Dwellings Issue XIV: Jackson Heights
This installment of our Dwellings series takes us to the historic district of Jackson Heights, Queens.
James, a theatre composer/lyricist and restaurant server, bought his Jackson Heights apartment last autumn (fun fact: he closed on it exactly one year prior to the day of our visit!). He discovered Furnish Green two years ago when he found himself in need of a sofa. A year later his acquisition of this lovely apartment created furniture needs anew. As a self-professed interior design noob, James found himself turning to the interwebs for ideas and inspiration. He was drawn to one style in particular; a co-worker informed him that this style was, in fact, Mid Century Modern. While blissfully mired in the world of online shopping James started to realize that a lot of the products he was drawn to were from the Furnish Green site… And our relationship was ignited.
Although James claims to have been completely unaware of the Mid-Century-Modern style craze and to not have had any prior knowledge of interior design, he has quite artfully curated his Queens abode.
The apartment can be found tucked within a late 1930s building in the historic district. The fairly open apartment scheme is invitingly lit by a blend of natural and electric light. Upon first entering the space, we were immediately struck by the playful yet thoughtful use of color. The eye travels from floor to ceiling, captivated by the rich hues displayed in everything from his assortment of area rugs and artwork to his choice of wall color and decorative accents.
The mix of colors is complemented by the mix of styles represented, and it seems fitting that James describes the design of the space as something resembling “Mid-Century Whimsical.” There’s a notable current of Mid-Century-Modern, but clearly something a bit more personal is going on here. What we have here is a mingling of styles intuitively arranged in a presentation that is so clash-free that the aesthetic borders on subtle. The overall effect on visitors is to feel intrigued by the individual pieces, while feeling welcomed by their arrangement.
The selection of pieces and styles in his home includes everything from Mid Century lighting and Art Deco side tables to Turn-of-the-Century bookcases, Victorian Eastlake dressers and French Nouveau cabinets. And then, of course, there’s the perfectly kitsch baby table lamp (a Furnish Green fave)!
One noteworthy element of the decor’s whimsicality is an engaging motif of animals. Said motif welcomes you at the door (hello little metal puppy!) and charms you all the way through. In James’ home, our furry (and not so furry) friends come in all shapes and sizes and take all forms including small accent decor, a sheepskin area rug, a prancing gazelle table lamp, fantastical fox artwork, and an 18-inch tall paper mache penguin. Like all of the decor, these animal elements are casually blended into the milieu.
This Queens apartment is quirky and playful while still managing to feel clean and modern. We love how James has assembled lovely pieces comprising a myriad of classic styles while unifying these styles via his whimsical and welcoming personal inflection. James continues to keep an eye on the FG site for that gotta-have special item that comes about every now and again, and as you can see from the photos he’s got a knack for scoping them out. That baby table lamp was a true one-of-a-kind!
We love having the chance to head out to a new neighborhood and to discover the homes of our customers!
We hope you enjoyed this installment of our Dwellings series! Stay tuned for future posts, and email us at furnishgreen@gmail.com for a chance to have your space featured!
