Cristina & General’s Timeless Mix of Styles in Brooklyn
Name: Cristina, General, Najal & Rafia Judd
Location: Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, NY
Size: 950 square feet
Years lived in: 6 years; rental
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Cristina and General Judd are a husband and wife interior design duo based in Brooklyn and co-founders of Me and General Design. This dynamic couple’s apartment rental is a testament to what happens when two creatives join forces at home. From the moment you step into the main one-room area—which serves as living room, dining room, and home office for a family of four—your eyes will feast upon so many visual treats: accent walls, enlarged photography, original mouldings, a surfboard sound system, and a French bulldog named Paco (who will greet you excitedly with doggie kisses). Their design aesthetic is gorgeous, their storage solutions are incredibly clever, but their greatest statement piece of all is this beautiful, close-knit family.
The Judd’s are a close-knit family by design; this small space living works so well because it encompasses great people cohabiting together efficiently. Najal is an eloquent teen who shares a bunk bed above her little sister; the master bedroom is adjacent to the kids’ room with only a curtain between them. The only interior door is for the bathroom, shared by four, and covered in chalkboard paint for additional play space. In each room there is a perfect balance between a higher-end design sense and areas for Rafia to play. The circular toy tower is a modern piece the couple obtained from a film set, making this the most stylish toy storage I have ever seen. The children are encouraged to be an integral part of the aesthetic with their art and humor as they continue to grow together as a creative family.
On the horizon, they are preparing the greatest DIY project of all: designing their own home, which is already on paper…and has a lot more doors! For more on Cristina & General, visit their website Me and General Design.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: The cohesive mixing of different styles, designs and eras…timeless. Owning our own interior designer company, Me and General Design, our job is to accommodate the wide range of clients needs while keeping true to our style.
Inspiration: Life, fashion, Brooklyn, travel, our heritage…Chile and North Carolina.
Favorite Element: Our private outdoor space. Being able to entertain. Summer BBQs with friends and family and all the natural light shining through the apartment windows.
Biggest Challenge: Re-designing our space as our family grew while our square footage did not. Although not so much of a challenge since working in NYC we’ve become experts in re-designing small spaces…we actually enjoy the challenge.
What Friends Say: Wow…your place is amazing! They ask when are we moving and if we can leave everything as is or help them re‐design their spaces.
Biggest Embarrassment: Our kitchen is much too small for the cooking and entertaining we like to do. But during the warmer months we do most of it in our outdoor space. Oh and the pink bathroom tiles dating back to the 60’s…although we’ve made it work with accent colors and natural elements.
Proudest DIY: Creating “Swick Board” a surfboard sound system…also an exclusive Me and General Design. We have one hanging in our bedroom as the headboard and one in the living room. One is always playing with either Sunday jazz or a good movie surround sound…as well it looks amazing as a design element! We also have recently created wallpapers for various projects which we have not installed yet since they are still hot on the press. Can’t wait to add patterns to the mix!
Biggest Indulgence: Our storage unit filled with items collected waiting for the home we will design and build! We are continuously on the search for the perfect gut renovation and/or build from scratch…whichever comes first!
Best Advice: Buy things that please you…there are no rules. Your home should be filled with either items that have a purpose and are used often or with items that make you happy. It’s the rule we abide by in our home along with less is more…lived in minus the clutter. This is true for both big and small spaces.
Dream Sources: For the longest time we filled our home with unique finds I purchased while decorating feature films. Now that we are interior designers we are always exposed to what is out there whether it is in the D&D building or at the Brooklyn Flea. We love one of a kind finds wherever we go. Our favorite go -to has always been Room & Board for classic American-made style.
Resources
PAINT & COLORS
- All Benjamin Moore: Eggshell finish
- Kitchen: Baltic Gray
- Terrace Furniture Accents: Seaside Resort
- Living Room: Black Panther, Baby Fawn
- Master Bedroom: Nimbus
- Bathroom: Gray Shower
- Kids Bedroom: Sea Reflections, Mediterranean Sky
LIVING/DINING ROOM
- Sofa, Coffee Table, Dining Table, Media Console, Area Rug: Room & Board
- Swick Board Sound System (black w/blue stripe): M&GD Original Design, DIY
- Bean Bag, Throw: Restoration Hardware
- Dining Chairs, Desk Chair, Stool: Design Within Reach
- Office Desk: DIY
- Wall Storage, White Locker Storage: CB2
- Oversized Pics on Plexi: Photo Mike Allen‐Printed at Duggal
- Mirror, Beaded Door Covering: Vintage Finds
- Dining Chandelier: Film Set
- Table Lamps: West Elm
- Task Lamp: YLighting
- Wooden Desk Top Storage: Family Hand‐Me‐Down
- Kid Coat Hooks: Ikea
- Seltzer Bottles: Film Set
- Photo Frames: Ikea & West Elm
KITCHEN
- Floating Tiled Shelves: DIY Painted Existing
- Cabinetry: DIY
- Cabinet Pulls: Ikea
BEDROOM
- Bed Frame: Film Set
- Swick Board Sound System (gray w/white stripe): M&GD Original Design, DIY
- Dressers, Bedside Tables: Ikea
- Mirrors: Vintage Glass Table Lamp, Pablo
- Floor Lamps: Room & Board
- White Circular Toy Storage: Film Set (Componibili by Kartell)
- African Masks: Film set
- General Bust (yes General himself): Film Set
- Vintage Family Photos: Family Hand‐Me‐Downs
- Vintage Camera in Leather Case: Family Hand‐Me‐Down
- Photo Frames: Ikea & CB2
- Wooden Window Blinds: Ikea
- Toy Kitchen Set: Ikea
- Wooden Scrabble Game: Restoration Hardware
KID’S BEDROOM
- Bunk Bed: Oeuf
- Bedding: Ikea
- Dresser and Bookshelf w/Baskets: Ikea
- Wooden Bedside Storage: film set
- Table Top Lights: Room & Board
- Basket Toy Storage: Serena & Lily
- Under Bed Rolling Storage: Serena & Lily
- Rafia’s favorite Collection of Toy Animals: toy stores everywhere
- Najal’s Collection of Trophies: gymnastics competitions
- Grey Push Pin Boards: CB2 and Rafia’s Art
- Vintage Wood Blocks: film set
- Sketch of Baby Najal Framed: Original Cristina framed at A.I. Friedman
- Art on wood: Mini Jake
- White Sheer Curtains: DIY
OUTDOOR SPACE
- Lounge Seating: Ikea Base & Crate & Barrel Cushions and Pillows
- Blue French Café Chairs and Table: Vintage Find, DIY
- Painted Stone Side Tables: CB2
- Umbrella: Crate & Barrel Metal Table & Chair Set: Vintage Find
- Outdoor Rug: Ikea
- Milk Jar: Brooklyn Flea
- Plants: Chelsea Market in Red Hook
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Thanks, Cristina & General!
*Re-edited from a tour previously published.