Real life couple Jason & Tyler moved in together last month (read about their plans here), and we stopped by to see how they decked out their new apartment.
For cozing up or grabbing on the way to a picnic in nearby Tompkins Square Park, this Turkish Cotton throw (available in the Food52 shop!) adds a soft touch.
The Den
When Jason and Tyler told me they were going to turn the smaller bedroom into a living room, I worried it might feel cramped (being just 5 feet across in some places). But a well placed window, a nook they turned into a TV stand, and homey accents like a small ornate rug, a windowsill lamp, and shelves stocked with arty odds and ends makes it feel ridiculously warm and inviting.
Vintage trunks that can double as storage, shelves of reclaimed wood from Build it Green! NYC, and a rug they swiped from Jason's parents' house complete the look without costing much.
Jason's "beloved Eames chair," which he found in a trash heap and will never let go of, reflected in their mirror-plated credenza.
"We were able to fit two of our biggest pieces without the area feeling constrained," Tyler says, referencing the new couch and a mirror-plated wardrobe from IKEA that just fit side by side in the small room. "We were trying to upgrade from IKEA pieces," he explains, "but that wardrobe was exactly the right size and look we wanted."
I'd been suspicious about that piece being too big and shiny (and they are quick to alert me that it rocks a little when you open it), but it really did create an illusion of space when closed up—the perfect solution for a small space that needs lots of storage.
The Bedroom
A fuzzy fleece blanket, jersey laundry hamper, and pale, creamy sheets create a range of neutrals—our favorite color scheme.
The windows that Jason was raving about really do draw light into every room, and I especially loved the the soft sunshine beaming through south-facing openings in their bedroom. "We're thrilled with the morning light," Jason says. There's not a ton of room in there, so the crisp white walls are actually nice to have largely bare—though a stack of framed art against the hallway wall made it seem likely they'd get around to decorating soon.
If you're wondering about that quilt, which is soft and fluffy right out of the bag, we sell here it in the Shop! Full disclosure: I brought it with me for the shoot because I wasn't sure they had a comforter, but the simple fleece blanket they were working with would have been plenty pretty on its own.
Saving shoeboxes might sound like hoarding, but when they're this pretty and sturdy you can (and should) keep them out as storage.
Our photographer Mark Weinberg and I, were captivated and delighted by Jason & Tyler's overflowing sunglasses collection.
Nearly always a respite in the home, this particular bedroom is just as effective as an actual escape. "There's a good amount of greenery outside the window," Tyler says, "and easy access to the fire escape outside for enjoying a beer (don't tell our super)." They're four flights up, just enough to get your calves burning on the stairs, overlooking 12th Street in the East Village—which is plenty far away from the street to enjoy sitting above it and watching the city hum.
Their terrarium, complete with little figurines in a mossy landscape, was a favor given to guests at a wedding they just attended.
Many buildings in this neighborhood are well over a century old, though it's typical for the rental units inside them to have plain white walls and cherry wood cabinets, without much in the way of architectural character. By propping up their reclaimed wood shelves on mounted gas pipes they found at a hardware store, Jason & Tyler added a little bit of a rustic, industrial look without painting (or distressing, or adding molding to) a single surface.
The "Closet"
An invisible bookshelf and diamond-shaped Japanese Wall Hooks (that you can find in our Shop) create storage out of thin air.
Jason & Tyler actually do have a real closet, and the mirror-plated wardrobe acts as another, but it's this bookshelf used as a sweater stacker that I loved the most. Just as open shelves force you to keep your books and kitchen tools tidy, open closet shelving will encourage you to fold your things instead of leaving them on the floor. (And a few smartly placed wall hooks will give your hoodie a home in a hurry.)
The Kitchen
Featuring just enough art and some sculptural objects, their only exposed tools are a few oversized flour-sack dish towels and a striped tea towel—both from our Shop.
Speaking in the third person, Tyler reports that "Jason was very pleased with being able to find storage space for all of Tyler's kitchen accroutements," which makes me think that there was a lot of them (there were!). They might have opted for open shelves in this room too, but as renters their cabinets were selected before they moved in.
The Dining Room
In keeping with their grey and white theme, a ceramic vase and glossy votive holders (that double as condiment bowls) grace the table.
Right when you enter the apartment, you're greeted by a table and chairs backed by a tall, leaning mirror that seems to double the size of the room. "We really like how it's the central point in the apartment," Jason says of this dining nook. In the event that I stop by with my boyfriend for dinner (consider this your warning, guys), they can pull out the table from the wall and add a few wooden folding chairs, now leaning against a nearby wall, for instant group seating.
I was also pleased to see that Jason's bottle collection found a happy home on a high shelf.
What are your favorite space-saving solutions, and what do you love most about Jason & Tyler's apartment? Let us know in the comments!
Photos by Mark Weinberg
from Food52 http://ift.tt/1OOKzCU
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