‘Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.”
~Judy Garland

Iconic Photographer Bill Cunningham's film on stylish New Yorkers

To me, one of the most enjoyable aspects of being in New York City is having the opportunity to people-watch. I love that I never know who or what I’ll see and I can always count on finding unique-looking people walking down the street. New York peeps are proud of their originality and seem to have no qualms about strutting their stuff.

Instead of having a high school mentality where everyone tries to fit in and dress alike, Big Apple residents seem to be a one-of-a-kind, confident bunch. A jaunty tilt of hat, an unusual combination of patterns or colors; they would no sooner dream of dressing like their companions than they would wish to assume another person’s identity. Taking risks and trying new things come easy to New Yorkers who embrace Popeye’s philosophy: “I yam what I yam and that’s what I yam!” No Bobbsey Twins, here.

The same attitude seems to carry over to their homes. After working with thousands of Manhattan clients, it’s clear to me that most NYC folks are interested in having their apartments and houses reflect their unique personalities and not their friends’ design style.

Of course original people can be found everywhere, yet several years ago I worked with a woman in Florida who’d previously hired her friend’s designer because she loved the way her pal’s home had turned out. Six months later, her house looked like a carbon copy of her lady friend’s and she and her buddy realized they were both unhappy with the outcome.

In fact, my client was surprised to find her home was actually uncomfortable to her, which is why she called me in to help redesign it. Fortunately, it took us only 6 weeks to make adjustments in each room so her place could reflect her taste and lifestyle (and her husband’s) and not her friend’s.

How do you feel about individuality versus conformity? Is having your own unique look important to you? Do you feel comfortable or uncomfortable showing the world who you really are?

Recently, I bought my husband an espresso/ cappuccino machine and the purchase made the two of us reevaluate what we have on our kitchen counter tops. Were we using the small appliances that were taking up space?

Are you using all of the small appliances on your counters, daily?

Our toaster, coffee maker and blender certainly have been earning their keep. But our food processor, juicer and waffle maker, which are used infrequently, were not worthy of our precious counter top real estate and had already been stored away. Since the new machine would not be used daily, we decided it, too, would grace a shelf on our kitchen island where it would be accessible yet out of the way – I get urges for frothy soy hot chocolates with cinnamon sticks!

Frothy hot chocolate - yum!

Do you feel you could use more counter space?

An appliance garage

Unless you have an appliance garage or a very big kitchen, why not take a minute to reevaluate which machines you use a lot and which might be put away? If you do, you may be surprised to find you can create more workroom and, at the same time, make your kitchen look a lot more spacious, too.

If you are in the market for a new sofa, dining table or bed, or any other big piece of furniture, it’s a good idea to measure your door frames and any narrow hallways leading to the room, before making the purchase, besides checking the dimensions of the room itself. All of this information is vital if you are buying something large that is on final sale.

Do you think your home might present delivery men with a challenge?

Staircases and elevators can be a problem for delivery people, so remember to take these measurements and angles into consideration, too, and advise your salesperson. If you have any doubts the piece will fit, ask the store to send someone to measure your space. This step can save you a lot of time, money and agita.

One of the most frequently asked questions I hear from my clients is, “What size rug is best to use in a conversation area?”

Which size rug is right for your room?

The 3 most popular standard sizes for a family room or living room rug are: 6′ x 9′, 8′ x 10′ and 9′ x 12′. Here is a breakdown to help you determine which dimensions might be right for your room:

6′ x 9′ – This size will anchor your conversation area and may or may not allow the front legs of your sofa and chairs to sit on it.

A 6' x 9' rug

If you are purchasing a new rug and want to save money, buying a smaller size such as a 6′ x 9′ is a good option. In addition, you will probably get a lot of use from a smaller rug as the size will fit into almost any room, should you decide you’d like to switch things around in your home.

8′ x 10′ – This classic size will allow the front legs of your sofa and chairs to sit on it and will actually reach the mid-point under most seats.

9′ x12′ – If you have a fairly large room and you’d like all of the legs of your conversation area seating to be on top of the rug, this is probably the right size for you.

a 9' x 12' rug

One consideration: Plan ahead. If you intend to downsize in the future, a smaller rug will safely fit in the family room or living room of your smaller-scale home.