There is a motive so many individuals are obsessive about dwelling in New York. The films are sort of proper. Skyline views, unbelievable eating places and bars in your doorstep, quirky design options – these all exist, however so do the cons. You may’t neglect the exorbitant rental costs, the flooring with no elevators and the foul odor of rubbish that rises when it is summer time.
But the 8.4 million individuals who stay there gladly settle for all of this. And plenty of of them have a unreal alternative to embellish their areas. Ella Cajayon (opens in a brand new tab) is one in all them. She lives in a two-bedroom house in Brooklyn together with her one-year-old pug Janet (SO cute). It sounds dreamy, although she jokes that it appears to be like “glamorous till you understand you must climb 5 flights of stairs to get right here.”
As a contract author for Marc Jacobs and several other different shoppers, we weren’t stunned to search out that her home can be very trendy. For starters, she has a curvy inexperienced velvet couch in her front room, and that hardly scratches the floor of her inside type.
(Picture credit score: Ella Cajayon)
The background story
Cajayon has been perfecting this place for nearly a yr however has been dreaming about it for for much longer. “I hadn’t deliberate on shifting, however my pal used to hire this house, and after I came upon she was shifting to LA, I jumped on the probability to maneuver in as rapidly as attainable. as a result of this place is such a gem,” she says.
This pal additionally turned out to be an impeccable know-how by way of adorn the house. “I had a LOT to do,” Cajayon says. “She had a shocking gallery wall in the lounge, a disco ball planter that caught the daylight so effectively, and she or he had such decadent fashionable items all through her home that actually belonged in {a magazine}.”
Now that Cajayon (and Janet) had full management of the design course, she set to work.
(Picture credit score: Ella Cajayon)
Lena Padded Room Divider
Cajayon’s house type
Whereas it is easy to squeeze folks right into a “favourite design type” field, for many individuals it is laborious to restrict your self to only one look. “You recognize, not being *that* individual — however I am undecided how you can outline my inside design type in any singular class,” Cajayon says. “I would not know sufficient to name it ‘mid-century fashionable’ or any buzzword to explain an aesthetic, however as an alternative, I actually really feel my house is an extension of my private type and my evolution as an individual.”
We’ve got to say, it is a way more liberating approach to have a look at your property’s design type. Somewhat than filling her spot with furnishings and decor that adheres to traits or one retailer’s restricted and overly curated selections, she opted for a mixture of gadgets. “It is crammed with second-hand gadgets, items which have lasted me since my very first yr in New York, and impulses from travels and folks in my life.”
For her, it was vital that she had gadgets that had been “lovely, comfy and paying homage to the place I come from with a dose of humor sprinkled in between as a result of I’m somebody who won’t ever take myself 100% significantly. “.
(Picture credit score: Ella Cajayon)
Cajayon’s inspiration and design course of
Cajayon notes that she goals for 2 issues when creating her residence, irrespective of the place she lives or strikes. “The area must be peaceable as a result of it is my very own little cave away from the hustle and bustle of New York,” she says. “But it surely additionally has to appear like me, so no matter it might take to create an area that mainly appears to be like like an enormous hug is strictly what I needed to attain.”
The brand new residence’s traits and aesthetics could appear interesting at first look, however Cajayon has confirmed it is price ignoring them and taking a look at what’s actually you. She at all times turns to Pinterest, Instagram and her buddies for inspiration, however her individuality is on the forefront. “I actually assume the whole lot about my house is rooted in my private type, so it was pure for me to lean in direction of a coloration palette that I like to put on,” she says.
(Picture credit score: Ella Cajayon)
On the selection of look and coloration palette
Cajayon is drawn to neutrals, however that does not imply her whole residence is roofed in nothing however beige, black, and white. She mixes issues up with additional texture (by way of wooden and rattan) and works in a superb vary of accent colours, together with inexperienced, plum, and darkish orange.
Somewhat than simply selecting appears to be like and colours from the same old sources, she turns to somebody extremely vital for inspiration. “My coloration palette is unquestionably impressed by how my mother embellished our home rising up,” she says. “Like her, I cherished deep, dramatic hues contrasted with gentle neutrals and far of my mom’s spirit and magnificence that I attempt to hold with me wherever I am going.”
(Picture credit score: Ella Cajayon)
His favourite piece
That is an unimaginable query for many individuals, however we prefer to ask it anyway. Cajayon laughs, noting “it is virtually like asking who your favourite child is.” For her, the lounge and the eating room occupy the primary place. “Truthfully, I by no means thought in my life that I’d have room for a eating room in an house in New York, however right here I’m,” she says. “This room is so particular to me as a result of it encompasses a gallery wall of pictures that I pulled from espresso desk books that got to me as items, and a few of the footage remind me of occasions and folks in my life. that I cherish so, a lot.”
She additionally arrange a projector for an improved film evening set-up (can we come?). Plus, the view of the Manhattan skyline from her window is tough to beat, being within the room “feels so particular and surreal at occasions.”
Her love for her front room comes from related causes. That is one other particular curation of objects which have particular meanings. “It would at all times be the room with my fondest recollections as a result of it is residence to the whole lot — film nights, dates, events, and out-of-town visits,” she says.
(Picture credit score: Ella Cajayon)
Costa Farms Golden Pothos
The laborious elements
Designing your property is rarely straightforward, even for the professionals. Whether or not it is a inventive block in ornament or an issue with the construction or format of your house, there are at all times annoying obstacles. New York Metropolis flats particularly are likely to have some bizarre quirks, which Cajayon confirms.
“To me, this house is sort of… uneven,” she says. “So nailing the gallery wall collectively and placing different rooms collectively in my home concerned determining how you can make issues symmetrical when the partitions and flooring aren’t symmetrical in any respect.”
The homes on this city additionally are usually, effectively, toddler. “You will discover my rest room is not featured and that is as a result of it is actually the scale of an airplane rest room,” she says. “I can not even discover a bathtub mat to placed on the ground as a result of it is so small! So just like so many elements of metropolis survival, it is about being strategic.”
(Picture credit score: Ella Cajayon)
Slightly recommendation
In the case of adorn your individual house area, Cajayon has some useful ideas. Initially, your decor would not must be completely complementary. “Settle for the shift while you match items,” she notes. “Discover items that may serve a number of functions to benefit from the area. Make the most of the wall area and mirrors – and salute everybody who invented a ladder and order stripes.”
Talking of ladders, one other good tip? Get one. Being 5’0, Cajayon discovered that to be important – ultimately. “I had the delight of avoiding shopping for [one] for seven years up to now, however I’ll say, embarrassment and humility apart, it was a superb purchase.”
(Picture credit score: Ella Cajayon)
What does residence imply to you?
It is laborious to place into phrases what your property means to you. Cajayon made it straightforward together with his definition. “It is a spot that ought to embody who you might be and a secure area you may flip to for consolation and ease,” she says. “I discussed it earlier, however residence is unquestionably a spot to return again to that appears like an enormous hug.
House actually is a spot to return again to that appears like an enormous hug.
Ella Cajayon
We really feel a little bit teary now. House means one thing completely different to everybody. However we expect anybody can settle for the concept of your property serving as a hug each time you stroll by way of the door, particularly when it appears to be like as trendy as this heat and shiny house.
