Harlem Bachelorette | The backstory

Oh, to be single again! Those were the days… Living alone, waking up to silence, cooking for 1, and owning a white sofa with no worries in the world, because I am neat! My first apartment was such an amazing accomplishment. With so much pressure, especially in NYC, to live with a roommate or a boyfriend, having your own apartment as a single woman is essential! It’s so important to have those memories before you begin your life as a woman with major responsibilities. I would tell any young woman, live on your own, (please, for the love of God), before you get married/live with a boyfriend.

However, as grateful as I am for the life that I have now (because trust, I have a super sweeeet life), I long for the days of solace and having my own place. Which is why I was so excited to work on this Harlem Bachelorette project!

My client, an entrepreneur and multiple business owner, was a joy. She was quick with responses, collaborative and transparent with feedback, but also trusting of my eye and vision, (and quick with the invoice payments to keep things moving). The BEST kind of client.

Having suffered a recent loss (his loss, not hers), my client was ready to have her own place (at the brand new The Smile building) and come into her own. I was there to help! The main thing about this space was that it needed to feel luxurious. My client, who is obsessed with fashion and Chanel, wanted to be surrounded with glamour, opulence, and ease. I think we accomplished just that.

First and foremost, we started with the space planning and mood. As a business woman and social butterfly, the space needed to be exciting enough for guests and functional enough for the day to day needs of an entrepreneur. The cutest dog ever, Chewy, was also in the picture, so I was designing around him as well.

The new building, The Smile, was a little to tricky to design for. The entire façade of the building is angled, so it was difficult to hang curtains. The concrete ceilings allowed for no overhead light, except in the kitchen and hall, so we also had to be creative there. And finally, the concrete floors and columns throughout added an industrial feel while we were trying to accomplish a glamorous interior. So, we kept it simple.

In the Bedroom, the client had a walk-in closet, which allowed the design of the room to be primarily aesthetically pleasing with no true need for true function. Creating a sensual space meant infusing artwork that celebrated femininity, adding soft textures, and creating a dark and moody space for comfortable, relaxing, and cozy nights.

Next, the dining space, which was also pretty straightforward. With a base Marble round table and black velvet chairs, we were able to focus on finishing off the space. We created a vignette for the room, complete with mirror, console, lamp and plenty of fashion books. We then finished off the space with dark teal/green drapes, and an overarching floor lamp to add intimate lighting on a social night.

In the Living Room, we made space for several seating areas, and infused the space with the yellows/greens the client was attracted to at the time. We grounded the space with a subtly glitzy cowhide rug and a graphic bone inlay coffee table. A Chanel-inspired side table was a no-brainer for us in this space, to convey the style of our client. In addition to the drapes, we added a gorgeous fig tree to infuse the green and styled the space with gold accents, leopard print, and warm camel tones.

Finally, in the office, we created a bold inviting space that featured a graphic cushy rug, a glamorous desk, fine, green accents (including a plant), and a functional bookcase for office needs.

The result of all of our hard work is a gorgeous inviting space my client never wants to leave, a comfortable space for girlfriends to come over and chit chat, and a sexy bedroom with comfortable sheets you want to sleep in all day. I hope my client remembers this apartment forever the way I remember my bachelorette pad with joy and nostalgia. Check out the final photos of the project here!