Lord knows that New York is filled with cocky interior designers. But after reading this article with Jennifer Post on New York Social Diary, I think we found a new winner.
The woman has got talent, thats for sure. But she constantly refers to her work as “The Bentley” of design – ugh… that makes me want to throw up. Plus she insists that she never uses trim or even baseboards and that she only uses one paint color… Just take a look around her apartment (She lives at the Apthorp) because I spy a lot of trim.
Actually the trim is one of the things I DO like. I like the walls, the floor and the art, but I dont like the furniture choices at all.
She believes in hyper minimilism, claims that she is so busy and intellectual that she has never been to Bloomingdales and that “she is doing Africa this year.”
(I once took a trip to Florence and came home and told my future husband (that I just met) that I “Went running on the Arno” he laughed in my face and Im still embarrassed that I said that. VOMIT. That’s what “I’m doing Africa sounds like to me.” A 21 year old girl trying to impress a guy.)
I must say, her art collection is killer and I LOVED what she did at Kips Bay this year.
Go read her interview its a doozy, HERE.
Thoughts?
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Post recession people profiled in homes this unrealistic just look stupid. Where’s the hoodie she wore to go to the grocery store in at 11:00pm for ice cream? Doesn’t she own one DVD? I’m not suggesting we all decorate like the Beverly Hillbillies but I know of churches that feel more inviting. All dressed in black in your stark house? That says all I need to know.
She only has 4 sweaters… ha! And I didnt see a TV, so who knows.
I must defend the all black. I pretty much only wear black.
god you’re right, how utterly insufferable. apparently she also believes most art belongs on the floor leaning against the wall, rather than hanging at eye level where one can properly appreciate it. i’m all for diversity in art placement, and large enough pieces propped on the floor, but what, 11×14? the dining room in particular looks like someone just moved in and is not done yet. i think these rooms are bland and look like catalog studio sets.
wow, um it’s possible that the writer (of the article) was actually responsible for the tone of the article. It’s all in the questions and the edit.
If you want HER look Jennifer Post is obviously the one to hire. But I don’t want to be invited to your home….I would go stark raving mad with all the white, no trim, minimalism and the obvious name dropping you would have to do. Home is where your JUNK is.
I just looked at her site again- I remember looking at it when I saw her work at Kips.
I think her work is good- if you like that look. And the photos of her house on her website look much better than the ones here.
http://www.jenniferpostdesign.com/index.html
I think the space is boring and cold. Where is the personality?
Also? When your giant black tv is the most eye catching item in your space, it doesn’t exactly scream ‘designer’ to me.
I don’t know. Aside from good walls and curtains- what did she do, really? The furniture is bad, really bad. It does not belong there. So she painted it all white- where is the interior design in that?
I’m sure she she has plenty of alone time. Can you imagine her having girl friends?
Her place is her place. She undoubtedly likes living there and I think it looks very personalized. I like her approach to design; not too offended by her pretentiousness. I live with room-to-room BM Super White and love the feel of it. I could live with that coffee table and the Miro and feel even more love.
She just seems so lonely to me.
Are you really all that intellectual if you have to tell people that you’re intellectual?
BTW- she probably has that trim in her apartment because she lives in the Apthorp and I dont know if she is renting or not but its an old famous building and I dont think she would be allowed to take it down. Unless she owns it, but I dont know.
Also- this was my favorite part:
I’d rather be in an art gallery or reading a book. I’m very curious. I’m very intellectual. I’m doing Africa this year. I just got back from a bike trip in South Africa. I’m doing Senegal and Mali in February and then doing the pyramids and the Nile.
And I also loved the lines about “D&D Gays”! Classic. She said Bentely 11 times btw.
Ugh! Hate pretentiousness. Her hair looks like hat head in the picture and the dining room furniture looks like she made a trip to Ikea! I appreciate minimalism when done well. And I might have liked her home better if she showed an ounce of humility! Go “do” yourself for goodness sakes, and let the poor people of Africa be.
Did she just move in and hasn’t come to grips with putting a nail in the wall? Also, I realize it’s molding, but it’s that called trim too? For “no trim” she sure has an ass load…
Off to read the article….aspects of the design are rather soothing although painting the herringbone parquet white seems very wrong…and I love painted white floors!
This whole thing is lulzy. Protip: “ikea” is Swedish for crap.
ha ha! She actually did “do Africa”. She was in our showroom in Cape Town South Africa just before Christmas. http://www.OKHA.com
She bored me. Where is her design? Only wears black or silver jewlery? Pitiful. Intellect does not come with arrogance. As a matter a fact, the more intellectual a person is, the more they realize how little they know. On another note, I thought to be a designer, one had to have a formal education. Am I mistaken?
I like minimalism but she is no Vicki hagan whom I adore! She has a formula much like pottery barn and uses it for every project. She certainly is not very creative and I don’t see the talent in painting everything white and using all white furniture and clear tables. Duh she doesn’t know how it looks so light
I am shocked she has a brwn cord on that fish tank he’ll I am shocked she has a fish. It does not look like a living thing would be comfortable in that apartment. My favorite line … The less you have the more organized you can be….are you kidding me…is this some intellectual revelation or what?
Why is not ever stepping into a Bloomingdales an accomplishment?
To me she sounds like a very insecure person who has no idea why she became successful because she knows she is lacking any genuine talent and has managed to con a lot of people into spending a lot of money.
She does however have a career as a marketer for Bentley!
OK just looked at her website…her projects are very nicely done…her place is is not a good representation. How on earth does she do architecture untrained and unschooled???
I don’t understand people who live in spaces decorated like hers. Very uninviting. She doesn’t even look comfortable sitting on her own couch. Which if you take a second look, she’s not. She’s sitting on a blanket covering the arm! There are some very beautiful pieces but overall that design just isn’t for me.
That refrigerator is hideous and not fitted properly in the kitchen cabinets. It’s tacky looking and far from “Bentley” status. I would never hire her as she seems to not understand how a family with children would live. Every room should be a room your child can go into and feel at home. It doesn’t take a genius to organize 4 sweaters. Try organizing Lego projects, art projects and materials, homework, sports equipment, barbies, dolls, books, toys, DS, iTouch, and various other electronics…the list goes on and on! That white couch would be stained almost immediately. Plus it looks completely uncomfortable!!
i couldn’t agree more…i remember reading an article in AD a few years ago where she made some very disparaging remarks about martha stewart. i had to reread it 3 times b/c i thought it was so ballsy of her to say. say what you want about martha, but the woman is one hell of a business woman! for this bore to be dissing martha is just not right. and for AD to publish it….it was very weird.
Anybody who talks about how much they bring repeatedly is very insecure and she obviously is… What i don’t understand is if she is bringing the Bentley, why does her kitchen look like it belongs in a cheap rental?
Her sofa is stained…
Just looked again!!! It is stained. Good eye!!
sooo cold!!
You’re right, it is stained!
Read it. She’s boring as hell.
It’s a look, that I’ve seen before, but not that often. Sometimes different is just different, not better. Some people want to live in a museum, and clearly she’s one of them…
She may live in Manhattan, but she sounds pretty small-town insecure to me…the Bentley reference is just too much. There are few things worse than being genuinely pretentious, one is TRYING to sounds pretentious…which clearly she’s doing.
Her place does look better on her website although it doesn’t look like the walls are painted BM Super White in those pics. I can appreciate someone who sticks to specific look; however, I think the beige and white color scheme she is insistent upon is having really negative effects here. Imagine if that trim were painted white or black…
I spy floorboards in her portfolio…. Just saying
Shes also wearing white on her website. I think she just likes to make ridiculous overarching statements to see what people say. I only wear black, I only use one color of paint, I dont use any trim. Blah blah blah
There is a tv diagonally and awkwardly placed to the stained sofa. The white floors are pretty and she did a good job creating a light and airy feel, but not many people can live like that. She does seem very alone. Living in a museum tends to isolate people. No way can she entertain there.
Yea I realized that later… I dont know what I think about this person. Clearly, her apartment is not a representation of her work. Which is a very specific look that works for SOME PEOPLE. Im telling you guys- I dont even like minimal design, but the rooms she did for Kips Bay were amazing.
I really think that part of the disparity between her work and her home is because of the fact that she lives at the Apthorp. Its a historical building, so I dont know if she is allowed to change things. If she rents- she would not be allowed. Could explain the kitchen too. I looked at that building before it was converted to a condo- there were apartments with kitchens and bathrooms from the 20′s still intact! That means that there were people living in 4000 Sft apartments, paying sometimes $50K a month, and using plumbing and cabinetry thats almost 100 years old! Doesnt particularly appeal to me…
And maybe I like that this woman decorates for herself differently than she would for a client… I dunno… makes her a little more human.
I do think her insane arrogance is hilarious though.
The apartment is whatever, but her attitude is revolting.
Wow! Amazing blog; I love it. I also love your art. Good for you! I also love your taste in chairs.
Now, about this post: this apartment worries me. I would hate to think about cleaning every second of every day. I do love all white, but it’s just difficult to maintain.
BTW, I live in New York City. I had Benjamin Moore Super White (a great, all-purpose color) on the walls for a few years and it was tough: it would yellow quickly. So… I tried twenty or so different paint colors until I found one that is the color of city dirt. Miraculously, it’s beautiful: it’s a gray with a yellow undertone that changes with the light. But the best thing about it is that my apartment looks clean all the time.
I have to agree. Her designs looks like a common design some common designer can do. Whatever the case is designers should still have a certain degree in modesty if they want to be respected.