This Former “Basic White Box” Now Has Moody, English Countryside Vibes

Gallery wall above couch, floor to ceiling color coded bookshelf, floral arm chair, round white table, vintage chairs and side tables
floor to ceiling color coded book shelf wall, floral chair with skirt
floor to ceiling color coded book shelf wall, floral chair with skirt
Color coded floor to ceiling bookshelf
floor to ceiling color coded book shelf wall, floral chair with skirt
Close up on white standing lamp base with iron flowers, floral pattern couch with ruffle skirt
Vintage white and pink vase with large pink floral arrangement in center of table in front of color coded book shelf, round white table with vintage wood chairs
Gallery wall, green walls, floor to ceiling curtains, beige couch and rug, vintage wood chair
Gallery wall above gray couch with wood vintage end tables and vintage gold oval mirror
Gallery wall, white lamp base with pleated red shade on vintage wood table
Gallery wall above gray couch with wood vintage end tables and vintage gold oval mirror
Green wall entry way with peninsula counter half wall separating entry, vintage wood bench with floral upholstery
White cabinets in kitchen with green backsplash and black counter tops
Hallway with multiple door ways and vintage sun lighting fixture
Fabric peak headboard with matching pillows, floor to ceiling curtains, green base lamps with pleated shades on matching white nightstands
Green lamp base with pleated lamp shade, fabric headboard with matching pillow
Animal print arm chair, gold vintage floor lamp, pink roses, small green round ottoman, floor to ceiling beige curtains
Gallery wall corner above fold down desk, vintage robins egg blue dresser with matching scallop edge lamp shades
Robins egg blue vintage dresser, white vintage curved detail chair with patterned cushions, scalloped burlap lamp shade
Corner gallery wall, fold down white secretary desk, purple floral arrangement, black lamp shade on round gold base
Corner gallery wall, fold down white secretary desk, purple floral arrangement, black lamp shade on round gold base
Hallway, wood floors, view of living room floor to ceiling book shelves
City scape watercolor wallpaper, yellow flowers, black countertops
City scape watercolor wallpaper, yellow flowers, black countertops

ABOUT THIS TOUR

HOME TYPE: Apartment

LOCATION: Upper East Side, Manhattan, New York

STYLE: Maximalist, Traditional, Vintage

BEDROOMS: 1

SQUARE FEET: 700

Photographer Jacqueline Clair has an eye for capturing great design — but she’s also got design skills, as evidenced by this 700-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment on New York’s Upper East Side she rented for two years. Though she recently moved from this place, it has too many brilliant ideas not to share.

“I think the biggest challenge was taking what was your basic white box and turning it into a space that had charm and character,” Jacqueline writes. “I was very inspired by English designers like Louise Roe and Carlos Garcia and wanted to create a kind of lived-in, slightly moody, English countryside vibe with chintz, brown furniture, and vintage pieces.”

Jacqueline achieved impressive English countryside vibes by adding key pieces to her furniture collection, like an étagère and circa-1940s English reproduction side table she found at a thrift store on Long Island, a gilt mirror from an antique store in the Hamptons, a beautifully detailed tole lamp, and lots of on-theme vintage items she’s collected over the years.

However, mixing many floral motifs and patterns also helped the English countryside vibes. Jacqueline worked with interior designer Jennifer Hunter to help, and she sourced floral patterns and fabrics.

“With Jen’s help, I had two little benches that my mom found years ago at yard sales reupholstered, and we were able to give them new life. Another great vintage find was the dining chairs — an absolute steal at Housing Works for only $5 each, and 50% off that! Their swirled arms are reminiscent of the chairs in the Rose Reading Room at the New York Public Library. Those were restored and reupholstered in a gorgeous brown Veere Grenney for Schumacher fabric that I absolutely love …

“I also incorporated my grandma’s old brown wood bookshelf and a vintage dresser my mom found years ago — these pieces have traveled with me from apartment to apartment over the years,” Jacqueline explains. “When you have those classic, timeless pieces, you just take them from place to place, and they always work.”

Resources

Gallery wall above gray couch with wood vintage end tables and vintage gold oval mirror

PAINT & COLORS

  • Bedroom — Farrow and Ball “Pink Ground”

  • Living Room/kitchen — Farrow and Ball “Lichen”

Hallway with multiple door ways and vintage sun lighting fixture

ENTRY

Gallery wall above couch, floor to ceiling color coded bookshelf, floral arm chair, round white table, vintage chairs and side tables

LIVING ROOM

White cabinets in kitchen with green backsplash and black counter tops

KITCHEN

Fabric peak headboard with matching pillows, floor to ceiling curtains, green base lamps with pleated shades on matching white nightstands

BEDROOM

  • Dresser — Vintage

  • Dresser Lamps — Serena and Lily with scallop rattan shades from Cruel Mountain

  • Large scale art above dresser — Caitlin McGauley original

  • Small painting on dresser — Alexis Walter original

  • Small painting gold stand — Jayson Home

  • Pillar candlesticks — Ben Pentreath

  • Pink taper candles — Candle Flair

  • Obelisk — Parvum Opus

  • Desk — Pottery Barn

  • Desk chair — Vintage reupholstered with Schumacher fabric

  • Swivel chair — Society Social Stevie upholstered in Brunschwig & Fils Les Touches in Sand

  • Pillow on swivel chair — Custom through Etsy in Colefax and Fowler Bowood

  • Headboard — Serena and Lily Pondicherry headboard reupholstered in Colefax and Fowler Bowood

  • Curtains — Colefax and Fowler Bowood made through Shade Store

  • Large scale blue art — Christina Baker

  • Stool — Society Social

  • Pharmacy lamp — Lamps Plus

  • Gold lamp on desk — Nate Berkus (no longer available)

  • Art above desk — Inslee Fariss, Caitlin McGauley, Kayce Hughes, Christina Baker, my own via my Etsy shop

  • Duvet cover and shams — Sarah K Designs London

  • Sheets — Hill House Home

  • Nightstands — Pottery Barn

  • Bedside lamps — Ballard Designs with shades from KRB

  • Quilt — Nine and Sixteen Home

Hallway, wood floors, view of living room floor to ceiling book shelves

VESTIBULE

City scape watercolor wallpaper, yellow flowers, black countertops

BATHROOM

Thanks Jacqueline!

This tour’s responses and photos were edited for length/size and clarity.

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