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Oct 25, 2019

Introducing Our New Series: ASTORIA INTERIORS

We stroll by Astoria’s countless buildings every day— but have you ever wondered what’s behind the walls? In our new series, Astoria Interiors, we’ll take you behind the scenes in (…)

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We stroll by Astoria’s countless buildings every day— but have you ever wondered what’s behind the walls? In our new series, Astoria Interiors, we’ll take you behind the scenes in Astoria homes, showcasing design at the most local of levels. 

If you’d like to submit your home, please send a selection of six well-lit photos (matching the below quality, including captions) and a series of responses to these questions. Send your submission to dore.anna@gmail.com with “Astoria Interiors” in the subject line. Submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis.

As our inaugural post, we’re featuring our own social media editor Anna Doré’s apartment! Enjoy!

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Name: Anna Doré

Location: Broadway 

Years lived in: 2 years here, 2 years across the hall!

Size: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath

Tell us a bit about you and your Astoria apartment: 

I’m Anna, WeHeart’s social editor! When I’m not snapping photos around the neighborhood, I’m spinning stories as head of PR for a shoe co. called Rothy’s. I live off the Broadway stop in a staple Astoria 6-floor, pre-war building. I first moved into a 1-bedroom with my now husband (and longtime roommate!) Isaac, and we eventually upgraded to the 2-bedroom across the hall. It’s safe to say we’ve made friends with the neighbors by now.

Describe your design aesthetic in 5 words or less:

Colorful, mixed modern, playful and cozy

We’ve settled into our apartment and haven’t been afraid to make changes. We’ve painted walls, added wallpaper, even swapped the infamous “boob” lights that plague Astoria apartments.

What’s your favorite room and why?

Our living room is where we spend nights and weekends, sprawled out on the L-shaped couch that we picked up at Home Style Furniture on Broadway. This room feels most like home to me, which is reflected in the maps that hang above the couch- representing the places we’ve traveled and lived. The first piece was a framed map of Queens, which has since expanded to an entire gallery wall. 

While our apartment gets plenty of natural light, we’ve invested in refined overhead lighting and lamps that help cozy up our rooms.

Most prized piece?

Our teak dining table is mid-century modern, first bought by Isaac’s grandparents in the 1960’s. It extends to fit 14+ people (!) and has seated plenty a dinner party. We’re hoping to restore it in the next few years so we can host many more. 

Our bar cart was a Craigslist find from years ago (dare I say before bar carts were cool?) and houses drinkware, booze and cocktail books.

What part of your home are you most proud of?

I love thrifting in and around Queens and am proud of how many pieces in our home are second-hand. In addition to our bar cart, I nabbed my vanity (a Parsons table) and desk chair for next to nothing! Of course, not everything can come used. This rug from Lockwood has become a snug staple in our bedroom.

We inherited a large painting (reflected in the mirror) from Isaac’s great aunt who was an artist and dancer, playing up the pops of color and bold wallpaper in our bedroom.

Favorite local element?

You can find little nods to Astoria and Queens all over our apartment, sprinkled in with other pieces that show color and personality. Our guest room doubles as Isaac’s office, and his love for Astoria ranks right next to his affinity for baseball and politics on the open shelving above his desk. 

Top-shelf print from Inside Astoria, plaque from Lockwood Shop, plant from Quinn’s Florist.

Best apartment advice? 

We all know apartments are tight and rent ain’t cheap – make good use of the space you have by getting creative with storage. It leaves more room for food (and drinks) on the table.

I never thought I’d nerd out on cabinet space, but together our kitchen island, vertical pot racks and open shelves leave us room to store plenty of snacks!

And there you have it! What a gorgeous way to kick off this series – I especially love all of the local elements, like thrifted furniture and plant decor.

Do you have an apartment that you think would make a great showcase on our site? If so, email claireleaden@gmail.com with “Astoria Interiors” in the subject line. You can copy and paste the questions easily from this Google Doc, and don’t forget photos! We can’t wait to see all of your beautiful spaces.

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