This Upper East Side Apartment Proves English Decorating Ideas Can Work Just As Beautifully In A New York Family Home
Forget the polished Manhattan apartment stereotype. Jennifer Hunter looked to the layered ease of English interiors to create a home that feels collected, welcoming and designed around the realities of everyday family life
When New York-based designer Jennifer Hunter was asked to transform two neighboring Upper East Side apartments into one home for a young family of four, the brief wasn’t to create a quintessential Manhattan apartment. Instead, her clients wanted somewhere that felt softer, warmer and altogether more personal, a home that embraced color, pattern and craftsmanship over the polished minimalism so often associated with city living.
The result is a 2,400-square-foot apartment that looks to English decorating for inspiration without ever feeling like imitation. Botanical wallpapers, grasscloth walls, handwoven textures and earthy colors (consistent pops of plum) create a countrified thread that runs from room to room, while every design decision is rooted in the realities of family life. There is hidden storage where it matters most, spaces that effortlessly shift between entertaining and everyday living, and just enough whimsy to make returning home feel like a breath of fresh air.
‘Many people in New York want something simple, elegant and swanky,’ says Jennifer. ‘These clients really admired the way I use color and pattern. They wanted something different from the classic New York apartment, something with a nod to English design.’
Rather than treating decoration as something separate from function, Jennifer approached the project by first understanding how the family actually lived. ‘My first question is never what color a room should be, but what happens in it. Before we talk aesthetics, I ask clients to walk me through a day in their life,’ she explains. ‘When you come through the door, where are the bags going? The keys? The kids’ backpacks?’
Entryway: Walls and joinery painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Lichen’ create a soft backdrop for a wicker credenza, designed to function as a stylish ‘post office’ for the family’s everyday deliveries. A merino rug from Temple Studio introduces the apartment’s sage and plum palette, while the Soho Home mirror, Arteriors ceiling light, Birch Lane bobbin-legged bench upholstered in Ferrick Mason’s ‘Emma’ fabric, and a custom Jennifer Hohlfelder painting of a seated woman complete the space (and subtly invite guests to sit while removing their shoes).
The entrance is a neat summary of that approach. Jennifer began with the rug, whose rich greens and plum tones set the palette for the rest of the apartment. Grasscloth walls and olive-painted joinery create the backdrop, while a wicker credenza that looks decorative has a far more useful job. ‘It functions like a post office,’ she says. Packages, returns and deliveries are hidden inside, while the adjoining concealed closet has been reworked with cubbies and hanging space for the family’s everyday clutter.
Powder room: Wrapped in Michael S Smith’s ‘Isle Flower’ wallpaper in Aubergine, the powder room pairs walls, mouldings and vanity painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Stony Ground’ with a Rejuvenation mirror and Hwang Bishop sconces. deVOL aged brass taps, Modern Matter burnished brass hardware and marble hexagon floor tiles tie this jewel-box together.
Just beyond, the powder room demonstrates Jennifer’s belief that compact spaces are the perfect place to take decorative risks. Botanical wallpaper wraps every surface, while painted cabinetry, hand-painted ceramic sconces and marble flooring transform what could have been a purely practical room into an unexpected jewel box. ‘I think you can always go bigger on pattern in smaller spaces,’ she says, encouragingly. ‘It’s a fun surprise when someone opens the door.’
Breakfast room: Penny Morrison’s ‘Begum’ wallpaper sets the tone in the breakfast room, complemented by woodwork painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Lichen’, Zak + Fox ‘Rhapso’ curtains and a Lostine chandelier. The oak and unlacquered brass dining table is surrounded by Rodin chairs from Crate & Barrel upholstered in McLaurin & Piercy’s ‘Oxford’ fabric, all grounded by a handwoven geometric kilim rug sourced from Etsy.
Perhaps nowhere is the home’s balance of beauty and practicality more apparent than the breakfast room. Originally envisioned as another sitting area, Jennifer persuaded her clients to create a space that could evolve throughout the day instead. ‘The children can do homework here, but it still feels beautiful enough for entertaining,’ she explains.
A hidden television is discreetly framed within the cabinetry, while scrolling botanical wallpaper by Penny Morrison introduces the countryside-inspired motifs that appear throughout the apartment. Painted moldings in a soft dusty blue temper the richness of the pattern (and bring some blue-sky energy indoors), while reupholstered vintage dining chairs and an oak table with unlacquered brass detailing reinforce Jennifer’s signature approach of mixing old and new.
Kitchen: Rather than replacing a perfectly functional kitchen, Jennifer refreshed the space with repainted cabinetry, updated hardware and a colorful vintage runner. Gray marble worktops and backsplash keep the compact room feeling bright and timeless.
The adjoining kitchen received a lighter touch. Rather than replacing perfectly functional cabinetry, Jennifer simply repainted the units, updated the hardware, and introduced a vintage kitchen runner to soften the crisp marble and white cabinetry. ‘It’s not a huge kitchen,’ she admits, 'but it already worked really well. Sometimes it’s about elevating what's already there rather than starting over.’
Dining room: Limewashed walls allow the rich veining of the Emperador marble dining table to shine, while Crate & Barrel dining chairs in olive velvet upholstery add a layer of softness. A brass mirror from The World of RH and Visual Comfort & Co sconces with Fermoie ‘Blue Quartz’ shades bring a gentle metallic contrast.
Beyond, the apartment opens into a sequence of entertaining spaces that become progressively richer in mood. The dining room is deliberately restrained, with softly limewashed walls catching the changing daylight, natural stone and timber introducing warmth, and velvet-upholstered dining chairs elevating otherwise accessible pieces. ‘I love mixing high and low,’ Jennifer says. ‘You don’t need everything to be expensive. Sometimes it’s just about putting beautiful fabric on a simple chair.’
Living room: A Lulu and Georgia pleated sofa is layered with bespoke cushions in McLaurin & Piercy ‘Caspian’ and Lisa Fine Textiles fabrics, trimmed with Samuel & Sons ‘Ivy’ passementerie. The custom-painted Highland House ‘Stoll’ cocktail table sits atop a Temple Studio rug, while oak side tables, terracotta lamps from Currey & Company with Fermoie ‘Blue Quartz’ shades, and a custom painting by Jennifer Holhfelder reinforce the room’s layered, collected feel.
The living room continues that evolution, introducing deeper blues and plums alongside a confetti-like rug that Jennifer describes as ‘perfect for celebration.’ Even the seemingly relaxed details have been carefully considered. The skirted sofa falls slightly imperfectly by design, lending the room an ease that prevents it from feeling overly composed, while a bespoke painting depicting a street with personal significance to the family subtly anchors the space in memory.
Hanging decorative plates on the wall is a familiar hallmark of English interiors, and Jennifer gives the idea a personal twist here. The pair flanking the painting weren’t sourced for the project at all. ‘We were going through the owners’ china sets while they were moving and found them,’ she reveals.
The botanical references become subtler here too. Rather than relying solely on wallpaper, Jennifer threads nature throughout the apartment in more understated ways: leafy textiles, handcrafted ceramics, fresh flowers and natural fibres that soften the urban backdrop beyond the windows.
Den: Painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Brinjal’ and finished with ‘Nasturtium Tamarind’ wallpaper by Lake August on the ceiling, the den leans into rich color and botanical patterns. A Maiden Home sectional is dressed with cushions in McLaurin & Piercy, Michael S Smith, and Kathy Kuo Home textiles, while a nesting coffee table by The World of RH sits on a Temple Studio striped rug beneath Noel Kerns’ ‘Pump Pump Pump’ artwork. The combination of sconces and a wicker floor lamp bring a warm glow after dark.
The mood shifts completely inside the den, concealed behind pocket doors. Wrapped in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Brinjal’, the room embraces cocooning color without ever feeling oppressive thanks to its glossy finish, ditsy wallpapered ceiling and striped rug. ‘I wanted it to transition beautifully from day to night,’ Jennifer notes. ‘It’s somewhere for movie nights, reading or having a drink after dinner, so it could be a little moodier than the rest of the apartment.’
Main bedroom: The bespoke Serena & Lily ‘Pondicherry’ bed is upholstered in Elizabeth Eakins’ ‘Venice Stripe’, set against Elizabeth Eakins ‘Cormandal’ wallpaper with woodwork painted in Farrow & Ball’s ‘Light Blue’. Cane nightstands by Ballard Designs are topped with Thomas O’Brien Mimi lamps, while Robert Kime and West Elm cushions, Serena & Lily bedding and a Boll & Branch quilt introduce layers of pattern and texture.
The bedrooms each interpret the home’s wider palette through their own distinct personalities. The primary suite combines printed grasscloth walls, powder blue cabinetry, and a striped upholstered headboard with woven bamboo furniture and ceramic lighting, maintaining Jennifer’s characteristic balance between traditional craftsmanship and cleaner contemporary forms.
Main bathroom: A bespoke vanity finished with rope trim and Rejuvenation hardware brings furniture-like character to the bathroom. Polished nickel inset medicine cabinets and Pottery Barn sconces sit above the marble countertop, while marble mosaic floor tiles introduce a subtle hit of color beneath crisp white wall tiles.
In the adjoining bathroom, rope trim applied to the vanity transforms standard joinery into something that feels closer to freestanding furniture.
Girl’s bedroom: Sister Parish’s ‘Brio Fig’ wallpaper creates a feminine, floral setting for the bespoke scalloped bed (with a trundle underneath) upholstered in Leah O’Connell’s ‘Lolly Fig’, a fabric repeated on the curtains framing the hidden reading nook to create a sense of continuity across the room. Bobbin bedside tables by Chelsea Textiles, Ballard Designs lamps with Fermoie ‘Pink Figured’ shades, and a Stark carpet reinforce the room’s playful charm.
The children’s bedrooms are equally considered, but never overly themed. The daughter’s room layers custom scalloped upholstery, playful wallpaper, and soft lilac tones around a concealed reading nook carved from a former closet.
Girl’s bedroom: Concealed behind drapes in the same Leah O’Connell ‘Lolly Fig’ fabric as the upholstered bed, this bespoke reading nook transforms a former closet into a cozy retreat. Complete with built-in storage, Crate & Barrel book ledges and pale blue Matilda Goad bamboo hardware, it’s designed for reading, sleepovers and blanket forts alike.
Hidden behind curtains, complete with bookshelves and integrated storage beneath the seat, it’s a princess-coded sleepover space that feels straight from a storybook, perfect for cozy afternoons curled up with a book.
Boy’s bedroom: Olive green threads through the room, from the velvet bed to the woodwork painted in Farrow & Ball ‘Green Stone’, while wallpaper from Scotland-based Inchyra introduces more earthiness. A Sisal Rugs wool-and-leather blend rug, oak furniture from West Elm, an olive lacquer lamp from Soho Home, and a jacquard quilt inspired by traditional Americana patchwork layer natural textures.
The son’s room, meanwhile, swaps florals for more masculine textures, pairing olive velvet, stitched leather, wool and warm timber with artwork depicting a vintage Land Rover. ‘We wanted something that could grow with him,’ Jennifer explains. ‘Not too little-kid, but still playful.’
Despite the apartment’s confident use of color and pattern, what lingers most isn’t any single wallpaper or fabric. It’s the atmosphere Jennifer has created, one that feels surprisingly rooted in the countryside despite its Manhattan setting. The clients often tell her that although they adore their beach house, returning to the city now feels ‘like a big hug’. It’s a fitting sentiment for an apartment that never tries to compete with the city outside, choosing instead to create a world entirely of its own.
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