Name: Victoria DeMartin
Location: New York, New York
Type of home: Studio apartment
Size: 300 square feet
Years lived in: 2 years, renting
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Tell us a little (or a lot) about your home and the people who live there: I’m a screenwriter and director, and I work freelance in film and television. I’ve lived in New York City for seven years now, and this is my second apartment and my first time living alone.
I love this neighborhood and especially love this apartment because it’s in a great area, a block from Central Park, and is drenched in sunlight. Nothing makes me happier than when the sun shines straight through from the main room all the way back to the kitchen and illuminates the entire space. I rarely turn on lights!
I like to think of myself as an upbeat and creative person, and I think that is reflected in the decor. It’s very light and airy with fun/funky elements. There are a lot of artists in my family so I have some of their work hanging up, including a few of my own movie posters designed by a very talented friend of mine. I kept the walls white and added pops of orange, yellow, red, and gold in the furniture and decor. I love summertime and a beachy vibe, as evidenced by all of the tropical notes in the decor — not to mention the flamingos.
Describe your home’s style in 5 words or less: Bright, fun, tropical, cozy
What is your favorite room and why? It’s all technically one room, but my favorite area is the bar area. It’s become a collection of all sorts of funky things like the palm tree candlestick holder, the colorful glasses, flamingo stemmed wine glasses, flamingo salt and pepper shakers, and a collection of cute matchboxes, coasters and drink stirrers from various bars. I love how it looks when the sun hits it and the gold and glass glimmers. The shelf above the bar cart was built into the wall of the apartment and my mom had the idea to line the back with peel and stick mirror tiles that we found on Amazon. I think they look very elegant and make the room feel a tiny bit bigger.
What’s the last thing you bought (or found!) for your home? The last thing I bought was the white storage ottoman that I put in between the windows. It’s actually a really comfy seat and fits a lot of storage. Plus it happened to fit perfectly in that space. The last thing I added is the Bettmann Archive poster that is resting in front of my bookcase. It’s a copy of my grandpa’s original poster, which was once shown at the Louvre in an exhibit on greatest posters. His poster had been awarded amongst the top 10 best posters from the American Institute of Graphic Art in 1964. I actually think a lot of my design inspiration comes from my grandpa; he was an artist and graphic designer and has a really fun, colorful sense of design and decor. Though he lives in Florida so the tropical theme makes more sense in his apartment.
Any advice for creating a home you love? Create a space that makes you smile the moment you walk in the door. Fill it with things you love and don’t be afraid to be bold with your decor!
