A Bright & Airy 400 Square Foot West Village Studio

published Mar 13, 2014

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Name: Jacqueline Rousseau
Location: West Village, NYC
Size: 400 square feet
Years lived in: 4 years; Rented

After living in the UK for nearly a decade, Jacqueline returned stateside with a blank slate. To the envy of her friends and fellow New Yorkers like myself, Jacqueline settled into a sun-filled studio in the West Village. A white Ektorp lounge chair left by a previous tenant was the jumping-off point for what has developed into a very comfortable place to live and work.

(Image credit: Sherrie and Oliver)

personal accessory line, featuring custom mens’ ties, scarves, and pocket squares. Jacqueline has done a terrific job of making her studio serve double duty, a task that involves great organization and careful planning. As a result, the studio achieves a great sense of cohesiveness and feels doubly spacious.

The liberal use of white on the walls and furniture allows personal artwork and mementos to stand out, all while keeping the apartment open and airy. The designer’s love for fashion and textiles also becomes evident through subtle pops of color. And, as if living in the West Village wasn’t great enough, the single pane windows give Jacqueline an awesome view of the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center — a building which she has seen steadily rising throughout the years, growing and developing beautifully, just like her space.

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: Refined bohemian. A white base dotted with a mix of colors and textures.

Inspiration: My inspiration was to have a bright, peaceful space that felt like “home”. I’m surrounded by some of my favorite objects and pictures. I like the space to feel uncluttered and inviting.

Favorite Element: My favorite element of this apartment is the sunlight I get from the large, south-facing windows. And I love my credenza for its massive storage capacity — all of my fabrics fit inside!

Biggest Challenge: Finding storage for everything in a tiny Manhattan apartment, without it looking cluttered!

What Friends Say: My apartment feels like a calm respite from the busy NYC streets.

Biggest Embarrassment: I begrudgingly admit that I once spent an entire afternoon covering appliance cords in white electrical tape so that they were less noticeable.

Proudest DIY: See above! Ha!

Biggest Indulgence: My comfortable bed.

Best Advice: Surround yourself with things you love, and your apartment will feel like a home.

Dream Sources: ABC Carpet & Home, Leif, the upholstery section of Mood Fabrics, anything by Lenneke Wispelwey.

Resources:

KITCHEN

Kitchen table: crate & barrel
Kitchen chairs: One gifted, the other one is vintage from Furnish Green. Chairs painted in Behr Satin finish in colors “Ocean Boulevard” and “French Silver”.
Clip frames collage: frames from ikea

STUDIO