Dria’s Fashion-Inspired West Village Abode

Liana Hayles Newton

published Jun 25, 2015

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Name: Dria Murphy
Location: West Village, NYC
Size: 450 square feet
Years lived in: 1 year; Rented

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With 450 square feet to work with, space is most definitely at a premium. Alexandra Murphy, a style and pr consultant, has used her sharp eye for design and editing to give her space direction, giving it a stylized appearance while remaining true to her personality. This careful attention to detail and lack of clutter gives the home an open feel, that exceeds beyond its square footage.

Like all studio apartments, the living space functions as living room and bedroom. (Image credit: Liana Hayles Newton)

(Image credit: Liana Hayles Newton)

Her use of white helps to give the space an open feeling while her creative use of storage space gives her the room she needs for the things she can’t live without. Her home, like Dria, are open, friendly, warm and all about style.

(Image credit: Liana Hayles Newton)

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Fashion inspired, cozy, feminine.

Inspiration: I have always been inspired by the way my mother decorates and creates a home. From floral arrangements to hand-selected cabinet knobs to furniture investments my mom is always my go-to for ideas and advice. Fashion has also always been a huge inspiration. I love to incorporate jewelry, handbags, shoes, etc into my décor, making it part of the overall vibe.

Favorite Element: I really don’t have one favorite element. I love having my own apartment to come home to. Being able to live alone in my favorite area of Manhattan makes up for the small space. New York City is so social and busy, that is what I love about it, but being able to retreat to a my own space allows for alone time I need to recharge.

Biggest Challenge: Space! My apartment is a small space so I was very conscious of making sure it didn’t feel like an extended closet. I really wanted to use the high ceilings to my advantage. I chose to keep most of the décor in shades of white to give the space as much depth as possible. Yellow is one of my favorite colors so wanted to bring it in as a fun accent. I am a very organized person and hate clutter so I made sure everything had a place and it didn’t feel overwhelming. I set up my jewelry all over my desk and organize it depending on my mood. (I definitely store shoes in my kitchen cabinets!

What Friends Say: My friends always have a great reaction when they walk in. I’ve heard words like warm, clean, inviting, homey, organized, to explain my space.

Biggest Embarrassment: I have a mini fridge! ha!

Proudest DIY: I wouldn’t call this 100% DIY but I designed a custom closet so I could store parts of my off-season wardrobe high up. I looked at several armoires but didn’t find any that filled the space in an efficient way. I also used my handbags and accessories as part of my décor to save space. I display my Chanel and Balenciaga on my shelf to use the space efficiently.

Biggest Indulgence: Candles and fresh flowers.

Best Advice: My talented and gorgeous friend, Casey DeBois, who is an interior designer, advised I play up the high ceilings in my apt and it made such a difference!

Dream Source: Kelly Wearstler