An East Village Home For A Talented Couple

Airports aren’t known as the most promising sites for real estate deals, but for Amy Chaplin and Jacqui Kravetz, that was where they first discovered the apartment that would become their East Village, NYC home. Amy, a chef, writer and recipe developer and Jacqui, a writer who also works in development and fundraising, were on their way to JFK Airport to visit Amy’s sister in Brazil when they ran into an old friend who was selling her apartment. After returning from their trip, Amy and Jacqui visited the apartment, fell in love with its bright, open spaces and made an offer. They’ve since spent the last 13 years slowly renovating their 1,500-square-foot apartment that they share with their dogs, Percy and Jules.

The 1920s tenement building that houses Amy and Jacqui’s apartment has great bones, so the work they’ve done to their home has been slow and deliberate. Aside from kitchen and bathroom upgrades, the majority of the work Amy and Jacqui ended up doing revolved around refinishing their almost 100-year-old floors and updating to a more modern (and energy-efficient) heating and cooling system. “We wanted to create an airy, light and clean space that was comfortable and great for gatherings,” Amy says. Their upgrades, combined with the abundant natural light from having windows on all four sides of the apartment, have created a light-filled and airy home that is perfect for life and work (Amy developed, tested and shot her entire cookbook in the kitchen and dining room).

Jacqui and Amy love that they’ve created a space that works for their life and for their friends and family to visit often — especially in the spring when the trees on their block bloom with an “explosion of blossoms,” Amy says. I can see why anyone would want to spend time in this beautiful home — it’s clear that 13 years of thoughtful design and decorating decisions have led to a space that feels welcoming and calm. Thanks so much to Amy, Jacqui, Percy and Jules for welcoming us into their home. You can check out one of Amy’s delicious vegan recipes here and her new book here, too. xo, grace

Photography by Stephen Kent Johnson

SOURCE LIST

Jacqui’s office
-Paint color is White Dove from Benjamin Moore
-Table is from New Mexico

Master bedroom
-Paint color is Skimming Stone by Farrow and Ball
-Linen sheets mostly from Mateo
-John Robshaw quilt

Guest bathroom
-Paint color is White Dove by Benjamin Moore
-Waterworks tiles, sink, toilet and fixtures

Amy’s office/guest room
-Skimming Stone paint on the walls from Farrow and Ball

Kitchen
-Henrybuilt cabinets
-Wolf cooktop and oven
-This room and living/dining are all Strong White by Farrow and Ball
-The farmhouse sink and faucet are Waterworks
-The rug is from an antique shop in New Bedford
-Barstools and dining chairs are from Design Within Reach
-Dining table from ABC Carpet and Home
-Pendant milk glass lights from John Derian
-Vintage dog bowl is from Nicky Kehoe
-Collection of handmade wooden spoons from Steven Alan and honey from our friends’ bees in Nantucket

Kitchen Cabinet
-Astier De Vallatte bowls from John Derian
-Large and small mugs from ABC Carpet and Home
-One remaining Japanese tea cup from Takashimya
-Plain white tea cups from Pearl River
-Pink wood bowl from Warm

Living room
-Chairs are handmade by a Belgian company, purchased at John Derian along with the rugs, which are vintage hemp from Turkey
-Lamps are from West Elm
-Pillow on left from Hable Construction
-Grain sack pillows are from The Red Chair in Hudson
-Etching by Amy Cutler
-Candles from various secondhand stores
-Pouf was a gift from Amy’s sister after a trip to Morocco
-The throw is made from a vintage sari

Dining room
-Chandelier from ABC Carpet and Home

from Design*Sponge http://www.designsponge.com/2015/11/an-east-village-home-for-a-talented-couple.html
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