This Couple’s Chic NYC Apartment Rents for $5500 a Month

Written by

Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
Adrienne loves architecture, design, cats, science fiction, and watching "Star Trek." In the past 10 years she's called home: a van, a former downtown store in small town Texas, and a studio apartment rumored to have once been owned by Willie Nelson. She currently lives in her…read more
published Feb 20, 2024

This Couple’s Chic NYC Apartment Rents for $5500 a Month

Written by

Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
Adrienne BreauxHouse Tour Director
Adrienne loves architecture, design, cats, science fiction, and watching "Star Trek." In the past 10 years she's called home: a van, a former downtown store in small town Texas, and a studio apartment rumored to have once been owned by Willie Nelson. She currently lives in her…read more
published Feb 20, 2024
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Bedrooms
Square feet

800

Sq ft

800


Maria-Elena Stellas and her husband have shared this 800-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment in New York City for one year, and spend $5500 a month on rent. “My husband and I moved into our NYC apartment less than a year ago. We both work from the office five days a week, so furnishing our apartment, while maintaining styles we both gravitate towards, took time,” Maria-Elena writes. “He likes dark, leathery, clean lines in furniture, while I lean into color, texture, and brilliancy. I believe we landed somewhere in the middle: a space that reflects both of our tastes, and is inviting, livable, and eccentric. It took compromise and creativity — and we absolutely both love it!”

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This view of the lounge area shows "the pop of color from the coffee table books as well as our beautiful art from the Greek islands."

Maria-Elena says that both of her and her husband’s “personalities and tastes are reflected in this home. Although the larger pieces of our home are espresso stain or dark leather, they are almost always accessorized and topped with lots of color, form, and shine. You can look at any corner in the room and find bits and pieces that fit both me and my husband.”

Apartment Therapy Survey

What is your favorite room and why? My favorite room (nook) in our home is the small office nook. It’s extremely usable and inviting for us both. He works on the computer and I’ll read a book — sometimes at the same time! We share this space quite often.

What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? A canvas and paintbrush — I painted the photo above our primary bedroom bed! I call it “Cool Morning in New Mexico” — it gives me a sense of peace each day when I wake up and go to bed.

"I love how you can see the reflection of the Mary Jane Schmidt piece here," writes Maria-Elena. "The bar itself is CB2. The mirror is from Facebook Marketplace. The crystal scotch decanter was my grandfather's. The sconces are from Restoration Hardware."

What’s your best decorating, shopping, cleaning, or organizing advice? I am not an online furniture / decor / accessory / art buyer! I believe you must see each piece in person to really feel and love it!

Thanks, Maria-Elena!

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