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Created division of space using furniture like a sofa and squared off the living room with a moroccan rug.

text by  SHANI SILVER photography by  CHRISTINA LILLY

It’s not uncommon for us to develop design crushes. Brands, trends, colors (ahem, pink

kilim rugs

, etc. Today’s design crush is Casey DeBois, an interior designer whose vision and talent couldn’t be more #SOdomino. One of Casey’s most recent projects took place on New York’s Upper East Side, where chic, of-the-moment touches made a spacious, window-laden home feel like a complete style story.

HOW DID THIS PROJECT COME ABOUT?

The client is a recently married couple that lived in the West Village and decided to move to the UES for more space.

DID YOUR CLIENTS HAVE GOALS IN MIND FOR THE SPACE OR DID THEY LEAVE EVERYTHING TO YOU?

The clients wanted to create a space that was warm and inviting and reflected both their personalities.

HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT PLANNING A PROJECT LIKE THIS?

I met the clients initially in their prior apartment, this helps me better get a sense of some of their needs. It’s easy to make a space look beautiful, but I want to uncover the details to make it a very functional space. We can address how they use the space and what’s working and not working to plan for a better solution in their new home.

We’ll also go through existing furniture and see what items are coming to the new space. That helps for future planning with the floor plans, in which I will draw to scale the items in the way I envision them.

We always start with a scaled and detailed floor plan, a budget and an inventory list of the rooms and items to be sourced. Sometimes there are edits based on feedback. But overall it simplifies the process, inspires direction and makes it the whole process less overwhelming for clients.

WHAT AESTHETIC DID YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH THIS SPACE?

It’s 1,185 square feet with an expansive living area and not much division of space so I focused on creating sectioned spaces within the apartment while maintaining the airy feel.

Gallery wall

featuring new Zoe Bios, Donald Robertson, and

gray malin prints

and existing art the couple owned.

GALLERY WALL   zoebioscreative.squarespace.com  @zoebioscreative

WHAT PRESENTED THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

The apartment has an expansive curved wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that I needed to design around. I wanted to be conscious of the views but also functional with the small amount of wall space.

WHERE DID YOU SPLURGE HERE?

The gold mirrored console in the dining room – it is a rare find and most definitely a conversation piece. You should invest in pieces that are worth it – vintage or one-of-a-kind items that will come with you to your future home.

PRINTS  shoptheaestate.com @theaestate

Dining room features a white lacquer table and wishbone chairs with vintage and modern elements.

WHERE DID YOU SAVE?

When it comes to furnishing a New York City apartment, it’s a good idea to be especially conscious of what you buy. Get the basics, but aim to choose items that are multi-use and very purposeful.

Sometimes with bedroom storage units like dressers or media units I suggest not spending a lot, depending on the space. It’s hard to plan for exactly what’s next as each client and space are different.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEMORY OF THIS PROJECT?

I really love the proportion and scale in this space – everything is uniform and balanced without feeling generic. By mixing new and vintage pieces with the couple’s existing furniture, we were able to create a warm and inviting space with a nice, personal touch.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR READERS HOPING TO ACHIEVE THE SAME LOOK IN THEIR OWN HOMES?

Never have too much of one material, whether it’s velvet, marble, glass, lacquer, brass, leather, reclaimed wood, linen, wicker, wool, lucite – have it all. It’s all about balance.

SEE MORE FROM CASEY DEBOIS
www.deboisdesign.com
@caseydebois