WHAT'S IN MY APARTMENT
all the answers to your most asked interior questions
The number one question that I get asked on social media is about my apartment, which is somewhat surprising given I have no interior design experience. But the way I approach my home is quite similar to how I’ve assembled my wardrobe: a collection of investment pieces mixed in with some more whimsical and fun items.
This post is a process book for how decorated my apartment, the pieces I get asked the most about, and the tips/tricks for making a comfortable living space on a budget.
My first nyc apartment was a flex 3 bedroom apartment where I had exactly 100 sq. ft of space, of which 90% was occupied just by my bed. I was a fresh graduate, and had no idea how long I’d last in new york city, so my apartment was in a perennial state of chaotic transience. The only thing I knew for certain was that the overwhelming majority of my time would be spent in an office and my home furnishing decisions reflected that reality. I prioritized affordability over longevity and ease over aesthetics so naturally, my room was more of a bare bones cave to sleep in than a place I enjoyed spending time in.
In 2019, I moved to australia, lived with my friend Hannah in a stunning, homey apartment by the ocean. While I still worked a lot, my time in Sydney taught me the value of cultivating balance and hobbies, and of creating a space that you are happy to call home.
When I moved back to nyc in 2021, I showed up with 2 massive suitcases and no hard assets to my name. I had a clean slate and knew I wanted to take a more long-term view on how I designed my space. It’s been a journey and I still think of my current apartment as an evolving project, so I wanted to share what I’ve learned so far:
001: mood boards
If you’re like me and your first instinct is to head to pinterest, there are two things i’d recommend keeping in mind:
vibe check: before getting lost in the abyss of algorithmic trends, reflect on how you want to feel in your home — the atmosphere that you want to cultivate and the things you’ll be doing inside of it. This will orient you with what themes you should focus on and a more cohesive idea of how things will fit together.
In my williamsburg apartment: I prioritized a feeling of cleanliness and calm. Design wise, it probably was closest to scandinavian minimalism, so I opted for a lot of simple designs, and cream, light birch color palettes.
In my current apartment I wanted to focus more on coziness and having a “lived-in” space so i’ve tried to add as much dark wood, jewel tones, and varied textures (plants, art, books) to achieve that feeling.
reality check: as you’re starting to save down “inspo”, learn from my mistakes and just bffr. while i was decorating my williamsburg apartment i was saving down furniture and aesthetics in homes that were WILDLY different from my tiny, high-rise apartment. As a result, I felt like nothing I put in the apartment looked right — even when I bought the same exact pieces someone else had. Retrospectively this is really obvious that one couch will not magically transform your space into the high ceilings and 2000 square feet parisian apartment from pinterest.
002: acquiring pieces
my biggest tip if you’re on a budget but want to get nicer investment pieces is to go secondhand. almost everything in my apartment has been purchased vintage/used. I’d try to allocate most of my budget to anchor pieces (bed, couch, table) if you’re starting out and then keeping the rest of the pieces flexible.
Facebook markeplace is magic if you have a keen eye for what you’re looking for and have some time to spare. Some tips:
“Designer” brand: The “mid-range” designer brands (think west elm, cb2, article) tend to move fast, so if there’s a SPECIFIC piece you’re looking to buy, especially one that’s sold out online, I’d be ready to pounce if I see one pop-up.
Negotiating: There’s this weird psychology with FB marketplace where the second an item catches your eye, and the seller responds to your message, you get paralyzed with indecision. Or at least that’s how it works for me. I had to miss out on a few pieces that I would have loved before I got the hang of when to pull the trigger and when to pass.
It always good to have a budget in mind of how much you’re willing to spend on an item and stick to that — ask for measurements and if the piece is something you like aesthetically then go for it.
Don’t forget about delivery: This is the one annoying part about fb marketplace — for medium sized items you can get away with an Uber XL (just ask and tip well!) but for larger things (my dining room table, sofa) you’ll have to arrange delivery. This often adds $100-150 to the total so is something to keep in mind.
003: whats in my apartment
SOFA
Of all the things I get asked to link in my apartment, my sofa is probably #1. I was looking for a minamalist sofa with a low profile and stumbled upon this one from CB2. I was a bit wary at first to get a cream coloured sofa, but my roommate convinced me that a grey sofa would be too corporate (she was right). I’ve had it for 3 years now and would recommend it to anyone — it’s comfortable as a couch but if you take the back cushion off, it essentially serves as a chic day bed. I got mine off FB marketplace but luckily it looks like a CB2 staple.
CARPET
I did not appreciate that a large carpet can get really pricey until I started rug shopping, but it can do wonders for adding a touch of warmth and color to a room. I wanted one that had blue and red tones but was still muted. The one I have is on sale from Bloomingdales right now and is the perfect large rug for a living room.
LAMP
My current space has rather high ceiling but no overhead light so I wanted to find an arched lamp to fill out the room. I had grand visions about the original “arco lamp” by Achille and Pier Giacomo Castiglioni which came out in the 60s and is a design classic but as these things go, is completely out of my budget.
Instead I purchased what I assume to be a replica from a lovely couple on the upper east side — I had such a lovely conversation with them that it’s now an item that I deeply treasure. Otherwise a few alternatives: a more wallet friendly version, CB2 version, and a (very expensive) design within reach version.
COFFEE TABLE
I once saw a TikTok that hypothesize your state of mental and financial wellness can be measured by how much attention you pay to furniture thrown on the sidewalk on trash day. Say what you want but I was ecstatic when I stumbled upon my current coffee table on the streets of nolita as a group of guys were moving out. After confirming there were no bed bugs, curses, hexes or other defects I made my sweet and loving friend rhys help me heave it into the back of an Uber and chaperone it back to my apartment.
I love it because it has authentic character (i.e. it’s falling apart) and I’m not afraid to beat it up a bit. Some alternatives: this post-modern one is incredible, can’t go wrong with a minimalist vibe, and budget friendly options here and here.
DECOR
One of the things I promised myself when I moved into my apartment was that I didn’t want a house full of junk. I am not the most judicious at getting rid of things so I wanted to be mindful about how I filled my home on the way in. Some of my better purchases are this accent chair and this chic little lamp.
But as you might suspect, the best decor I have are the items that I have collected over time that are special to me: old photographs, birthday cards from my friends and family, little trinkets picked up on trips and small gifts that remind me of the people that I am grateful to have in my life.