New York And Tours

Name: Sam Location: West Village; New York City Size: 300 square feet Years lived in: 1 Year; Rented Keeping her home clear of clutter and displaying only the things she loves gives Sam’s 300-square-foot home in the West Village a spacious feel. Meanwhile, light from the many windows, pops of color, and the warm, neutral tones of her decor go a long way towards making it feel welcoming, comfortable, and soothing.

Name: Christeleny Berner Location: Upper East Side; NYC, NY Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Christeleny’s love for design and style has resulted in a seriously gorgeous apartment. The home did not come together without hard work, though; the apartment went through significant renovations which took years to finish. Once renovations were complete, Christeleny set to furnishing her home using her strong eye for design and her patience, which was challenging at times.

Name: Amhalise Morgan and her children, Harmony Cree and Rebel Spirit Location: Brooklyn, New York Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: 11 years; Owned The home of Amhalise and her two teen-aged children is the definition of a labor of love. She bought the home after traveling and living overseas for many years and essentially had a clean slate to work with upon purchasing her 19th-century Brooklyn brownstone.

Name: Joshua Kissi Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant — Brooklyn, NYC Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year; Rented When you’re one half of the creative agency Street Etiquette—tagline: “Telling Stories Through Style”—home styling is second nature to you. The home of Joshua Kissi is also more than a home—it is a meeting place, photography studio, and informal art gallery all at once.

Name: Gary and Chelsey Knight and their cats, Scout, Boo, Atticus, and Ella Fitzgerald Location: Astoria, New York Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Rented Musicians Gary and Chelsey Knight’s open and airy Astoria flat boasts two features that many big city apartments lack: natural light and space.

Name: James and Kelsea Gaynor and their roommate, Bridget Murphy Location: Harlem — New York City, NY Size: 2 bedroom, 2 bath Years lived in: 1 year; Rented It’s hard to believe that newlyweds Kelsea—owner of East Olivia Creative Company—and James only recently moved into their Harlem apartment after relocating from Los Angeles. Their gorgeous fifth floor, two-story flat (complete with a rooftop patio!) feels just lived-in enough to be cozy and inviting.

Name: Emily and Colin and their dog, Scruffy Location: Greenwood Heights/South Slope — Brooklyn, NY Size: 1000 square feet Years Lived In: Colin for 4, Emily for 2; Rented One day, a little over four years ago, after always being attracted to a particular building’s rugged facade, Colin took a chance and rang the superintendent’s doorbell. As fate would have it, one of the lofts was vacant and Colin immediately took it!

Name & Location: Maya in Fort Greene — Brooklyn, New York My Favorite Room: Master Bedroom Suite Specs: 700 square feet The master bedroom floor of our 1903 Brooklyn townhouse was really choppy and awkward with lots of unusable space. There was a very small bathroom, a tiny bedroom (which I basically used as a closet) and a master bedroom with a series of weirdly laid out closets and a random bathroom vanity thrown in the middle.

Name: Lauren Rogoff Location: Union Square/Flatiron/Chelsea; New York City, New York Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 2 years; Owned Just beyond the bustling Union Square Farmer’s Market, the Flatiron’s shadow, and Chelsea’s world famous 5th Avenue shopping attractions, an attorney by day and fine artist by night strikes the perfect blend between urban and rustic.

Name: Taylor Fimbrez and Wesley Moon (plus pups Squid & Marbles) Location: East Village — New York, New York Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 5 years Do you remember when you were little, and you’d go to a friend’s house, and just want to spend hours looking at all their toys and their delightful stuff?

Name: Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason, founders of Aphrochic Location: Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York Size: 1200 square feet Years lived in: 18 months When Jeanine and Bryan moved to New York from Philadelphia 18 months ago, they were drawn to this apartment in Crown Heights because “it just felt like Brooklyn”.

Name & Location: Steven in Brooklyn My Favorite Room: Bedroom Specs: 50 Square Feet What would you do if faced with a tiny (like, 50-square-feet tiny) bedroom space that was nearly all-white and felt like the inside of an empty closet? If you’re Steven, you pick a dramatic paint color, do a little hunting and gathering for interesting items and you create a room that—despite the size—would be a nice place to cozy up in, day or night.

Name: Margaret Meehan and Tim Monaghan Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn, New York Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 8 months Margaret and Tim’s Brooklyn loft is a dream of an apartment: Although it’s only 650 square feet, its high ceilings and ample light make it seem much bigger. Their building, which in a past life was a pencil factory, has plenty of interesting details: exposed brick, concrete floors, richly texture wood ceilings.

Name: Jungwon Kim, Senior Editorial Manager at Rainforest Alliance, and kids Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant; Brooklyn, NY Size: 2,200 square feet Years lived in: 8 years; Owned Born and raised a stone’s throw from the beach in Southern California, the home of Jungwon and her family is a true reflection of their tidal roots. But having lived in Brooklyn for two decades, she’s infused her home with the creativity, eclecticism and free spirit that is iconic of its Brooklyn habitat.

Name: Tanika and Brian Hochhauser (plus George the turtle and Tansy the dog) Location: Long Island City, New York, New York Size: 650 square feet Years lived in: 6 months You might recognize Tanika and Brian from the Love Videos, where they shared the charming story of how they met (and of their spur-of-the-moment wedding). The home they share is just as charming as they are, a beautiful Long Island City aerie with breathtaking views of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the East River.

Name: Jessica Sirls Location: NoLita, New York, New York Size: 200 square feet Years lived in: less than 1 year 200 square feet isn’t a lot to work with — but one New Yorker has managed to squeeze in a full-sized bed, an 88-key keyboard, and a table that can seat up to six people, all while maintaining the spacious, relaxing feel you would expect from a much larger apartment. Here’s how she does it.

Name: Christina and Thejas; Cats: Oliver and Teddie Location: DUMBO; Brooklyn, New York Size: 1,080 square feet Years lived in: 7 months; Rented When Christina and Thejas were looking for a new apartment last summer, they searched for a place that had luxury amenities, but still had character and charm. What they found was a modern apartment in an old factory building in DUMBO. And with Christina’s flair for accessorizing and adding color, they brought the space to life.

Name: Matt Austin, of Matt Austin Studio Location: Bushwick, Brooklyn, New York Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 5 years Artist and designer Matt Austin’s Brooklyn apartment and studio is maximalist in the best possible way: There’s so much to see, look at and explore, but somehow everything comes together so perfectly and seemingly effortlessly, as if all these fascinating little bits and bobs wanted to be together, in this place, exactly where they are.

Name: Mekiel Nuñez and Saadiq Vaughan Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Size: 700 square feet Years lived in: 1 year The stereotypical New Yorker’s wardrobe consists unapologetically of black, greys, neutrals, and denims. Perhaps the overabundance of visual stimulation in our surroundings is why we prefer our clothes understated.

Sommelier Andre Mack and his wife Phoebe have created a beautiful family home in Brooklyn, where styles merge and creativity abounds.

Name: Leigh Baumann (with renter Eli Barrett) Location: Beacon, NY Size: 960 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years Leigh is the owner of this lovely home in Beacon, New York. But it wasn’t always so lovely—Leigh gutted the house, completely renovating it. The result is a wonderful mix of architectural elements, an earthy color palette and vintage finds. My Style: Farmhouse-industrial with a mid-century modern touch Inspiration: So much inspiration!

You may not have your own 100-year-old inn in the Catskill Mountains to fill with treasures, but that shouldn’t stop you from sourcing inspiration from Eliza and Tim. Their vintage inn is bursting with textures, moody colors, an array of textiles, and bohemian charm.

For airy and simple vintage bohemian inspiration for your bedroom, look no further than Eliza and Tim’s 100-year-old historic inn deep in the heart of New York’s Catskill Mountains. From floor to ceiling they have every inch covered and you won’t be disappointed!

Name: Stephanie Michaan Location: West Village NYC Size: 1,495 square feet Years lived in: Owned 6 years Though Stephanie has owned this apartment in New York’s West Village for six years, she says it feels brand new thanks to a recent redesign she gave the home. White walls maximize the beautiful bright natural light that pours in from big windows. Sparse furnishings are kept interesting by choosing good designs in rich materials.

Name: Stephanie Michaan Location: Bridgehampton, New York Size: 2,000 square feet Years lived in: Owned 2 years Stephanie gave a peek at some of the details of her current modern house in a house call not too long ago, but we wanted an extended look. Striking just the right balance of minimal and modern, it’s a simple and sparse space, but still exudes a lot of warmth.

Name: Simone Tobias, designer/owner SIMONE TOBIAS swimwear Location: Williamsburg — Brooklyn, New York Size: 1,250 square feet Years lived in: 2.5 years Simone’s apartment, on the 29th floor of a tower that overlooks the East River and the Williamsburg Bridge, has some pretty impressive views, but if you visit you might be so taken with the things in her apartment that you hardly even notice the ones outside.

Interior designer Peti Lau's New York apartment is full of unique art collected from her amazing travels around the world and the stories behind each piece of collected art.

Name: Gretchen Maull of GG Maull Location: Tribeca / City Hall — New York, NY Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: Rented 2 years I absolutely love seeing cleanly designed spaces that aren’t afraid to work with bold graphic patterns and colors. This beautifully designed home in the heart of Manhattan has everything that you’d want to see in a modern luxe New York apartment.

Name: Jarret Yoshida Location: Gramercy Park — New York City Size: 600 square feet Jarret had lived in Hong Kong for years when he relocated to a studio apartment near Gramercy Park in Manhattan. An interior designer by trade, he’s inspired by his travels and “the serene essence of contemporary Asian design.” His studio’s color palette is lilac, brown and gray, with metallic accents and a modern sensibility.

Simone’s Brooklyn apartment is decorated almost exclusively in gray, black, red, and clear, and the effect is unified, uncluttered, and luxurious. Whether or not you’re able to stick to such a strict palette, you can definitely shop the style!

Name: Gabriela Goff and Jeffrey Goff Jr. Location: Rochester, New York Size: 1,200 square feet Years lived in: 5 years This unique apartment is the home of Gabriella Goff and her brother Jeffrey Goff Jr. It’s located in the basement of the sculpture studio of Paul and Christine Knoblauch, who designed and refurbished the space five years ago. It’s a home full of original art — from the sofa to the tables to the walls.

Renters Dan and Yves' artistic Chelsea apartment is full of farmhouse accents, crafty DIYs and art pieces collected during travels.

Emily fit four distinct areas into the one room of her studio apartment. She did it with smart spatial planning, but also with a blend of bold wallpaper patterns.

Name: Bethany Chase Location: Cobble Hill, Brooklyn Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 5.5 years Bethany Chase is a woman of many talents. Besides being an interior designer, she’s also the author of two novels, including Results May Vary, which was just published this fall. Her Brooklyn apartment reflects her love for both literature and design, and her understanding of the deep importance of the places we call home.

This bright and airy Manhattan studio is full of mid-century charm while at the same time feeling comfortable and modern.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Name: Courtney and Jeffrey Location: Greenpoint — Brooklyn, New York Size: About 700 square feet Years lived in: Renting 2 years Courtney and Jeffrey live in the charming Greenpoint neighborhood in Brooklyn. Known for its Polish roots, Greenpoint is a destination for artists and families alike. The couple met at work — they both work at Kickstarter — whose offices are located “literally 30 seconds away.

Name: Alee Ruggieri Location: Greenwich Village — New York City Size: Roughly 200 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Alee Ruggieri is a film director, editor, writer and photographer living in New York City’s bustling Greenwich Village. The neighborhood is filled with things to see and do; coffee shops, restaurants, vintage clothing stores and more.

Name: Alexandra Sifferlin Location: Park Slope — Brooklyn, New York Size: 350 square feet Years lived in: Renting 9 months Having lived in New York neighborhoods like Hell’s Kitchen and Crown Heights, Alexandra Sifferlin recently settled into her first studio apartment, this time in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Her small space is above an acupuncturist, and is close to Prospect Park. “It seems like every time I move, I’m in a calmer location,” Alexandra reflects.

Name: Christine Alcalay, her teenager daughter and two-year-old son Location: Brooklyn, New York Size: 4,600 Square Feet Years lived in: 8 years, owned After emigrating from Vietnam with her family when she was just three years old, Christine Alcalay grew up in New York City. Her mother, who was a self-taught tailor and worked in factories in the Garment District, introduced her daughter to the art of sewing.

It’s often a good idea to trust the design instincts of a successful interior designer and Bethany’s Brooklyn apartment does not disappoint. If you’re looking for some colorful and easy-to-source inspiration, check out Bethany’s resource lists below to shop her style!

Name: Delia Kenza, Júlio Leitão, and their two daughters Location: Clinton Hill — Brooklyn, New York Size: 3,500 square feet Years lived in: Owned 3 years Having already renovated and/or designed 10+ homes together over the past 15 years, Delia and Júlio were already well on their way to capitalizing on their experience. They had lived in four of these homes together, all in Manhattan, ranging from trendy Soho to soulful Harlem.

Name: Michelle Lopez, her partner Erlend and their cat Penny Location: Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 6 months, rented Michelle and her partner Erlend recently relocated from Portland, Oregon to this sunny Brooklyn apartment. The couple moved to New York for Erlend to attend grad school at Columbia University. Michelle is a food blogger, specializing in desserts.

Name: Sarah Steinberg Location: East Village, NYC Size: 425 square feet Years lived in: 2 years, rented After living in tiny apartments with more roommates than bedrooms, Sarah decided it was time to have a place of her own. It may not be big, but a studio apartment with a separate kitchen and space for her bed were successes in Sarah’s book.

Name: Coco Cohn Location: Upper West Side — New York, New York Size: 430 square feet Years lived in: 6 years, rented Coco’s Upper West Side apartment in New York is an homage to her theatre career. Not only is the actor and drama teacher’s space filled with pieces highlighting her adventures, but the space itself is dramatic: The living room is dark gray, the bedroom walls are red, and the bathroom is primarily pink.

Name: Tom Chirico and Carolyn McMenemy-Chirico Location: Williamsburg — Brooklyn, New York Size: 900 square feet Years lived in: Renting 7 years The original architectural details of this apartment — located on the top floor of a 1912 row house in a quiet spot in Williamsburg — are to die for. We’re talking well-preserved marble fireplaces, stunning hardwood floors, and enviable crown moldings.

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.

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.

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.

Name: Abigail Hibbs and Henri Broyard Location: Crown Heights, Brooklyn Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: Rented 1.5 years Walking into Abigail and Henri‘s Crown Heights apartment, it’s apparent they’ve got great style. Abbie is a gallery manager in Manhattan and Henri is a painter — their creative abilities have influenced a design aesthetic that’s a mix of mid-century furniture and Henri’s contemporary art.

Name: Katie O’Connor Location: West Village, New York City Size: 800 square feet Years lived in: 2 years Katie and her husband have lived in their West Village one-bedroom for the past two years. With an enviable corner unit, the living room is wall-to-wall windows, giving them incredible views of the city and sunsets. Situated right next to the southern entrance to the High Line, they also have a great people-watching spot.

Name: Eva Medoff, branded content editor at Well+Good, Delaney Rohan, and Scout (the cat) Location: Williamsburg — Brooklyn, New York Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 6.5 years, renting When Eva moved into her Brooklyn studio apartment seven years ago, the space suited her needs: It’s centrally located in the trendy Williamsburg neighborhood and she has a great landlord. Despite the pros, “It didn’t feel like a real home,” Eva said.

By visiting flea markets wherever they travel, the couple finds unusual objects to create a warm, romantic, and textural style throughout their home.

Name: Jessica Becker and Daniela Moebius Location: Bushwick — Brooklyn, New York Size: 950 square feet Years lived in: Rented — Jessica 13 years, Daniela 5 years Jessica and Daniela are the duo behind Konstruktive Studios, a design company. Additionally, Daniela provides architectural services through Moebius Architecture PLLC. And they created a workspace within their home that allows them to collaborate, but each with their distinct style.

The lower Manhattan studio she's inhabited for a decade with her partner Fred exudes freedom and fearlessness.

Name: Rachel Winard, and Stacey Flannery and their cat Location: Carroll Gardens — Brooklyn, NY Size: 500 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned When Rachel and her partner Stacey bought their Brooklyn apartment five years ago, they put in lots of work to create a clean and comfortable space that supports a healthy lifestyle.

Name: Phillip Picardi and Dr. Darien Sutton-Ramsey Location: Downtown Brooklyn — New York Years lived in: 1.5 years, renting Phillip and his partner Darien live in a luxury high rise apartment building in Downtown Brooklyn. “I hate to admit this, but we could never go back,” Darien laughed when talking about the perks of living in this space. The airy apartment features high ceilings, modern finishes, and amazing views of Brooklyn and Manhattan.

Name: Amy Ilias, Jim Denney (and kitties McCabe, Billie Pilgrim, and 3) Location: Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn Size: 3,200 square feet Years lived in: 21 years, owned As the Executive Vice President of Art & Design for ABC Carpet & Home, you could definitely say Amy Ilias knows design. And the Carroll Gardens house she’s owned for over two decades is a beautiful display of her elegant and design-forward style.

Name: Aelfie Oudghiri, her husband, their daughter, and Shah the cat Location: Brooklyn, NY Size: 1,800 square feet Years lived in: 1 year, owned Fans of textile, furniture, and accessories company Aelfie are familiar with the brand’s stylish offerings—quirky graphics, loud colors, patterns that complement (and sometimes even clash, in a good way).

Name: Mallory Fletchall and David Rhoads, and their two cats Michael and Kiki Location: Greenpoint, Brooklyn Size: 750 square feet Years lived in: 3 years, renting If Mallory and David’s Brooklyn rental looks familiar, it may be that you’ve caught a drool-worthy snapshot of it on her Instagram account, which has over 71K followers. It’s no wonder.

Name: Christie Grotheim (and my husband, Niklas Andersson) Location: New York, New York Size: 1,000 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, owned My husband and I found this fixer upper in Harlem, sold “as is,” which in this case, was pretty atrocious. But we saw past the filth and peeling paint and realized the potential in the place right away. A corner unit on the third floor, it was flooded with light, and as a four-bedroom (converted to three) we would each have our own office.

Name: Andrew Cohen and family Location: Woodstock, New York Size: 2,100 square feet Years lived in: 5 years, owned This four-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a finished basement and two-car garage on 1.3 acres in New York belongs to Parts and Labor Design co-founder, Andrew Cohen. And it just might be the best mix of modern meet cabin vibes that you’ll ever see.

Name: Carly Fuller and her boyfriend Martin Location: Hell’s Kitchen — Manhattan, NY Size: 450 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting There wasn’t much of an opportunity for Carly Fuller to add her own style to this small Hell’s Kitchen rental when she moved in with a roommate, who had already been living there. But when the roommate moved out a year ago, Carly’s boyfriend Martin moved in, and the blank space was ready to be refreshed and filled.

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.

Name: Olivia Muenter, her boyfriend Jake, and their dog Winnie Location: Upper East Side, NYC Size: Not sure Years lived in: 1.

Name: Habiba Koroma Location: Central Harlem, NYC Size: 630 square feet Years lived in: 4 years, renting A ball pit is not necessarily something you expect in an NYC apartment, but in Habiba’s home, it’s an integral feature of her son’s play area. The ingenious, whimsical kid-friendly space that Habiba, an interior designer, has created for Miles also includes a library, a whiteboard, a hanging yarn installation, and a giant rasterized mural of him.

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.

"Don't be afraid of layers and colors, and don't do things halfway. Your vision will be best served if you really indulge your ideas. Scaling back is rarely the answer."