Here’s How ‘The Baby-Sitters Club’ Characters Would Decorate If They Lived In Studio Apartments

Written by

Jessica Isaac
Jessica Isaac
Jess is an interior and architectural photographer based in Los Angeles. While she has the honor of peeking inside designer homes on a regular basis, she loves real homes designed by real people most of all.
updated Jul 14, 2020
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Post Image
Credit: Ana Hard

You don’t have to have come-of-age in the ’80s and ’90s to relate to the timeless stories told in “The Baby-Sitters Club” series. Thirty years after the books by Ann M. Martin hit the shelves, the pastel-spined hardbacks continue to be devoured by Y.A.s across the country. And now, you can see them come to life in a modern-day Netflix reboot.

While these stories provide a comforting amount of predictability for those looking to escape into the fictional town of Stoneybrook, CT, it’s the distinctly different characters that likely have kept readers hooked for generations. Whether you fancied yourself a strong-willed, business-minded kid like Kristy, or a fashion-forward, artsy cool girl like Claudia, chances are you have a favorite character you identified with.

Part of Martin’s storytelling included rich descriptions of each of these young entrepreneurs’ bedroom spaces—ones we loved seeing reinterpreted for 2020. That made us want to imagine what their adult spaces would look like. Scroll on to see how each character would design their studio apartments as the new (and older) Kristy, Claudia, Mary Anne, Stacey, and Dawn in Netflix’s “The Baby-Sitter’s Club.”

Credit: Ana Hard

Kristy Thomas, President of The Baby-Sitters Club

Often seen as the main protagonist of the series, Kristy is the sporty, outspoken founder of the club. According to The Babysitter’s Club Wiki Fandom, where we admittedly brushed up on our BSC knowledge (unfortunately, skimming all 131 books to find tip-offs on specific room decor was not an option), she adorned her walls with posters of Olympic athletes and football stars.

She is also known for her affinity for dogs, The Mets, and her “uniform” (jeans, a turtleneck, a sweater, and sneakers). Living with six siblings, Kristy isn’t shy about speaking her mind and asserting her opinions, meaning her apartment choices are probably bold, to the point, and decisive.

Likes: Sports, being a businesswoman, anchovies.
Dislikes: Crying, snobs, cabbage, blood, people who chew with their mouths open or smoke, loose teeth, bagpipes, and dressing up.
Kristy’s biggest strength: Her enthusiasm (although sometimes it gets her into trouble). She once had to write a 100-word essay on proper classroom behavior because she shouted “Hurray!” at the end of the school day.

Credit: Ana Hard

Claudia Kishi, Vice President of The Baby-Sitters Club

Claudia’s studio has to be the most fun. She is an artist to the core who loves to use fashion as art, making herself the ultimate canvas. She is said to have painted several portraits of her dear grandmother Mimi as well as painting a series of junk food pop art inspired by Andy Warhol.

She always has snacks on hand, loves to sleep in, and doesn’t care much for cleaning. Oh—and she is the only member with her own phone line. Sign us up for a sleepover at Claudia’s!

Likes: Junk food, art, “Nancy Drew” mysteries, shopping, clothes.
Dislikes: School, foreign languages, and sports.
Claudia on fashion: “I think clothes make a statement about the person inside them. Since you have to get dressed every day, why not at least make it fun?”

Credit: Ana Hard

Mary Anne Spier, Secretary of The Baby-Sitters Club

Mary Anne is a sensitive, introverted soul who is highly organized and sentimental (she uses a cedar box gifted to her by her grandmother to store special letters). We might glean her studio aesthetic from her personal style, which is often described as conservative and preppy. But we come to find out that her dad picks out all of her clothes, so she may have a wild streak deep down inside yearning to burst through her penny loafers.

In the new TV series, Mary Anne’s pink, child-like bedroom gets a makeover to reflect her current likes (including a yellow and navy color scheme). She’s most likely rocking a neat and tidy studio with some classic flare.

Likes: Animals, her favorite book “Little Women,” getting mail, sewing and knitting, old movies, rock and roll, the colors yellow and navy blue, New York City, and her boyfriend, Logan Bruno.
Dislikes: Crowds, being the center of attention, confronting people, dealing with strangers, sports, bagpipes, home ec class, and the color pink.
How Mary Anne describes her style: Neat, preppy, casual.

Credit: Ana Hard

Stacey McGill, Treasurer of The Baby-Sitters Club

Stacey had a privileged childhood, growing up on the Upper West Side of New York City with a view of Central Park. Her air of sophistication rivals that of an adult, and she even touts shopping at Bloomingdales and going to museums as some of her favorite pastimes. She loves to hang reminders of her beloved NYC life on her walls. Also, she collects pigs, because why not?

Likes: Math, Mary Poppins, Bloomingdales, snow, blueberry pancakes, pigs, sleeping late, shopping, and going to museums and plays.
Dislikes: Doctors, her strict diet (as a result of having Type 1 Diabetes), being alone.
Stacey’s possible future goal: Own a chain of stores.

Credit: Ana Hard

Dawn Shafer, Alternate Officer of The Baby-Sitter’s Club

Dawn Shafer hails from the California coast and loves healthy food (she’s a vegetarian), tidiness, and surfing. We imagine her studio apartment style as “California Casual” (believe it or not, a style distinction given to her by The Baby-Sitters Clubbers back in the ’80s), which has a bend towards the organic, natural style a la Amber Lewis or Jenni Kayne.

Likes: 80-degree Christmases in LA, ghost stories, Hayley Mills films, health foods, and getting phone calls.
Dislikes: Junk food, waking up early, and cold weather.
Dawn in 25 words or less: California Casual—she likes to look trendy, but being comfortable is more important.

You can watch “The Baby-Sitters Club” reboot on Netflix to see new spins on these classic characters’ rooms. Which character most represents your style?