017
Before and After: The Dramatic Evolution of a Tiny Beige Studio
Angie Teater is a vibrant New Yorker who knows how to make use of a small space. The proof? Her studio apartment was a 350-square-foot beige box when she first moved in eight years ago. But now, it’s a bold, dramatic home that somehow fits a bedroom, living room and dining room in a teeny space. Effortlessly graceful, it feels more like a luxurious hotel room than a small studio apartment in the city. An interior designer by trade, Angie describes her style as “easy elegance.
Jun 20, 2017
A 350-Square-Foot NYC Studio Feels Much Bigger Than It Is
Name: Angie Teater Location: Midtown East — New York, NY Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: 8 years, renting Have you ever seen a dining room, living room, and bedroom fit so elegantly into 350 square feet? Long-time New Yorker and avid traveler Angie Teater made it happen. She’s the owner and principal designer of Angela Leland Interiors and she knows how to make good use of small spaces. She’s also a master at styling a room.
Jun 19, 2017
This Brooklyn Brownstone’s Bold Remodel Is Extraordinary
Name: Nicole and Dan Lucey Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, NY Size: 2800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Nicole, her husband Dan and their two kids moved into their Park Slope brownstone just over a year ago. After a dramatic (and much debated) paint job and face lift, this four-story home is now one everyone slows down to admire. Nicole and Dan chose architects Wendy Cronk and Erin Cowhey Design and contractors Versatile Renovations NYC to help with the renovations.
Jun 15, 2017
A Sky-High Brooklyn Studio Inspired By Simplicity
Name: Adam LaGreca Location: Clinton Hill, Brooklyn Size: 475 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, renting Adam’s apartment is located in a tall, all-glass high-rise building on a street that runs right through the heart of Brooklyn. His neighborhood is filled with tree-lined streets, long-time residents, college students from Pratt Institute and St. Joseph’s college, young professionals and aspiring every-things.
Jun 10, 2017
A Thoughtful Remodel of a Historic Landmark Home in Austin
Name: Amanda and Chris Covo Location: East Austin, Texas Size: 967 square feet Years lived in: 7 months owned, after an 8 month renovation Amanda and Chris live in Austin, Texas — East Austin, to be specific. They are right down the street from Franklin BBQ and East Side Pies, local favorites. The house isn’t just cool because of its proximity to the hippest restaurants, though; it’s also a historic landmark.
May 13, 2017
Before and After: A Historic Home is Thoughtfully Remodeled
Amanda and Chris Covo spent eight months renovating their 1920s bungalow, also known as the Sallie Johnson House. Johnson was a freed slave and her home is now a historic landmark in East Austin, Texas. (You can listen to Sallie’s narrative here.) When the couple first saw this house, it was completely run down.
May 12, 2017
A Designer’s Eclectic Modern West New York Apartment
Name: Julieta Alvarez, her husband Bart, and daughter Olivia Location: West New York, New Jersey Size: 1065 square feet Years lived in: Almost 3 years, renting Julieta, of Julieta Alvarez Interiors, lives with her husband and daughter in a two-bedroom apartment in West New York, New Jersey — one quick, peaceful ferry ride away from the Manhattan peninsula. Julieta says it’s like “Battery Park City but much quieter and less commercial.
May 10, 2017
Chaplin Slept Here: A Vintage Studio Apartment with Hollywood History
Name: Catherine Masi Location: Santa Barbara, California Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 1.5 years, rented Designer Catherine Masi’s small studio apartment is in the historic Eastside of Downtown Santa Barbara. The area is beautiful and full of history — and so is the building she lives in.
Mar 5, 2017
A Wonderfully Wild & Whimsical Charleston Home
Name: Millie Sims Location: South of Broad — Charleston, South Carolina Size: 803 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2.5 years South of Broad is a particularly beautiful area of Charleston. It is known for a colorful row of homes, called “Rainbow Row,” historic homes with multiple levels of grandeur. South of Broad is also known for carriage houses, window boxes, and tiny European-style streets.
Jan 5, 2017
Before & After: A Run-Down Bungalow Turned Sleek, Modern Home
Clara Hah and her husband knew that buying this house in the Cherrywood neighborhood of Austin, Texas, for renovations was going to be a lot of work. However, when they finished, this run-down bungalow was transformed into a modern, sleek house — almost unrecognizable. Now, their home is minimal and lovely, inside and out! Allen and Clara met through a mutual friend years ago and became long distance pen pals, between San Francisco and Houston.
Dec 23, 2016
A Compact & Chic Classic Railroad Apartment in NYC
Name: Monica Dyer Location: West Village, New York Size: 600 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, rented Monica and her husband have lived in this apartment in New York for about three years and have transformed it into a perfect compact and chic city home. It’s light-filled and lovely, designed with a fresh outlook and plenty of savvy.
Dec 11, 2016
A Minimal, Casual & Homey Brooklyn Abode
Name: Megan Sekermestrovich and David Keller Location: Brooklyn, New York Size: Less than 1000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, renting Megan and David have a little apartment with big windows. And the natural light that pours in from those big windows is one of their favorite elements of the apartment (although a personal elevator is a close second!). Most of all, they try to keep their apartment minimal, homey and colorful.
Dec 10, 2016
The “Comfortable Luxe” Brooklyn Pad of Two Stylish Expats
Name: Carlos João Parreira and Greg James Location: Brooklyn, New York Size: 1500 square feet (with a whole lot of stairs) Years lived in: 2 years, owned Carlos and Greg are an incredibly talented and kind couple in Brooklyn, New York. Travel lovers, their style has been inspired by all the places they’ve been. Their loft is in a building that used to be a cheesecake factory, so the architecture is as big a part of the design as their own style.
Dec 8, 2016
Traditional Meets Contemporary in a Cozy, Charming Brooklyn Heights Home
Name: Elizabeth Andersen Location: Brooklyn Heights — Brooklyn, NY Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 8 months, renting Liz lives in a beautiful, fourth floor apartment in Brooklyn Heights, just a few blocks from the water. The apartment is a fourth floor walkup but that natural light is a worth payoff. In fact that natural light is so nice, she felt confident adding some dark, dramatic paint colors to her living room — and the space still feels bathed in light.
Dec 8, 2016
This Ceramic Studio in a Red Hook Warehouse is a Maker’s Dream Space
Editor’s note: We’re re-running this tour because Helen Levi is launching a new dinnerware line on June 14th and we’re excited! Her work is beautiful, earthy and a favorite of mine, and I can’t wait to see what she has in store for 2018. — Adrienne Breaux, House Tour Editor Helen—whose simple, craft-filled home we toured—also has a beautiful studio in Red Hook where she creates her beautiful ceramic pieces.
Dec 6, 2016
A Charming 280-Square-Foot Crown Heights Studio
Name: Emily Loughlin Location: Crown Heights, Brooklyn Size: 280 square feet Years lived in: Renting, less than one year Emily lives in the tiniest, sweetest apartment. Guests immediately fall in love with the artwork (her grandfather’s) and the mid-century bar stools. Emily, herself, is calm and inviting amidst the hustle and bustle of New York. She works for an architectural firm, called Sage and Coombe.
Dec 5, 2016