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My Houzz: Less Room Leads to Creative Chic in Manhattan
It may be tiny, but this studio in a coveted location shows high design, savvy reuse and an artistic sensibility
Houzz Contributor. I am a New York based photographer, designer, and architectural enthusiast.
Houzz Contributor. I am a New York based photographer, designer, and architectural... More »
A scant 330 square feet may not seem to leave room for flexibility, but Michelle Konar has put her creativity to work in this small space. An art director at a marketing communications firm, she has taken advantage of the view of the Hudson River and turned her studio, on Manhattan's Upper West Side, into a chic space. Smartly repurposed vintage finds and DIY custom pieces have turned this tiny apartment into a cozy home that highlights Konar's artistic talents.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Michelle Konar
Location: New York City
Size: About 330 square feet
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Michelle Konar
Location: New York City
Size: About 330 square feet
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| "Everything in here I have either touched or altered in some way," Konar says. After finding her dining table set on Craigslist, she gave the originally orange chairs new life with gray and white stripes. Her father helped her refinish the bed, and Konar also refinished the Urban Outfitters pendant lamp. |
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| Three simple document frames next to Konar's bed hold another DIY project. Using decorative paper and wood veneer from Paper Source as mats, she framed animal prints from a historic engravings book from Dover Publications. Konar photocopied the engravings at a large scale onto transparencies. "I like to be able to vary things up, to do something a little unexpected," she says. Frames: Crate & Barrel; bed: flea market, refinished; side tables: family hand-me-downs |
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| If Konar had to choose a favorite designer, it would be Emily Henderson. "I like that she finds old pieces and refurbishes them. The way she transforms space is really interesting to me. It’s so layered — it’s vintage but modern." Couch: Sutton Sofette, West Elm; stool, rug: Crate & Barrel; round pillows: Urban Outfitters; lamp: Lamps Plus; paint: Bedford Grey, Martha Stewart |
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| When Konar moved to New York, she subleased a place in Brooklyn with friends and was told she'd never find a place in Manhattan in her price range. "I had always loved this area," she says. "It’s right between Riverside Park and Central Park, and I love to cook, so to have a Fairway Market, Zabar’s, Whole Foods and now a Trader Joe’s — I mean, you just can’t beat that." |
by Chris A. Dorsey
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This vintage-type tray, found at the Sunday flea market on 76th Street and Columbus Avenue, now serves as a jewelry holder. Other trays around the apartment act as creative storage units.
Giraffe hooks: Cost Plus World Market
Giraffe hooks: Cost Plus World Market
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| Konar made this series of five canvases through a bit of trial and error. "I took some suiting fabric and stretched it around canvas and then painted it," she says. "What I did not realize is that the fabric would just soak it in. It took four coats of paint on each to get it to look just right." Around the corner is a 6-foot-tall type tray that Konar considers her pride and joy. She came across this abnormally tall tray at a flea market in Brimfield, Massachusetts, and brought it with her to New York. "I imagine it at the end of a narrow hallway one day when I have hallways and rooms." |
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| A tabletop letterpress sits on her media stand. "I got it from a friend and I would love to use it, but it's a bit too small to do anything other than small stationery," she says. Konar has started to collect oversized letters, such as the galvanized "T" on the media stand. "I went to school for graphic design and studied typography in great detail, so it's something that I have become quite passionate about," she says. The paper wreath in the corner is another handmade project. TV stand: Ikea; accent wall paint: Yucca Plant, Martha Stewart Living; storage bins: The Container Store |
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| Konar studied graphic design at the Rhode Island School of Design. Apart from her full-time work, she creates and sells unique hand-sewn journals and kitchen textiles through her Etsy store, ShopONA. Curtains: family hand-me-downs |
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Konar got creative with her kitchen backsplash. "Originally I put up one big roll of corkboard, but it would expand and contract, and started to crack. It fell apart within a month," she says. As a compromise, she cut the cork down to the size of subway tiles, and it has held up well since she put them up a few months ago.
Rug: Ikea
Rug: Ikea
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| Konar attached the colorful cork tiles to her wall using simple 3M adhesive strips, which she can remove easily when she moves. The small size means she needed to use only one adhesive strip to attach piece, and the tiles can still expand and contract. This creative cork backsplash allows her to display various paper mementos and artwork with pushpins. |
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| Konar would like to refinish this flea market buffet at some point, once she decides what to do with it. Wall paints: Yucca Plant and Bedford Grey, Martha Stewart Living |
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Konar bought this tiny cardboard deer head from Cardboard Safari and decoupaged it with decorative papers. "It was a fun little project and adds a little humor to an otherwise empty space," she says.
by Chris A. Dorsey
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In the entryway, Konar creatively arranged linoleum block carvings from her art school days to blend in around the light switch and buzzer. "I designed and carved these blocks, then used them in a letterpress to make cards," she says. "I have always thought that the carved block was as interesting of a piece as the final designed card, so I kept the blocks and painted the raised portions black."
Next to her display of blocks is another DIY project. Konar covered a magnetic board from Ikea with decorative paper using Mod Podge. "Photos of friends and family, things that I think are nicely designed or from places that I want to remember are posted up there. It's probably the most personal and sentimental spot in the apartment."
Next to her display of blocks is another DIY project. Konar covered a magnetic board from Ikea with decorative paper using Mod Podge. "Photos of friends and family, things that I think are nicely designed or from places that I want to remember are posted up there. It's probably the most personal and sentimental spot in the apartment."
by Chris A. Dorsey
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Konar says, "As an art director, so much of what I do is 2-D. I like having a 3-D space to use and play with patterns."
Posters: Typestache, by Tor Weeks, Old Tom Foolery; Dinosaur Jr. by Justin Walsh, Resist Imposters
Posters: Typestache, by Tor Weeks, Old Tom Foolery; Dinosaur Jr. by Justin Walsh, Resist Imposters
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by Chris A. Dorsey
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| Konar considers herself lucky to have an outdoor patio in Manhattan. "I love sitting out there with my morning coffee, inviting friends over for cocktails or curling up with a book and blanket after work," she says. "It's such a relaxing space and has a great view of the Hudson River." Chairs: Target; rug: Thom Filicia for Safevieh, purchased on Joss and Main; flowerpots: Home Depot Houzz call: Do you live in a creative small space? Share it with us. |
Ideabook published on Sept. 27, 2012.
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