New Yorkers are the masters of living large in a small space. Now, it’s easier than ever to shop for your favorite pint-sized designer looks.
The popular home décor site Apartment Therapy is bringing space-saving ideas, haute design and cute design to a new pop-up at 515 Broadway, between Broome and Spring streets.
Opened last Friday and running through May 15, the immersive event is a show house comprised of 12 rooms, each created by a different designer — think the brightly hued geometrics of Memphis Deco to the softer palette of pastoral charm.
Forty different retailers are also participating — including the Novogratz, Serena &
Lily and Joybird — with QR codes outside each trend space for the items you wish to purchase.
It’s the brand’s first IRL home design event as part of its Small/Cool spaces franchise, which has been going strong since it first launched as a contest in 2005.
“I think the heart of Small/Cool resonates now more than ever,” says Laura Schocker, Apartment Therapy’s editor-in-chief. “This event isn’t just about beautiful designs (though there are plenty!). It’s also about problem-solving, finding solutions, and creating a space that feels uniquely your own. Our hope is that every single visitor will leave with an idea they can bring into their own homes.”
Among the many A-list designers participating in Small/Cool this year is Alvin Wayne, a NYC based interior designer who has appeared on “Open House NYC” and HGTV with nearly 2 million subscribers on his own YouTube channel.
For this event, he created an urban outdoor oasis with the furniture brand Ashley.
“I designed my space for the city dweller, and the thought process was this is an NYC patio or brownstone deck, space is finite but style is limitless,” he said.
Wayne brought together a variety of textures, wood finishes and a pop of color on the pillows — all perfectly outlined by lush greenery to complete the space.
“I live and work in New York as an interior designer and the challenge of creating a fabulous space in 120 square feet is something I have to work with every day in this city. This shows how creative we get to be, sometimes making a space our own or creating a space for someone else to call home.”
Living more sustainably is another component of living small and especially important given the rise in the cost of living.
Each of the rooms at the pop-up are separated by walls made of recycled wood and Apartment Therapy has agreed to donate all the items on display to Habitat for Humanity following the event.
If you can’t see everything in person, you can tour the spaces online and shop from your phone using a custom 3D capture.
Visitors can expect a few surprises throughout the tour and some fun pop-up activities like a bouquet bar on Mother’s Day and a special guest poet to customize a free “Small/Cool haiku” for attendees inspired by their favorite home design trend. There are also games and a music-fueled street party outside the venue on Broadway in partnership with Toyota Corolla Cross.
“I think a lot of people are considering how they can do more with less,” said Schocker. “Small spaces, of course, also have the benefit of being more sustainable, requiring less energy.”
