The One Thing Interior Designers With Seriously Cool Apartments Are Always Asked About by Their Guests — These Are the Secrets to Their Own Spaces
In case you need a little inspiration for making your apartment feel a little more exciting
If you are reading this, then I assume you are (like me) a sucker for a stylish interior. And I'd go further and guess that you probably follow an account or two on social media that serves as inspiration for your home. Someone who is on a refurbishing journey, someone who's moving house and sharing their decorating plans, a professional interior designer, or even simply a stylish someone with an equally stylish home. I've got a few from each category in my feed.
As much as we want our homes to reflect who we are and our personal styles, sometimes other people's creativity is the fabulous ember that sparks a new idea. Whether it's a color combination you would've never thought of, a new trend discovery, or a decor piece that is actually just what you've been looking for.
After noticing I had a billion saved posts related to interior design inspiration and no streamlined way to sort through them, I decided to go straight to the source. I asked four designers with incredibly decorated apartments what the one place or piece in their homes that everyone asks about is. And below, they share what it is and how it's influenced their space.
1. Chic Island Storage
Interior decorator Allie Sutterer is in the middle of renovating her Brooklyn apartment. And while her plans are full of stylish inspiration, her kitchen has caught quite a bit of attention on social media, for a few reasons.
First of all, rather than gutting the dated wooden cabinetry, Allie matched her wall paint color to the wood to create a deep, warm, color-drenched space. The small kitchen is now covered in Cimarron by Benjamin Moore, a deep reddish-brown that completely transforms the kitchen from dated to dreamy.
However, space was also an issue. "There is only about 1.5 feet of counter space in my kitchen, so I needed more surface area to function, as well as additional storage." A portable kitchen island was the obvious choice, but in a small space, this can quickly lead to increased visual clutter. "I opted to hide the island's storage with a skirt," says Allie. And this creative addition has quickly become her most asked-about piece.
"I love the combination of the stainless steel top with the softness of the fabric skirt. The box pleats make it feel a bit more modern and chic than a typically bunched skirt," Allie adds.
Allie Sutterer is a New York City-based interior decorator and lifestyle content creator. Allie curates homes virtually and in person for clients, while also making content full of decorating tips and DIY updates to her one-bedroom apartment. Allie has over five years of experience as an interior stylist and a background in vintage furniture dealing.
2. Personal Wall Decor
If you follow the NYC-based designer, founder, and interior author Chelsey Brown on Instagram, then you will quickly find that her space is full of stylish, curated pieces. Imagine vintage picture frames next to chrome lamps, marble tables, and iron dining chairs. It's a beautiful lesson in layered design.
However, despite all the treasures to find inspiration from, Chelsey says, "The items in my home people most ask about are my wall art. A home should always represent the person who lives in it, and it should never look like anyone else's." For Chelsey, this has meant decorating with pictures, keepsakes, and memorabilia.
In her dining nook, two scallop shadow boxes hang on a chain. "These shadowboxes are from Curio Blvd, and I placed my grandmother's brooches in one and other mementos in the top one. I also love mixing woods and metals," says Chelsey. Deeply personal decor can make for the most interesting interior moment.
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Chelsey Brown is a NYC-based designer, interior decorator, and founder. She is the founder of City Chic Decor, a guide to stylish rental and budget-friendly decor, and is globally recognized for her work in genealogy, returning lost heirlooms to family members and descendants. She has founded her own homeware company, Curio Blvd, which makes personal pieces for storing treasures, such as jewelry boxes and picture frames. Chelsey is also a 3x author, with her latest book entitled 'Make Yourself at Home'.
3. Vintage Furniture
Alyssa Anselmo, interior architect and founder of Studio Anva, says, "The pieces I probably get asked about most in my apartment are my vintage shell chairs. I had been searching for the right set of chairs for almost a year before I found these secondhand ones from the 1960s." And if you take a scroll through Alyssa's space, you'll instantly find yourself wanting to try your hand at thrifting.
Alyssa's apartment blends mid-century modern design with contemporary elements. Her orangery dining area and light blue and brown living room are two stand-out spaces in her home.
As for the iconic chairs, "I instantly fell in love with their shape and the pale blue leather. They have this retro-futuristic, almost space-age feeling to them, but still feel really elegant and soft at the same time," says Alyssa. "I think people respond to them because they’re playful without feeling childish, which is something I always gravitate towards."
When you can source a vintage chair that has personality, it brings unexpected life to a room. "I also love that they feel sculptural from every angle, almost more like objects than traditional seating. They completely changed the mood of the room once I brought them in," adds Alyssa.
Alyssa Anselmo is an award-winning interior architect and founder of Studio Anva, where she creates aesthetically driven spaces rooted in neuroarchitecture. Through her engaging content, Alyssa educates her audience on how intentional design can improve environments and enhance overall well-being. She brings followers along throughout her projects, sharing thoughtful insights into the connection between design and emotion. Her work and expertise have been featured in Vogue Portugal, Newsweek, Architonic, and Food52.
4. An Interesting Lamp
I was first introduced to Casandra Noel's incredible, cool apartment because of a chic, powder blue, limewash guest bedroom she recently decorated. The material combinations, the ruffled trim, and the elevated, contemporary accents are captivating. But still, Cassandra says, "The most-asked-about piece in my home isn't a sofa, the guest bed, or a painting — it's actually a lamp. A snake lamp by CB2, to be exact."
"I found it over five years ago, fell completely in love, and if you know me, you know I now have two: one in the primary bedroom and one in the parlor," says Cassandra. There's something about the brass, snake-shaped lamp that feels almost vintage, like you stumbled across it in a really good antique shop. "It has so much personality. And somehow, it works everywhere," says Casandra. "I had one in a sleek luxury high-rise, and now they live in my 150-year-old Victorian, and neither version of that sentence feels wrong."
A good table lamp, or any decor for that matter, is something that can live with you. As Cassandra says, "A piece that travels that well across such different spaces is rare. I think that's why people always ask about the lamp."
Cassandra Noel is an interior decorator and interior influencer who has gathered over 700,000 followers on Instagram for her interior design content. Cassandra has an eye for style, how to blend colors and design styles, and curating personality-filled pieces.
It's always fun to get the inside scoop on some of your favorite homes on the internet. A glimpse into how other people curate and decorate is the ultimate way to garner inspiration for your own home. And in perfect time for a spring decorating refresh, if you ask me.
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