Neutrals and natural light. Effortless elegance. Quirky touches. These are a few ways actress Brittany Snow and her fiancé, pro surfer Tyler Stanaland, described their ideal New York apartment. “We wanted our place to really capture our style which is all about open, bright, airy spaces—and about feeling comfortable and at home,” Brittany said.
The couple landed on a cozy, small-space rental in the heart of the Meatpacking District complete with an open floor plan, beautiful architectural details and tall windows and ceilings. Emphasis on the tall.
Along with the windows and ceilings, there’s a tall bookcase that anchors the dining area, flows into the kitchen and is styled out with objects and personal mementos like their favorite books and records, Brittany’s drawings and a cocktail napkin from their first date. The space also includes a combo loft/bedroom/office space above the kitchen.
When asked if they were surprised by anything throughout the decorating process with us, Brittany chimed in about her hesitation to put a large sectional sofa in a small room. “I was thinking that having a huge sofa in a small space would make the space seem smaller, but somehow, it actually makes it seem bigger,” Brittany said.
It’s a common misconception that small space living rooms don’t support large furnishings. But one big sectional can serve as the anchor by defining space, maximizing seating and making a small room feel more generous. “This sofa is our favorite thing in the apartment,” Tyler said. (And the perfect spot for their running backgammon battle!)
Although the apartment is temporary while Brittany is filming her latest project, this is the first time the LA-based couple chose a home together and said the only challenge they faced during the design process was hanging pictures. “Even though we're from different backgrounds, like Britt said, we gravitate toward the same things stylistically. So for us, there wasn’t as much conflict; it was a pretty seamless process,” Tyler said. “The most complicated thing was hanging pictures, because of the difference in our heights.”
But they got it done. Brittany and Tyler hung a triptych over the sofa created from iPhone photos of their little dog, Billie. Using large-scale art, it’s another way the couple made the space feel more like home. (Pssst. Billie’s on Instagram.)
The trick to small-space city living isn’t just about being judicious with what you choose both visually and functionally. It’s about finding warmth through textures, soothing color palettes and unique-to-you objects. “I’ve always really liked having an elegant style that’s timeless and effortless, even minimalist in a way,” Brittany said. “But also having quirky touches that make the space ours.”
Photo Credit: Scott Clark Photography