Houzz Tour: California Casual on the Upper West Side
High school sweethearts move from California to New York, then turn to a designer to help create a mini oasis
As high school sweethearts in California, this couple exchanged handmade Valentines. Now married and living in New York City, they recently put their efforts together to make over their first home, a 660-square-foot apartment on the Upper West Side.
An aerial photograph of a beach by photographer Gray Malin hangs above the table, reminding the couple of their West Coast days.
“It was important to the couple that they bring a little bit of California with them,” Grey says. “I think that a good designer is always able to give clients their own vision for the space. We’re in New York, but the clients are from California, and that definitely feels more like home for them.”
Photo: Maroubra Bay Swimmers by Gray Malin
“It was important to the couple that they bring a little bit of California with them,” Grey says. “I think that a good designer is always able to give clients their own vision for the space. We’re in New York, but the clients are from California, and that definitely feels more like home for them.”
Photo: Maroubra Bay Swimmers by Gray Malin
Everything is scaled to fit a small space, but that doesn’t stop the homeowners from hosting Super Bowl parties, dinners and other gatherings. “They just move pieces around and get creative with how they use the space,” Grey says.
Chair: West Elm; coffee table: CB2; rug: Etsy; silver pouf: Etsy; media console: Ikea; girl in bathing suit art: Artfully Walls; all other art from Minted
Chair: West Elm; coffee table: CB2; rug: Etsy; silver pouf: Etsy; media console: Ikea; girl in bathing suit art: Artfully Walls; all other art from Minted
Soothing neutral tones in the living area help the small space appear more bright and open, while dabs of color add playful punch.
Sofa: West Elm; acrylic side table: Control Brand; patterned pillow: Etsy; Rosette Mongolian fur pillow: West Elm; indigo and mudcloth pillows: Etsy; green shibori pillow: Etsy; Dexter arc floor lamp: Crate and Barrel; Sputnik flush-mount ceiling light: Etsy
Sofa: West Elm; acrylic side table: Control Brand; patterned pillow: Etsy; Rosette Mongolian fur pillow: West Elm; indigo and mudcloth pillows: Etsy; green shibori pillow: Etsy; Dexter arc floor lamp: Crate and Barrel; Sputnik flush-mount ceiling light: Etsy
The couple and their two cats inhabited the space before the redesign, and once it was complete, they felt it was so efficient that there was room for a new addition — a red Vizsla pup named Blue, shown here, who was born in May of this year.
“Their dog has more Instagram followers than I do,” Grey says.
“Their dog has more Instagram followers than I do,” Grey says.
Behind the sofa, slim-profile wall shelves create a mini office in a nook in what was originally a dining area. “But it was so small that there would be no room for people to get around a dining table and chairs, so we turned it into an office,” Gray says.
Chair: Poly + Bark; desk: CB2; brass light: CB2
Chair: Poly + Bark; desk: CB2; brass light: CB2
A welcoming chair sets the stage for a cozy, well-lit reading corner that’s favored by one of the homeowners’ cats.
Chair and side table: Anthropologie; lamp: CB2
Chair and side table: Anthropologie; lamp: CB2
An uncomplicated and uncluttered bedroom is key to keeping a small apartment feeling like an oasis. Here, Grey took a pared-down approach, opting to keep the fresh white walls clear of all but a couple of reading sconces.
Sconces: Anthropologie; John Baldessari pillow cases: Moca Store; bed and nightstand: West Elm; Beni Ourain rug: Etsy; duvet and shams: Crane & Canopy
Sconces: Anthropologie; John Baldessari pillow cases: Moca Store; bed and nightstand: West Elm; Beni Ourain rug: Etsy; duvet and shams: Crane & Canopy
Gray says the homeowners lucked out with having a large closet, which allowed her to include a smaller dresser in the bedroom to free up floor space.
Vintage teak dresser: Chairish; table lamp: AllModern; map: Etsy; elephant sculpture: Dwell Studio
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Vintage teak dresser: Chairish; table lamp: AllModern; map: Etsy; elephant sculpture: Dwell Studio
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A professional couple, two cats and a dog
Location: Upper West Side, New York
Size: 660 square feet (61 square meters); one bedroom, one bathroom
Interior designer: Luna Grey of Noble Abode
When the couple first moved into the apartment, they had only a mattress, a sofa and an arch lamp. To help add more pieces, they hired interior designer Luna Grey.
A gorgeous live-edge slab of teak forms a table that greets the homeowners at the entrance. The sunny dining ensemble resides against a wall to maximize space. When the couple entertain, the table moves into the room, and a set of matching chairs (one in the bedroom and another in the office nook) gets added to the mix.
Kartell pendant in Light Blue: All Modern; Kali teak tabletop and Vee legs: From the Source; DSR molded plastic chairs: Rove Concepts