Photographer Jacqueline Clair has an eye for capturing great design — but she’s also got design skills, as evidenced by this 700-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment on New York’s Upper East Side she rented for two years. Though she recently moved from this place, it has too many brilliant ideas not to share. 

“I think the biggest challenge was taking what was your basic white box and turning it into a space that had charm and character,” Jacqueline writes. “I was very inspired by English designers like Louise Roe and Carlos Garcia and wanted to create a kind of lived-in, slightly moody, English countryside vibe with chintz, brown furniture, and vintage pieces.”

Jacqueline achieved impressive English countryside vibes by adding key pieces to her furniture collection, like an étagère and circa-1940s English reproduction side table she found at a thrift store on Long Island, a gilt mirror from an antique store in the Hamptons, a beautifully detailed tole lamp, and lots of on-theme vintage items she’s collected over the years. 

However, mixing many floral motifs and patterns also helped the English countryside vibes. Jacqueline worked with interior designer Jennifer Hunter to help, and she sourced floral patterns and fabrics.

“With Jen’s help, I had two little benches that my mom found years ago at yard sales reupholstered, and we were able to give them new life. Another great vintage find was the dining chairs — an absolute steal at Housing Works for only $5 each, and 50% off that! Their swirled arms are reminiscent of the chairs in the Rose Reading Room at the New York Public Library. Those were restored and reupholstered in a gorgeous brown Veere Grenney for Schumacher fabric that I absolutely love … 

“I also incorporated my grandma’s old brown wood bookshelf and a vintage dresser my mom found years ago — these pieces have traveled with me from apartment to apartment over the years,” Jacqueline explains. “When you have those classic, timeless pieces, you just take them from place to place, and they always work.”

• Bedroom — Farrow and Ball “Pink Ground”
• Living Room/kitchen — Farrow and Ball “Lichen”

• Large scale art — Kayce Hughes https://www.kaycehughes.com/
• Bench — Vintage reupholstered in Lee Jofa Althea in Citron 
• Flush Mount — Alexa Hampton for Visual Comfort
• Lamp — Pooky

• Sofa — Maiden Home Carmine
• Pillows — Soane Britain Scrolling Fern in Chestnut made by Stuck on Hue
• Lee Jofa Althea in Blush
• Penny Morrison Ashok Pink
• Chair — Custom in Lee Jofa Althea Blush
• Chair pillow — Sister Parish Dolly in Pink 
• Rug — Williams Sonoma Home Canyon Sisal in Limestone
• Side tables — Both vintage
• White lamp — Pottery Barn with a shade from KRB 
• Modern lamp — West Elm
• Gilded mirror — Vintage 
• Paper geranium — Papier Fleurs
• Floor lamp — Vintage with Cruel Mountain Designs scalloped rattan shade
• Spatter vase — the ARK Elements
• Dining Table — Ballard Designs
• Pink candleholders – Violet Rose Living 
• Dining Chairs — Vintage, reupholstered in Veere Grenney for Schumacher Folly in Berber Brown
• Etagere — Vintage 
• White bench — Vintage, upholstered in Schumacer Cabanon Stripe in Rouge
• Drapery — Custom Schumacher Cabanon Stripe in Rouge

• Flush mount — Alexa Hampton for Visual Comfort

• Dresser — Vintage
• Dresser Lamps — Serena and Lily with scallop rattan shades from Cruel Mountain
• Large scale art above dresser — Caitlin McGauley original 
• Small painting on dresser — Alexis Walter original 
• Small painting gold stand — Jayson Home
• Pillar candlesticks — Ben Pentreath
• Pink taper candles — Candle Flair
• Obelisk — Parvum Opus
• Desk — Pottery Barn 
• Desk chair — Vintage reupholstered with Schumacher fabric
• Swivel chair — Society Social Stevie upholstered in Brunschwig & Fils Les Touches in Sand
• Pillow on swivel chair — Custom through Etsy in Colefax and Fowler Bowood
• Headboard — Serena and Lily Pondicherry headboard reupholstered in Colefax and Fowler Bowood
• Curtains — Colefax and Fowler Bowood made through Shade Store 
• Large scale blue art — Christina Baker 
• Stool — Society Social
• Pharmacy lamp — Lamps Plus 
• Gold lamp on desk — Nate Berkus (no longer available)
• Art above desk — Inslee Fariss, Caitlin McGauley, Kayce Hughes, Christina Baker, my own via my Etsy shop
• Duvet cover and shams — Sarah K Designs London
• Sheets — Hill House Home
• Nightstands — Pottery Barn
• Bedside lamps — Ballard Designs with shades from KRB
• Quilt — Nine and Sixteen Home

• Flush Mount — Anthropologie
• Wallpaper — Society Social faux grasscloth peel and stick in Wheat
• Green Art — Evelyn Elizabeth Ball
• Floral Art — Inslee Fariss

• Wallpaper — Caitlin McGauley New York City

Thanks Jacqueline!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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