Friday, July 9, 2010

Kelly Bensimon's NYC Living

Before you watch these videos, and if you haven't seen Real Housewives of NYC, I just want to make you aware that Kelly can be a bit spacey and go off on random tangents (her love of yoga or her dog). I do watch the show sometimes as purely entertainment, but I also like checking out their NYC homes for the style. I've always loved getting glimpses of Kelly's apartment on the show because she has a fun, colorful home. She loves white, but adds pops of color. Her home has a variety of eclectic pieces and even has a horse in the middle of her living space. She loves horses, but it's still surprising to see a huge horse in the middle of her apartment!



Below are some clips of her home on You Tube:
Make Over Clip #1:

  • I love the high gloss black paint she did on her kitchen floor. I love the contrast with the white cabinets. 
  • What do you think of her bubble gum pink couches?! 
  • I love the idea of painting her bedroom floor a shiny chocolate brown and the idea of making use of the pillars in her room by hanging a mirror and hooks. I love the hooks idea- great use of space!
Make Over Clip #2: she discusses fashion in the first segment, but then moves onto her home (an example of her tangents). 

  • How she wants to trade the pink couch cushions for the purple velvet. I love pink, but I'd rather see them in throw pillows then everyday cushions. Now we see that the pink was a slipcover from the first clip. I'm loving the purple velvet though. Very luxe and elegant. 
  • Her idea of buying a bookshelf at Ikea (nothing too expensive) and painting it for a pop of color (think bright orange or red).
  • Her accessories, such as the big ceramic flowers on her table, and the luxe silver candlesticks. 
  • The big dining room table. The parsons table is a great sturdy table. She pairs the table with a variety of chairs. 
  • The mix of artwork in her home and how she has some on the wall and some leaned against the windows in the dining room and the walls in her bedroom.
  • The red heart table in her bedroom adds a pop of color against the white walls and black chairs. It's such an unexpected piece.
I love her statement of thinking "outside the box." If you live in an apartment and can't paint your walls her living space gives you a perfect example of how you can add color in your home. I love how she reminds us that you can add color in fabrics, furniture, and the wall color. And, you can paint or spray paint anything! If you buy an Ikea bookshelf or desk in white you can always paint it to make it a custom piece of furniture.

I think her clips also remind us that renovating, adding accessories, or changing your decorating style takes time and will be a slow progress.

Make Over Clip #3: The Final Product

  • I love her new velvet couch. Much better than the bubble gum pink! The shade looks great in her apartment. I love that she is using a slipcover instead of buying a new couch. A great way to save money!
  • She also mentioned she bought her couch at a Restoration Hardware Outlet Store for $500 and lamps for $100 at Williams Sonoma. I love that she shops at outlet stores!!
  • I also have to mention that I love her zebra rug. In her previous clips she had a black & white zebra rug, and I like that this one is less prominent in color. 
  • Her black floors are gorgeous and I love that she has something different besides hardwood.
  • She also didn't end up painting her bedroom floors the chocolate brown she had mentioned, and instead painted the white with a high-gloss (as she had in her kitchen). The white floors with the white walls and bedding makes the room look spacious. 
  • I also did not see the black chairs and red table. I noticed she moved the white chaise that was downstairs up to her bedroom. I have to admit I did not love the huge colorful pillows on her bed. Something more subtle may have looked better.
Overall, I love her style and her mix of accessories and art in her home. I love that she shops at outlet stores and buys things (or objects, as she says) that are "interesting" to her and displays it in her home. She has brought me inspiration, and I hope you find some as well!


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