After two years of working on my apartment following the purchase, I am thrilled today to invite you into my Brooklyn home. My home today evokes a Brooklyn meets Parisienne aesthetic. I love how it marries modern Parisian influences and inspirations (clean lines and contrast) with my maximalist cozy tendencies (textured pillows and blankets and warm neutrals). It is a special place I love coming home to and is filled with things I have enjoyed curating for this space.

My Parisian Inspired New York City Apartment

Buying this home was daunting, overwhelming and so stressful. Then, designing it was a other undertaking! So once again I called on my friend and talented interior designer Ann Elizabeth Art & Design to transform this apartment into something that felt like me.

For the past two years I’ve worked with Ann to make this home mine. I bought the home from someone who had rather colorful taste so we set out to create a neutral yet cozy palette that would be reminiscent of a quaint Parisian apartment.

While we didn’t undertake major, major projects – there has been so much work that has gone into this place. We removed wall paper, the entire apartment and the windows were all painted and we added picture frame molding in every room and on very door.

Every switch (the switches we selected have the most satisfying click sound and bring me immense joy!) and light fixture and outlet plate and doorknob and most plumbing fixtures were all swapped. We built and installed custom shoe shelves! We installed one mantel and then sourced one that was better for the space so swapped them. We sourced and framed loads of art I loved from my travels and my parents’ personal collection to fill the space with things that felt special to me.

Unlike other apartments I’ve lived in, I really leaned into slow curation and spotlighting French antiques and special touches that come from my travels. And Ann taught me the beauty of leaning into building out collections over the span of your life so this is a space I continue to look forward to curating.

While much is new in the space, I’m also really proud of how we repurposed nearly every piece from my last apartment.

A fun little story about where I bought my apartment? My very first weekend after moving to Brooklyn in 2017 I walked by my building and thought “hmm…that looks like it’d be a nice place to live.” I proceeded to look it up on StreetEasy only to realize it wasn’t a rental building but instead all owned apartments. I mentally shrugged my shoulders but moments later thought to myself “hey…maybe one day?”

And one day became the summer of 2021. 

I hope you’ll enjoy the home tour and thank you for all support. I’ve loved bringing you all along on this journey.

Entry Way

This entryway features a French light fixture we sourced from Etsy and I had re-wired here in New York. I added artwork from France my parent’s collection (I had each reframed) and a cloud piece done by Ann and a framed piece of artwork my godson made for me.

Living Room

The living room is where I spend most of my time and therefore it was important to me that it reflected a sense of calm and cozy. 

The two chairs featured in the space were sourced from the Brimfield Antiques market in Massachusetts for $50 and then reupholstered here in Brooklyn. My designer Ann selected Sister Parish fabric for the front and reclaimed French vintage fabric for the backs that we found on Etsy. I love the contrast of old and new reflected in them now.

This entire space was painted with Clare Paint’s shade Penthouse. We added picture frame molding to the wall and put pieces from my artwork collection in each “gallery”.

I added this horseshoe table to serve as a desk when I’d like to work from there and I like the added contrast it adds to the space as well. 

The built in bookcase styling features a mix of old and new, hard and soft textures and largely is made up of items soured from my travels – particularly throughout France.

I initially thought I’d like to remove the built in bookcases but they’ve become invaluable when it comes to storage space and I love how they serve as a way to display special pieces and books I have collected over my life.

We did switch out the sconces, painted the bookcases and added picture frame moldings to the built in doors to freshen them up and make them more high-end feeling.

After so many speed bumps to find the perfect couch, I finally did so with this Crate & Barrel Chaise Sofabed. I had wanted a place big enough for a chaise couch for so long and it was also important to me to have a pullout bed for guests to stay on now that I had the space to do so.

It pairs well with the two sizes of the Travertine tables we selected which are great to be able to move around and function either together or separately if needed.

I originally had an ivory rug in the space but once we swapped it out for this one the whole room became cozier and more visually interesting. 

This gorgeous Room & Board Kenwood Cabinet with Ceramic Top that I used in my last home’s entryway became the focal point for this space and serves as the bar cabinet. The cabinet holds so much including my extensive glassware collection and is the perfect mix of functional and stylish.

I added a 43 inch Samsung Frame TV within the built-ins and have a piece by Danish-French artist Camille Pissarro on the screen.

The Room & Board Silvia Chair and Ottoman created the perfect reading nook. In wintertime I have loved curling up here with the Jenni Kayne Throw and a glass of wine alongside a good book. We added an antique side table sourced via Etsy and a faux Olive tree to this space as well as a good reading lamp.

Dining Nook

This dining nook was a major selling point for the home and turned out exactly as I had imagined it. The Room & Board June Chairs serve as both a dining set and a work space for me and is where you can often find me enjoying my space with the Kathy Kuo Dining Table.

We added Everhem shades for each window and also swapped in a new light fixture with a new ceiling medallion.

We used Clare Paint’s Blackest to paint the window frames from white to black to add contrast and visual interest. 

The space also features French café photography I have taken during my time in Paris.

Kitchen

It was really important to me to have an open kitchen in whatever space I purchased. So often my neighborhood features galley kitchens that feel cramped and closed off. I loved how this kitchen seamlessly blended with the living room and dining nook. It makes for a wonderful gathering space.

I was grateful I didn’t have to take on any major kitchen projects. We kept the cabinet colors as-is and instead just swapped out the knobs to be brass while also using Clare Paint’s Blackest to paint the kitchen island black to add contrast and visual interest. I love how this small change tied the living space, dining space and kitchen together seamlessly.

Having a kitchen island brings me so much joy. I have lived in so many apartments in New York without much counter space so to have a big space to cook, prepare drinks and have people gather around when I entertain…it has been so wonderful. Not to mention the added storage it provides!

Since moving in I have replaced the dishwasher and will next year upgrade the stove as well. 

Bedroom

In the bedroom Ann looked to boutique hotels for inspiration. Since I spend so much time in hotels for my travel advisory business, I love that Ann sourced a vibe that would feel elevated yet cozy and still functional.

We added picture frame molding onto the door’s front and back and also each wall and for the paint color, she selected a bold color – Clare Paint’s shade Irony. It changes in tone depending on the light during the day and in the evening it is such a moody feel that I absolutely love. 

I upgraded from a Full to a Queen bed with this move and selected the Room & Board Marlo Bed for its storage drawer to have the space to keep extra linens and towels. I topped it with a Luxury Firm Saatva mattress that I couldn’t recommend enough. I have slept so well since upgrading to it.

The pendant light adds a dose of glamour aside the cozier vibes provided by the vintage-feeling rug, linen bedding, Room & Board Hudson Dresser with Wood Base and moodier walls. My Crate and Barrel Cane Room Divider works to somewhat hide my Peleton Bike.

The closet leaves something to be desired and is something I hope to renovate down the line. For the time being though, I hired Neat Method to come and organize it so make it work as functionally as possible for my clothing and bag collection.

Molly at Mantel House DC once again came through for me in my new home. She sourced the perfect petite Parisian mantel for my bedroom and I adore it. It is styled with framed art including an antique drawing of Place de la Concorde in Paris which is a place of deep sentimental significance for me. 

We also added antique brass candlesticks I’ve collected from France and Upstate New York. Lighting the candles at night provides the coziest feel that is very reminiscent of country French hotels I love experiencing.

This clothing rack is typically filled with pieces I plan to shoot for my blog but also provides some much needed extra space for my clothing.

My Room & Board Hudson Dresser with Wood Base is such a beautifully simple yet functional piece in the space. The Anthropologie Primrose mirror sits atop it. 

The biggest undertaking in the bedroom was the curation and installation of the custom shoe shelves. The apartment closet space leads something to be desired so we needed a place to put my shoes.

Ann had the idea to build shoe shelves that would adorn either side of the bedroom window and then be covered by my Everhem curtains. I am so proud of how it turned out and think it is such a smart storage solution for smaller spaces.

Bathroom

The bathroom is very small but suitable for one person for now. It is something I’d really love to gut renovate perhaps in 2025 to make more my own personal aesthetic. I’m not a fan of the tile or sink and hope to change both in the future.

. . .

There was so much work, so many decisions and so much thoughtful care put into this space and once it was done I was blown away at how the space transformed. In every other apartment I’ve moved into (I’ve lived in 7 apartments in the last 10 years!), I’ve raced to get everything “done” – not giving certain decisions the time and care they deserved to be happy with the end product.

This home feels different. It very much reflects my personal style and I love how elevated yet approachable and cozy it feels. It is a space that makes me happy every time I come home. And for that I am grateful every day.

Thank you for joining me on this journey of being a first time homeowner and the slow curation and decoration of the apartment. It’s been such fun to share this accomplishment with you all!

If you are keen to watch more of how all the many decisions and before and afters unfolded, check out my L’Appartement Highlights over on my Instagram.

Shop the Space

I have done my best to link everything possible however some items are no longer for sale, I’ve had for so long that I can’t recall where they were from or who made them or many items are also antiques collected from my travels so if you don’t see an object linked this is why.

 

Additional Resources

Room & Board Kenwood Bar Cabinet with Ceramic Top // Ilana Greenberg Original (Charish Shop) // Room & Board Aria Table with Quartz Top  //  Alex Soffer Painting // Grammatical Paris Print // Ally Sheppard Painting  // Room & Board Hudson Dresser with Wood Base // Room & Board Silvia Chair and Ottoman // Restoration Hardware Suede Band Pillow  // Mantel sourced via Mantle House DC // Select European Antiques via Etsy (this shop, this shop, this shop and this shop in particular) // Shop Books seen in the space on my Amazon Page // Room & Board Marlo Bed // Brass Outlet Cover Plates // Emtek Doorknobs

. . .

I want to thank Ann Elizabeth Art & Design, Handy Andy and Neat Method I’m extremely grateful for their time and talent! And to my broker Ivy Kramp who held my hand with such kindness and patience through the entire process of buying a co-op apartment in NYC.

And a special thanks to Urbanstems for the florals.

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• How To Clean Out Your Closet.
• How To Stock Your At Home Bar.
• Shop My Closet.

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[Carter Fish Photography]