This NYC Rental Had the 'Landlord Special' – Now It's Layered With Vintage Charm, Bold Wallpaper and a Surprise Retro Kitchen

Most of us have experienced life in a rental at some point, and for those of us who love good design and want to fill our homes with carefully selected pieces, there is nothing more frustrating than being restricted by a contract. The bones might be beautiful, but chances are the permanent fixtures added by a strapped-for-time, looking-to-make-cash landlord aren't.

So when designer Dora Dmitriev and her well-traveled, art-collecting client were faced with an apartment that had received the "landlord special" – and the challenge of turning it into a bohemian, eclectic home that rivaled the large Victorian home in San Francisco that the owner had left behind – things got interesting.

Luckily, this was not your standard rental. Building management has approved significant renovations, so Dora and her client were free to do almost anything to the apartment. 'The entire apartment had the "landlord special" – multiple layers of paint and small, quick fixes throughout,' explains Dora. 'We meticulously removed these features to recover the beautiful and unique architectural details beneath. Old kitchen and bathroom fixtures with many leaks were also abundant when we started the job.'

The vision was a French boutique hotel, with layers of vintage decor, rich colors, clashing patterns, and, of course, plenty of artwork. 'My client had been living in a large Victorian-style home in San Fransciso, so the goal was to design a way to incorporate his large art and book collections in a smaller space,' says Dora. 'We created a welcoming yet sophisticated environment for him to live in while allowing for flexible furniture layouts when friends and family visit.'

'He is well-traveled and wanted to incorporate inspiration from French and Italian hotels he frequented. Although the unit is a rental, the building permitted renovations to support the client into his twilight years, making the space exclusively his. He had such an amazing story and recited the history of just about any collected object or artwork we pointed to in the home; that was really special for us!'

The artwork became the key inspiration for the project, with decisions about color and materials guided by how each piece would look in its space. In the main living area, the wall color was chosen to create the perfect backdrop. 'We used Benjamin Moore Candle White 2164-70 in the grand parlor and hallways, which had a slight pink hue – funny because the client is a middle-aged man living alone. But you just can't go wrong with a light pink!'

'The artworks really inspired the mood and color direction, as we wanted to ensure the wall color selected would let the art have its moment to shine. In the primary bedroom, we also chose a wallpaper with a black background so that the white and black photographs could stand out and provide a classical feel against a busy backdrop.'

As you would expect, gutting an old rental didn't come without a few challenges – most of which led to more creative and resourceful decisions.

'Due to the nature of the old building, there were several unpleasant surprises when we opened the walls in the kitchen and bathroom,' explains Dora. 'We pivoted from some of our original plans; all of the bathroom plumbing needed to be replaced to resolve leaks, adding to the budget.'

'To help mitigate these unexpected costs, we shifted to sourcing more vintage furniture. This also improved lead times for the items. Our client was leasing another space while work was being performed here, so we had to work under tighter time constraints to have the space move-in ready when that lease was up. Renovating in a rental building led to additional constraints from building management, given how rarely they allow such a large renovation. We had many conversations with management and neighbors to ensure everyone was aware of the plans.'

So how much was allowed to be changed? In short, everything. The apartment was in enough need of an update that any remodel was going to make a significant difference.

'The building management permitted a complete overhaul of the bathroom, given that the pipes were very old and leaking. Breaking up the original steel tub to make room for a shower was a quick way to meet all the client’s neighbors and was a sound I will never forget! A kitchen gut was also allowed to provide additional storage while incorporating a breakfast table and personality into the otherwise very sad and white kitchen that was there before.'

Beyond the major changes, decor and furniture choices did a lot of the heavy lifting to transform this from a white-box apartment into elegant European hotel. 'The project allowed for extensive use of wallpaper in the bedrooms. In the primary bedroom, we designed a custom bed and headboard to speak to the French hotels the client frequented. We also paid great attention to lighting throughout the apartment; most fixtures are vintage or European-inspired, creating more ambiance and mimicking his travels and a nod to his Victorian home in San Francisco.'

'In the grand parlor, we added two ceiling medallions to further speak to the existing architectural details, adding personality to an otherwise plain space. We used numerous vintage rugs from all over the world to create a more worldly and warmer environment. Of course, also displaying and curating the client’s personal art and antiques collection in a thoughtful way transformed the rooms and added a personal touch to the apartment. A large gallery wall was hung in the grand parlor, made up of artwork and treasures – including a stingray shell!'

The most unexpected room in the apartment is the kitchen. Moving from rooms that feel historic and aged, as though they've looked that way for decades and have simply become more layered over time, into the kitchen is a visual jolt.

'The project includes a ‘surprise’ retro-style kitchen at the back of the apartment,' explains Dora. 'Our goal was a bright pop of color, anchored by the bold red appliances. The breakfast table and chairs were sourced from American Chairs, a company that supplies furniture to diners, which helped ground the space in an authentic retro feel. We also incorporated a metal edge around the countertops to complete the look.'

The open-plan living room, referred to as the parlor, is split into two zones – the front is a living space, while the back is used for dining. 'In the front parlor, we incorporated vintage pieces that we reupholstered and restored. The large sofa is also a sleeper sofa for when there is an abundance of overnight guests. We added vintage lighting and custom window treatments, and instead of sheers, we used lace curtains to lean into the European aesthetic. For the dining area, we sourced an expanding dining table. This room functions as an office and working studio by day and a dinner party space by night.'

The ‘guest bedroom’ is another multifunctional space and was Dora’s favorite room to design. 'The second bedroom was transformed into a hybrid drawing room, library and guest bedroom, complete with a sleeper sofa upholstered in a fabric that matches the House of Hackney wallpaper.'

'Vintage bookcases, mixed with some of the client’s existing pieces, line the walls, while blue bookcases display some of our client’s vases and ceramic pieces. Although this is the smallest room, it was designed to serve as a second office and drawing studio, a den, and a guest bedroom when the sofa is unfolded.'

While it's rare to be able to renovate a rental to this extent, there are plenty of lessons to be learned from this project about making a rental feel more like home. Dora's advice? Focus on artwork and lighting.

'If you do not want to invest time or money into painting and repainting the walls, I recommend focusing on artwork and lighting. Just bringing in floor lamps, table lamps and plug-in sconces creates a layered lighting atmosphere that works wonders to transform stark rental spaces that usually have less than ideal lighting.'

'Artwork is so personal that by playing with scale, subject and framing, you can change the feel of a room with ease by creating a gallery wall or a thoughtful grouping of art pieces. Additionally, by incorporating vintage rugs or noteworthy upholstered furniture pieces, you can make even a rental room feel warm and collected.'

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