Tour a Luxurious Live-Work Space in New York City

A Manhattan couple with modern tastes makes a home office-living room combo work in their glam abode.

By: Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason

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Photo By: Patrick Cline

Photo By: Kalyn Chandler

Photo By: Patrick Cline

Bright Home Office

New York is a busy place. For those who don’t plan ahead, the hustle and bustle can run them right over. Fortunately Kalyn and Todd Chandler are the plan-ahead types. Their solution to the constant hustle between work and home was to combine the two in one amazing home office space. For Kalyn, the founder and creative director of the girl-power lifestyle brand, Effie’s Paper, cutting out the constant commuting means more time spent creating and managing an expanding world of beautiful products.

Supersized Bedroom

Let’s be honest. Haven’t we all dreamed of having a bedroom so big it could fit an entire living room in it? In a city famous for its creative use of small spaces, however, a bedroom this cavernous is likely to remain a dream for most New Yorkers. Kalyn and Todd however are making the most of their reality. Sculptural lighting, warm, textured rugs and a continued commitment to interesting art place this room firmly within the stylish context of the rest of the home. Offering nearly as much space as their living room, the couple’s bedroom is likewise divided into two spaces, the bedroom itself, and a beautiful lounge area complete with sofa, pouf and entertainment center.

Chic Galley Kitchen

This warm-colored kitchen, dominated by wood-on-wood textures follows the same rules of space management that work so well in Kalyn’s office: smooth surfaces, simple colors and a very effective use of storage. Throw in a cool, white countertop and a marble backsplash for good measure, and the perfect kitchen can be as easy as 1-2-3.

Decadent Dining

Away from the office the home continues to expand, stretching into this beautiful dining room. Here, as in the living room, the couple's modern tastes complement the industrial bones of the space for an enticing combination. Black continues to be a strong accent color here, included through a pair of sculptural table lamps and one very statuesque planter. The glass top table and patterned, silver-metallic pendants solidify the modern aesthetic alongside art on both walls.

Making Space Work

Living and working in the same place might seem confining at first thought, but this creative couple has come up with a solution. The answer, it seems, lies in making sure that you have enough room to fit both sides of a full life. This living room is proof of concept, as the rugged industrial space is charmingly decorated with modern pieces. A cool counterpoint to the warm wood and brick interior, an oversized rug clearly defines the living area, allowing the remaining space to be put to other uses. Meanwhile, ultra-modern accessories such as the abstract vases on the credenza and the beautifully patterned shades give even more personality to this space.

Well-Curated Objects

Like most of the design in this home, the art in this New York City home is often understated, contributing to an overall effect more than standing out on its own. This is a home of small statements, where pieces such as the ones found on this shelf serve to evoke a feeling rather than command the eye. Resisting the urge to fill a large space with as many things as possible, Kalyn and Todd have focused on choosing the right pieces to create a home, an office and a feeling that they love.

Let the Sunshine In

By mapping the living room so well, Kalyn gave herself plenty of room to devote to the working side of life. Occupying the entire far wall of the living room, Kalyn’s office is a harmony of clever storage solutions and space-saving furniture. Done all in white to limit the visual impact on the overall space, it nevertheless serves as a cool backdrop for a number of meaningful splashes of color.

Go for Impactful Color

The overall relaxing feel of this home comes from its straightforward use of color. Neutral tones dominate in the space but there are plenty of small pops of color that come through in the accessories. These festive beads, colorful African dolls and small fern balls are grouped together to create an interesting and bright mix.

Books and More

Small, artistically rendered messages are the cornerstone of Effie’s Paper. Kalyn finds ways to offer words of encouragement on everything from notebooks to oversized travel mugs in the products she sells, so it only makes sense that she would reserve a few words for her own space as well. This little bit of black and gold bling adds some style to the bookshelf, combining her first initial with a few words of wisdom to keep her in the right frame of mind.

Everything Close at Hand

Design is about the details, and the details in this space are subtle but profound. While the living room wall is hard brick, it’s softened by the addition of textiles, like a whimsical Roman shade. The interplay of patterns between the brick wall and the patterned shades creates visual interest, an especially winning combination alongside the juxtaposition of warm and cool colors.

Organization Matters

The shelves that make up most of the office space are a brilliant way to keep everything that a business requires neatly compartmented and within arm's reach. But there’s more to this design than convenient storage. Kalyn’s office is not just a masterpiece of efficiency, it’s a study in color theory as well. Colorful bursts dot the landscape of this office, with Kalyn keeping the brightest, most energizing tones of orange and pink closest to her for workplace inspiration.

Juicy Hues Set Against White Backdrop

Being a successful entrepreneur is no small task, but that doesn’t mean that it requires a large space. With just her laptop and the help of the soothing color palette her office provides, Kalyn keeps everything running smoothly. Much like the clean white palette of the office itself, extending the desk from the shelving unit reduces the degree to which the office encroaches into the living room. Stylish turns like the whimsical legs of the desk add some interest to the nearly all-white space while acting as a contrast to the more industrial look of the living room.