See How a Stager Transformed an Extremely Dated NYC Apartment into a Modern Oasis

When Cem Evirgen, founder and design director at Brooklyn-based Monomid, was tasked with updating an Upper East Side apartment in a co-op building, it didn’t take long for him to figure out what the space needed to truly shine.

The property hadn’t been updated in years, and the decor was giving off some pretty stale vibes. But besides the dated decor, the unit was in great shape and had a lot going for it. To get the space more selling potential on a lower budget, Evirgen opted to focus on furniture updates and “highlighting its great bones like the beamed ceilings and abundant natural light while making it feel fresh and inviting.”

The project only took a couple days, and focused on the living room and bedroom. Evirgen tackled the living room first. The existing furnishings were heavy, accented by dated drapery and subdued colors that allowed the furniture and curtains to overwhelm the space.

“We refreshed the walls with a soft neutral paint, introduced an off-white modular sofa to better fit the room’s proportions, and replaced the bulky curtains with lighter linen window treatments that allow in more sunlight and add softness to the space,” he says. After that, he brought in some decorative accents, like modern art and a pink lucite coffee table, which made the whole place seem more contemporary and welcoming. 

Next, Evirgen needed to separate out the living room to include two distinct areas: one for eating and one for relaxing. “We placed the dining table at the far end of the room and took advantage of a custom heater structure by converting it into built-in bench seating,” he says. “A three-seater sofa along the opposite wall helped create a cozy, dedicated conversation area, and we chose a mix of contemporary and classic pieces to appeal to a broad range of potential buyers.”

The bedroom was updated next. The main challenge was an old wall-to-wall carpet and plaster-like paint of a similar age. Instead of spending the time and energy to replace the carpet, Evirgen decided to embrace it and use it as an anchor for the room. 

He repainted the bedroom with a softer, more contemporary cream color he specifically chose so it didn’t clash with the pattern on the rug. From there, he added neutral-colored linens and a dusty pink upholstered bed that has a modern low profile he says “blends classic shape with modern details.”

“The end result is a calm, elevated bedroom that no longer feels cramped or outdated,” he says. Then 70 days later, the home went under contract for $1.3 million.