A Luxe Long Island City Condo Is Perfect for Lounge Parties
Name: Craig Byers, my husband Justin Greer, and Buddy The Glamour Cat
Location: Long Island City — Queens, New York
Size: 820 square feet
Years lived in: 8 years, owned
Buddy the glamour cat has two dads. Justin is the dad who can never say no to Buddy. Justin used to be an actor in Broadway musicals, having been in nine shows over fifteen years. He’s “retired” from that world now, and teaches performing arts to elementary school students at The Dalton School, a private institution on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Craig is the dad who keeps Buddy in check, making sure he stays model-skinny, since his cat job as photo muse is grueling. Craig is a Design Director for Gensler, a global architecture firm. Craig is responsible for the ideas and taste and style in the home. Together, the performing artist and the visual artist have created a home that is uniquely theirs, warm and welcoming.
We love so many things about this home, starting with the unique shape of the floor plan. The main living space is triangular in shape, with the kitchen at the heart of the home. We entertain a lot here, (Justin cooks, Craig takes care of the ambiance) so having the main space surrounding the kitchen creates a warm communal experience for our guests.
Our favorite feature of the home (besides the cat) is our set-back terrace. For eight months out of the year, it functions as an extension of our living space. We cook on the grill, dine al fresco, host friends for projector movie nights, and take plenty of naps! Gardening is a love we both share, and each spring we cultivate numerous plants that overflow their containers in summer.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Abstract arty, lounge party, Shangri-la-ty.
How long have you lived here? It’ll be nine years in November. We bought when the LIC neighborhood wasn’t really on anyone’s radar. We have watched the foot traffic and the quality of restaurants increase exponentially!
What is your favorite room and why? Our bedroom. It’s where we start and end each day, and it’s where we chill out from our fast-paced jobs, watching “RuPaul,” “Project Runway,” or “The Golden Girls” (did we mention we are gay?).
If you could magically change something about your home, what would it be? Add another bedroom so that guests aren’t relegated to a blowup mattress in the living room.
Any advice for creating a home you love? 1. Fill your house with collections of people, places, and things that inspire you.
2. Surround yourself with a small number of things that have great meaning. Carefully select the belongings that mean the most to you, rather than cluttering your space with too many things that you can’t appreciate.
3. Purge and donate. Nothing sitting in a box serves you. If it’s packed away, give it away.
4. A home should evolve as you do. Create a neutral “base.” Experiment. Move things around. Mix it up. Don’t be afraid to switch out your art, move a lamp, or add a plant.
5. An art collection does not have to be expensive. It can consist of bargains, street art, as well as original pieces…and buy them FROM THE ARTIST!
6. Wallpaper and drapes go a long way (and can hide a multitude of cords!).
7. We unconsciously incorporated items and textures referencing nature, seagrass, bamboo, cork, gold, stone, sea shells, and a mix of woods. This mix is connective and engaging.
Thanks, Craig!
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