by Furnishly | Mar 13, 2023 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
I want to tell you about one of my favorite budget decor items, but fist, let’s flash back to my first time attending a live auction 15 years ago. My friends had brought me to a barn sale in upstate New York as part of our weekend entertainment. Before the auction began, we were allowed to walk around and look at the lots of things that would be sold. I was overwhelmed by the sheer number of objects on offer.
Once the bidding began, we sat in the bleachers in the cold, drafty room watching as bidders scored antique bureaus for half the cost of something from Target, art for even less — the prices were gobsmackingly low. I didn’t particularly need anything that March afternoon, but I was swept up in the excitement of the bidding and the deals. When the auctioneer brought a pair of carved marble lamps up to the block, I raised my hand to enter the fray, and not a soul bid against me. I got the pair for a cool $20! I hadn’t even gotten a close look at them when we’d walked around the preview, but I figured they were so cheap, I’d surely scored a deal.
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When I went to pick up my prize at the end of the auction, I had second thoughts about my hasty purchase. These lamps were a little old-fashioned. I mean that in an endearing way, of course, but I wondered: How were they going to look in my Brooklyn apartment, where almost all of my furniture was vaguely mid-century modern with a smattering of IKEA to round out the collection? My friends assured me they were great, and I tucked them into the back of my station wagon.
Back at home, I set up the lamps in my living room, and something magical happened: They elevated the whole room. Instead of looking too fussy, they looked effortless — chic, even. The room gained more of a collected-over-time look. My big-box store lamp landed on the stoop for someone else to take home.
A year or so later, I spotted a similar pair of alabaster lamps at a yard sale. Much more diminutive in size than my first pair, these possessed some truly awful glass shades that made them look decidedly uncool. By then, though, I knew the bases were classic style chameleons. They were also the perfect size to place on a dresser. I think I spent another $20 on these, and then bought shades to refresh their look for another $25.
More than a decade and two moves later, I still have those two pairs of vintage stone lamps in my home. After using them in many rooms and noticing them in other homes, I believe vintage alabaster or marble lamps can elevate any room. Part of their design power lies in purchasing a pair. With two matching lamps, a room feels even more finished — like something picked out by a decorator — not just something you stumbled upon at a yard sale.
If you don’t have a local vintage shop, you can buy similar lamps on eBay and Etsy for a little more (but still usually less than $100 a piece or even $50, if you really search); a quick search revealed this $80 stunner on Etsy. Your keywords beside “lamp” should be “marble,” “alabaster,” “carved,” and, if you subscribe to my idea of symmetry, “pair.” Don’t get dissuaded by a hideous shade; a replacement is just a click away, and you’ll still have spent less than you would have on a new lamp.
Still not convinced vintage marble lamps are a must? Let Nate Berkus persuade you. He’s definitely on “Team Vintage Stone Lamp,” and I am, too.
by Furnishly | Mar 2, 2023 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Chandler Benzinger and Lucy Benzinger live in a stylish 450-square-foot apartment on the Upper West Side of New York. As a couple, the Benzingers’ style is a mix between organic, modern, and cozy. “Our main inspiration was a simple, dark color palette,” they say in their house tour. The couple’s home is filled with tons of different warm-toned woods and white accents to make the space look bright and feel welcoming. “When we moved back to New York City in the spring of 2022, finding an apartment felt nearly impossible,” the Benzingers explain in their tour. “Initially, we were looking for a one-bedroom but after looking at what we could get with our budget, we knew that we would be compromising on amenities.” That meant just one thing — moving into a studio — and naturally, the couple was nervous about the lack of space. They mapped out the entire apartment’s layout though before signing their lease and trusted that they could make it work.
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Next to the bathroom, the “kitchen” may be the tiniest space in the whole apartment, so it took a lot of smart thinking to truly maximize its footprint. To build upon the tiny bit of counter space their little galley kitchenette came with, the Benzingers added a freestanding island and did something even more creative: They turned the nearby windowsill into a perch for cooking and cleaning essentials.
Now, this idea isn’t a pantry replacement by any means, but this little spot really does serve a purpose. Instead of having hanging curtains or blinds in the way, the couple left this window completely bare to let in maximum light. This decorating move also leaves the small, flat windowsill surface wide open for placing things like oil and vinegar, seasonings, and paper towel. What’s nice is this area is tucked right next to the stove, so visually, items are somewhat hidden (minus the paper towel holder) but easily accessible. This keeps the area from looking cluttered, and that’s why using the sill is so smart. If these pieces were stashed on the small island they brought into the space instead, that surface would start to fill up fast, since it’s fully out in the open.
“Neither of us expected to be living in such a small space, so our biggest challenge was figuring out how to make everything fit without it feeling too cramped inside” the Benzingers say. “We made our space fit our items, rather than our items fit our space, and it was a fun challenge.” I’d say using the window sill is the perfect example of their philosophy at work.
by Furnishly | Feb 25, 2023 | Design Inspiration, Style
Deciding how to decorate your desk is tricky. One way to spruce it up is by adding family photos that telegraph happy memories. These images can help you get through a busy day at work. If your desk is near a window, place a few standing frames on the windowsill. This will clear up surface space. You can also hang a few favorite photos above your desk or install floating shelves for more display space. A bedroom dresser can be another great place to set out a few of your prized snaps, as seen in this Queens apartment. Don’t be afraid to place a few smaller shots in front of larger ones; layering will add dimension, character, and variety.
by Furnishly | Feb 21, 2023 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
While choosing a neutral-colored sofa makes sense in terms of providing a backdrop that’s easy to accessorize, why go bland when you can go bold? We’re living in a veritable heyday of furniture design, when you can find upholstered pieces in practically any pigment. By choosing a couch in your favorite shade, it can not only infuse mood-boosting vibes into your home but also more accurately convey your personal style better than a beige or gray one could.
And just because a couch happens to have an inkling of color doesn’t mean it can’t function as a beautiful anchor in your living space. Whether it’s a moody green velvet settee or a mauve-tinged modular sofa, you can just as easily accessorize it the same way you could if it were a neutral piece of furniture. In fact, working within a color palette that really makes your heart sing might even make it easier (and certainly more fun!) to decorate your home.
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Here are seven ways a colorful couch can dial up the personality and style in your space.
Orange Is the New Black in a San Francisco Home
Mario Bellini’s Camaleonda sofa is hands down the most well-loved couch on Instagram, particularly by stylish influencers like Athena Calderone and Aimee Song. And when you opt for it in an electrifying orange fabric like homeowner Tay BeepBopp, who was lucky enough to score hers secondhand, it could easily steal the show in your space. Instead, when positioned in front of a dreamy wall mural of gorgeous white herons, as Tay did in her Victorian San Francisco home, it works synergistically to tell a beautiful color story of fun and levity.
Roses are Red, Violets are Blue in London
Since red, blue, and yellow are primary colors, they have the potential of coming across as somewhat childlike. However, when you temper them into muted shades of slate, paprika, and mustard, suddenly they’re sophisticated, as seen in this London flat that Clare O’Connell shares with her boyfriend and son. A gorgeous red velvet sofa sits at the heart of the living room, peppered with accent pillows shaped like seashells, which harmonizes seamlessly with a striped loveseat, mustard yellow armchair, and walls painted in “Oval Room Blue” by Farrow & Ball.
Singing the Blues in London
Some folks prefer their spaces to be bright and airy, while others, like Ky Ismet and James Burrow, favor spaces that are dark and moody. When they found their Victorian terraced house in London, they got right to work injecting a modern gothic style into it. How? Painting the walls with an inky blue-black color called “Railings” by Farrow & Ball and opting for a navy blue velvet sofa. The tone-on-tone pairing really envelopes the space with a moody coziness, which is further enhanced by the abundance of candles scattered about from their candle and aromatherapy business, A House Like This.
The Camaleonda sofa by Mario Bellini is just too good that we had to share it twice, this time spotted in a dusty rose hue in this New York City loft rented by Michelle Pham and her partner Akshay Kumar. It acts as the focal point of their reading room, which is artfully filled with an impressive collection of books and plants. Though the sofa has a playful pink pigment, its solid color actually serves as a grounding piece amongst the other patterns in the home’s maximalist decor.
Colonel Mustard in the Lounge at a Park Slope Lodge
Mustard is a color commonly found in the kitchen fridge, but it turns out that it also lives beautifully in the living room swathed in luxe velvet across a mid-century style sofa, as seen in this Park Slope rental shared by Maggie Mae and her partner Jesse. While it has a deeply rich tone, it still acts somewhat as a neutral, playing well with a multitude of other patterns and colors. And since the hue is often seen on antique furniture, it adds a lovely vintage element to their space.
Teal Is Terrific in a Chicago Apartment
Pink and blue can easily skew toward kids’ colors, but a pairing of salmon and teal is decidedly not childlike. See for yourself in this Chicago apartment rented by Jamie and Mike. Their tufted teal sofa sets the stage for a colorful living space surrounded by soft pink walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s “Conch Shell.” Pops of gold and green round out the palette in this cozy home, which features lots of creative DIY storage solutions to house their remarkable collection of over 1,000 books.
Green with Envy in a San Diego Apartment
When you score a vintage curved couch from Facebook Marketplace for $50, chances are you’re going to want to reupholster it. Well, not unless it’s a dupe for a $9,900 green velvet one on 1stDibs. Then you clean it and thank your lucky stars, like Annie Veron did with the gorgeous green sofa in her San Diego apartment. Paired with blush-colored pillows and a dark pink Turkish rug, its curvy lines and sage green fabric makes a glamorous statement in her small space.
by Furnishly | Feb 8, 2023 | Design Inspiration, Style
Desks aren’t just for adults, and this bunk bed molds itself into a workable (and sleepable) space for kids. With a pull-out desk and organization space, your little ones will appreciate having their own space to work, craft, play, and sleep — and you’ll be happy that it can all be done in one place.
