Arts and Culture, Astoria, Community, Living
Mar 13, 2020

Astoria Interiors: Mid-Mod and Boho on 41st St.

BY ANNA DORÉ Welcome back to another edition of Astoria Interiors, a series where we go inside neighborhood homes to showcase design on the most local level. Today we head (…)

Share this Scoop

total shares!

BY ANNA DORÉ

Welcome back to another edition of Astoria Interiors, a series where we go inside neighborhood homes to showcase design on the most local level. Today we head inside a boho 2BR on 30th Ave, where an interior designer has enriched her eclectic Astoria apartment over the last decade. Warning: you may experience symptoms of extreme jealousy after peeping Samantha’s spacious living room, dining room, and converted walk-in closet! 

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

++++

Name: Samantha Bond

Social handle: @theblueroom_designsdiy

Location: 30th Avenue and 41st street

Years lived in: 9 (rented)

Size (# of bedrooms, bathrooms): 2 bedroom, 1 bath with large living and dining room, and full kitchen

Tell us a bit about you and your Astoria apartment: I moved from Los Angeles to NY right into Astoria and this apartment 9 years ago with my best friend from college. I fell in love with the neighborhood and the apartment immediately. 

Four years ago, I was finally able to afford to live here alone and totally redecorated, discovering a passion and flair for interior design in the process. The apartment was technically a 3 bedroom but when I took over, I turned the smallest bedroom into a walk-in closet and office, and made a guest room out of the 2nd bedroom. I welcome friends and family all the time and love hosting dinner parties in the large dining room!

Describe your design aesthetic in 5 words or less: Eclectic, boho, mid-mod, cozy

One of the best things about our 100 yr old building are the huge windows and moldings everywhere. I love how much light the living room gets, and decided to keep everything neutral except the sofa – it’s a Joybird in “key largo teal.”

What’s your favorite room and why? 

My living room is definitely where I spend the most time. It used to be a bedroom when I first moved in (hence French doors), and the dining room in the center was the living; but this room gets so much more light I had to turn it into the living room! I anchored it in neutrals but found this gorgeous vibrant couch from Joybird (in “key largo teal”) that gives the room an overall calming but fun vibe. I recently added another pop of color with a pink color blocked door to the guest room.

Most prized piece?

I’d have to say the personal “found” items throughout. I found a lot of treasures in my Papaw’s garage back in Ohio and brought them in: An old green rotary phone as wall décor, a typewriter table from the 50’s as a side table, an actual old typewriter that belonged to his dad.   

My favorite pieces are “found” items like the green rotary phone on the wall, found in my Grandpa’s garage in Ohio that he cleaned up and mailed to me.

Favorite local element? I’m SO SAD the Big Reuse in LIC closed because I found the most amazing old classroom chairs there for $5 each (!!) and was able to DIY them with paint to use as dining room chairs. They had so much other great stuff but there’s still one in Brooklyn.

The dining room is a rare treat to have in a NY apartment, and replacing the lighting throughout the apartment (like this statement chandelier from All Modern) really changes the feel of the rooms.

There were originally 3 bedrooms in the apartment and I’ve got the biggest one for myself. I love how much light it gets and the view of the backyards of all the apartment buildings is like living in the movie “Rear Window” (without the murder part hopefully haha).

I color blocked the guest room door that’s off the living room for another fun pop of color recently and have to say, I am pretty obsessed with it.

What part of your home are you most proud of? All the DIYs! When I converted the bedroom into the walk-in closet I used water pipes that I spray painted gold to make hanging racks and built in an Ikea hacked desk as a vanity. The walls have a “wall paper” look that’s just navy blue paint and then overlaid a stencil in a clear gloss poly. It’s so glamorous and was my first big DIY!  

I converted a smaller bedroom into a walk-in closet / office and it’s my proudest DIY.

I used water pipes (spray painted gold) for hanging rods and painted a stencil pattern over the navy blue walls using a clear coat gloss to give a luxurious wallpaper look.

Best apartment advice? Trust your gut and how you want your spaces to feel and function. Don’t get stuck on design trends necessarily and start simple at first (a few, key items), and then add as you go and when it feels right to add. I usually start with very neutral décor to begin with, and then add color and texture with pillows, rugs, art, plants and personal décor items. 

2 Comments

JC

I really enjoy this series and I can’t believe how well that faux wallpaper idea worked out. Bravo Samantha.

Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.