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A Small Space in New York Gets a Major Makeover

Designer Ashley Darryl helps a friend create his dream apartment
Jeremy Globersons New York City Apartment Living Room Small Space By Ashley Darryl
Designer Ashley Darryl put a modern spin on her friend Jeremy Globerson’s one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan by using clean-lined furnishings and carefully selected accents. “We chose a mixture of vintage and new pieces to help us create the minimal and inviting space we were after,” says Darryl. Sconces by Apparatus and a painting by Hector Frank are displayed above the Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams sofa in the living room.Photo: Brett Beyer

Working with friends can be a tricky proposition, but when it came to renovating and decorating his new 650-square-foot Manhattan apartment, Jeremy Globerson knew that he needed an ally. So Globerson, a director at Yext​, a software start-up in the Flatiron District, turned to his good friend Ashley Darryl, an interior designer who had also helped him outfit his previous apartment. “Ashley really understood my aesthetic and was familiar with my existing ​pieces, which made it easier to build on them in the new place,” says Globerson.

Since the one-bedroom apartment is smaller than his former home, Globerson and Darryl focused on finding clean-lined pieces that would give the rooms a minimalist, yet inviting feel. “The aesthetic makes up for any lack of space,” he says. “I've found that living with less is actually freeing. I like being forced to keep it minimal.” Darryl was also excited by the challenge of a small space. “We chose special pieces of furniture since there were only going to be a few in each room,” she says.

Globerson wanted the new space to reflect his taste, which had evolved from traditional to modern over the past few years. “We were inspired by Thom Browne’s Manhattan apartment, which had a Mad Men feel that we both loved,” says Darryl. With that in mind, Darryl created a multifunctional living room that balances bright pops of blue with soft creams and touches of black and brass. “We wanted a masculine look with very little color,” she notes. “Every piece—from the art to the coffee table to the vintage chairs—feels special, but not museumlike.”

While the renovation had a few hiccups, (“I had to find a place to stay for five weeks and ended up having to fire a contractor,” says Globerson), the end result is a testament to the power of collaboration. “It was a team effort,” says Darryl. “I love it when a client wants to be involved in the design process. It really helps shape the rooms into something that’s as special for them as it is for me.”