The Charming Brooklyn Studio of Antoni from “Queer Eye”

Name: Joey Krietemeyer, Art Director at 1stdibs.com, Antoni, and one very well loved Fiddle Leaf Fig
Location: Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
Size: 600 square foot studio
Years lived in: 3 years; renting

Walking into Joey and Antoni’s studio apartment is not like walking into other studios in New York. They have managed to create a home that feels open and spacious, but still has distinctly separate living areas. Details abound that catch the eye without cluttering up the space. Their home feels lived in, comfortable and effortlessly stylish.

Many of the pieces in Joey and Antoni’s home are items picked up over a period of time—some from the side of the street!—or personal heirlooms, many of which were handmade by family. To hear Joey explain his surroundings is to feel the love he has for design in a truly personal way.

Our Style: Our style is a mix of industrial and mid-century American furniture, animal elements, and a splash of 1960s beach babe. I love combining materials (wood, metal, and glass) for the foundational pieces, and I leave it to Antoni to throw in those small quirky elements that give the space life (look out for Chewbacca in the fig tree).

Inspiration: As for inspiration in our apartment, I give most of the credit to 1stdibs. To be honest, I actually didn’t have much of an interest in interior design or decorating until I started working there. I studied graphic design in school and have a great passion for color, typography, and composition, but exploring the 1stdibs marketplace has opened my eyes to the world of interiors and iconic furniture designers. The site has everything you can think of (and even beyond that), with each piece telling its own unique story. You can’t stare at these beautiful items all day and not appreciate their rarity and the intelligence behind every piece’s design… it’s absolutely fascinating.

Favorite Element: My favorite element is the hand-drawn 1687 map of Pomerania that I got Antoni for our anniversary last year. Antoni is Polish and I’m German, and I stumbled upon this amazing map on Ebay displaying the country border that Poland and Germany shared back in the 1600s. Antoni loves items with age, so I immediately snatched it up… I couldn’t have asked for a better gift that symbolizes our relationship.

Antoni’s favorite elements are the small things that invoke nostalgia. From the vintage Everlast boxing gloves reminiscent of Clifford Odets’ “Golden Boy” to an original edition of his favorite childhood book The Little Prince, it’s all about the story behind each item we put on display.

Biggest Challenge: Because we live in an awkwardly shaped studio, spacial planning was our biggest challenge. Luckily, my sister is an expert architect, so organizing our space into functional sections with a smart flow came easily to her…I guess you could say we cheated a little.

What Friends Say: “You found most of this on the street?!” I love proclaiming that I’m a proud “dumpster diver,” and have a trained eye for spotting hidden gems left on the curbs of Fort Greene—roughly 80% of the big pieces we own were giveaways from the street, including our bar console, coffee table, couch (sans cushions), bed frame, and industrial cart, to name a few.

Biggest Embarrassment: Our bathroom: it’s small, the shower head comes out of the wrong wall, and it’s impossible to keep clean…enough said.

Proudest DIY: Definitely the shelving unit in the entryway, and I have you guys to thank! Ever since seeing the post “Morgan’s DIY Plumbing Pipe Shelving,” I’ve been inspired to design and build wood and pipe furniture. So far, I’ve built our desk and the matching shelving unit, but I’m sure there will be plenty more pieces to come.

Biggest Indulgence: Mine is our fig tree–I treat that thing like a child. I’m constantly monitoring its growth every day, shedding a tear when I hear a leaf fall, and getting giddy with excitement when I see another baby leaf popping in…it’s pretty embarrassing. Continued indulgences of Antoni’s are Diptyque candles, and most recently his favorite new toy: a Vitamix blender.

Best Advice: Don’t be shy when throwing personal elements into the design of a space. Places like Pinterest are a great source for inspiration, but I find myself getting sucked into the same trends that everyone else loves…what sets your space apart are the personal pieces unique to your space, whether it’s your own artwork, a custom built piece of furniture, or even that Darth Vader figurine plopped on top of the fridge.

Dream Sources: 1stdibs.com…duh!

• Custom shelving unit

• Couch: Restoration Hardware (but found on the street) with custom made cushions from CushionsXpress and fabric from Mood
• Eero Saarinen Executive Chair: Brooklyn Flea
• Coffee table: top found on the street, hairpin legs from Hairpin Legs for Less
• Hanging Hans Agne Jacobsson pendant lamp: Vintage store in Montreal
• Directors chair: Meeker Avenue Flea Market, sheepskin cover from Ikea
• Fig tree: Flower district in NYC
• Trunk: Brooklyn Flea
• Tripod lamp: Target
• Animal skull: Evolution
• Kilim pillows: Ebay

• Glass table: Crate & Barrel
• Side chairs: Baxton Studio
• Surboard: street find
• Candlesticks: Brooklyn Flea

• Bar console: street find
• Glasses: Ralph Lauren
• Vintage soda bottles: Brooklyn Flea
• Cobra candlesticks: Brooklyn Flea
• Kitchen island: Ikea
• Pendant lamp from theater: Brooklyn Flea
• American Flag: Brooklyn Flea

• Bed frame: Ikea
• Bedding: West Elm
• Bed throw: Morris Etc. Rug
• Desk: Custom built
• Olive Eames shell chairs: Vintage store in Montreal
• Side tables: Brooklyn Flea
• Lamps: Target
• Rug: West Elm

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