Figuring out how to make your tiny New York City apartment pop can be a serious challenge. That’s why sometimes it makes sense to call in a professional. When we were redesigning the MakeSpace office, we hit up our friends at Homepolish, and they sent over the wonderful Mary Davis to transform our space. Check out pictures of our beautiful new space and an interview with the designer after the jump!
How long have you been with Homepolish? What made you want to be a part of their awesome design team?
I’ve been with Homepolish since April of 2014. Previous to that, I ran my own company and was drowning in marketing, business development, accounting, and contracts in addition to actually completing the design work. I had been searching for a business partner to split the administrative and business development work with and Homepolish was a perfect fit.
Did you always know you wanted to be an interior designer?
No, because I didn’t know it was an actual job you could earn a living with. I worked for 10 years in nonprofit management before going to Parsons to study interior design.
What’s the first thing you do when you get to a new space?
I ask a ton of questions! What is working and what isn’t in this space? What do you need in here that isn’t or can’t happen now?
Do you have a favorite project that you’ve worked on?
Yes, an apartment in Chelsea. It was an alcove studio apartment where I designed custom stairs and added fresh colors, moldings, and new light fixtures to transform it from ho-hum to WOW. I also staged the space for the rental market. It rented in three days after having previously sat on the market for a month. My client was ecstatic and I loved seeing the financial effect and power of great design.
Where do you find design inspiration?
My clients and their personalities! Sometimes it’s their laugh, or their swagger as we walk through a consultation, but the connection with the client is always important and helps me create their space.
What’s the biggest challenge when designing for a tiny New York City office?
Creating multiple uses within a space, while keeping it simple and open. It sometimes takes several small adjustments in the furniture plan or color scheme, but it always works out!
Do you have any tips for how to make a small space feel bigger?
Declutter, then declutter another round. Use your walls for storage as high up as you can.
As for our space, here’s how it looked before Homepolish came to the rescue:
And here’s how beautiful our office looks today thanks to Homepolish’s magic:
If your home and/or office could use a refresh, hit up the highly-talented designers at Homepolish and watch your space go from drab to dream.
