What’s your name?
I'm Prudence and I work in the sexual and reproductive health field.
When COVID-19 became a pandemic, my office in mid-town Manhattan was closed and we were required to work from home. This change happened suddenly and forced employees to find better ways to continue to provide services to the populations we serve globally. We were thrust into remote work -- something I had not experienced before.
What motivated you to restyle your family’s apartment?
I’m a mother of three adult children, two of them teenage boys living at home. My husband had accepted a position overseas with the idea of returning home intermittently. One of my sons is in college and was sent back home when COVID hit, and the youngest, a high school student, had to learn from home. Our challenges became very obvious having 3 adult people working from home on very short notice.
New York City apartments can be quite small, and it was the first time I felt how constrained NY apartment life could be. We considered moving to a larger apartment, but it became clear that it wasn’t possible to move in the middle of a pandemic. Also, I love my neighborhood and the apartment overall. It offers amazing views of Brooklyn and the water. The idea of looking for another place would just add stress so I decided to explore solutions to make this apartment work.
On a very practical level, we needed work desks, spots around the house where we can comfortably take video calls, and comfortable furniture to support all the functions the home now had to provide.
What was your overall vision for your space?
My apartment felt like a dorm – like a man cave! I have wonderful men in my life, but once we were constrained here, I became more aware of the masculinity of the space. I started observing the architecture of this apartment and building . . . so many angles, poor lighting, cold. My bedroom consisted of dark furniture.
We had large furniture pieces that were completely in the wrong spot, blocking air and energy flow. I was desperate for peace, calm, and good energy -- somewhere that I can work, meditate, and relax. The boys needed a proper area in each of their rooms where they can take classes and study. I was looking for neutral and streamlined furniture, pops of color throughout, and a decluttered space. In the master bedroom, I was willing to take some risks with color and bring in more femininity and romance. Unfortunately, an area of the bedroom had to be dedicated to a workspace since there were travel restrictions and I was unable to return to the office.
Tell us about the process – how did you start, what were the steps?
After some initial calls and email exchanges with Vanessa, we decided to start by moving furniture around to help decide what can remain and be repurposed and what might have to go. This helped to establish an overall budget for furniture and had an immediate impact on the apartment. I couldn’t believe how in one afternoon Vanessa made suggestions and we moved things around. The apartment immediately felt lighter and more spacious.
We prioritized work/study spaces for me and the boys which required purchasing comfortable chairs and sturdy desks. Later, we focused on a full makeover of bedroom. This was probably the most dramatic change in the apartment.
Next, because the kitchen and dining were cramped and uncomfortable, we focused on getting new dining chairs and making the open kitchen more functional. A small, inexpensive kitchen island was an instant improvement, adding much needed counter space.
To accommodate new desks and chairs, bulky bed frames and headboards were replaced with more streamlined ones. Better lighting was also important, so we added task lighting on desks as well as bedside lighting.
Overall, we tackled the big items first – work-from-home furniture and a total change of the master bedroom. We even addressed closet and home organizing, made more kitchen counter space by storing electric appliances, beautified the bathroom with sturdy and attractive storage baskets, and we created a kitchen pantry out of a narrow bookshelf. Nearly every corner of the house was improved for function as well as beauty.
What do you now love the most about your home?
I started this journey wanting peace, zero clutter, good energy, and better air flow. That’s what I love about my home now. The color of my bedroom makes me happy to be in the room. The living room – which is primarily where we spend time – feels charming and open and is a place where we want to be with family and community. The entire home feels more open considering that it’s a relatively small NYC apartment. There is harmony across the living room, dining room, and kitchen.
If I had to choose one thing that I absolutely love and that gives me peace, it’s my deep blue bedroom wall color. It brings me joy every day. We added lamps and simple white curtains, and a fabulous wall mirror. I never realized how happy I'd be with the new fabric headboard. The texture and tufted style is soft and feminine. And the large round mirror adds glam.
I sleep so much more peacefully.
An elegant fabric headboard (West Elm) with
a dramatic round mirror (Crate & Barrel) grounds
the space. Deep turquoise wall paint adds depth
and romance (BM Bermuda Turquoise).
And my dining chairs – I just love them! It’s the bright color pop the space needed, and the comfort is great for both working and entertaining. My leather swivel chair was one of my final purchases, and it is adorned with a custom pillow specially made for me by Vanessa.
What did you most value in working with
This Bronx Girl Designs? I valued the ethos of repurposing furniture items rather than continually buying new items. Also, Vanessa offered us such a good variety of options, styles and prices for items from furniture to curtains and lamps. Her approach was that no design problem was too big to handle. She showed us that there is always a solution.
I liked our communications and Vanessa’s respect for what I liked and didn’t like. She respected my design decisions and reinforced that I was the final decision maker and budget holder. This approach helped me realize MY vision for my home,
I enjoyed learning about how lighting (especially the choice of light bulbs) can create a desired mood and how color and texture can expand or contract a space, spark energy, or offer a sense of peace. I also learned about how wall art and furniture placement can create a cozy or spacious feeling. This has been a life changing experience!
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