Ultimate Design Guide to New York City
New York is a vibrant city filled with cutting edge design, on-trend fashion, buzzing restaurants and gorgeous architecture. My favourite thing to do is wander the different neighborhoods in search of my next great find. After living and visiting New York City on and off for the past two years I have gathered a list of my favourite design spots any interiors-lover must visit when staying in the big apple. Read on to find out a little bit more about my favourite homewares, interiors, furniture and design stores. Let me know your favourite spots to visit in New York, as I just can’t get enough of this city! Happy Reading!
If it’s a quirky, unique and one-of-a-kind gift or souvenir you are after then look no further than Fishs Eddy on Broadway. If you thought going shopping for mugs, plates and bowls were boring, think again! This crockery shop is one of my favourite places to visit in the city and I never miss it if I am in the Flatiron District. They have a gorgeous variety of crockery including colourful mason jars, mugs with funny quotes, New York themed dinnerware and so much more! There is also a section for vintage plates so you can design your own quirky dinner set! If you are visiting from overseas then make sure to save some baggage weight for your finds at Fishs Eddy!
Okay, this is by far my favourite store in New York City. Imagine a beautiful, old, eight-story high Manhattan building filled with every furniture and homewares item you can dream of. ABC Carpet and Home has the most beautiful variety of furniture, homewares, rugs and bedding that you can spend hours admiring as you climb each floor. The ground floor has many stalls displaying different homewares and creative goods with an amazing restaurant hidden in the back (Make sure and book in advance as it is very popular amongst New Yorkers). My tip is to climb the old staircase next to the elevator to each floor to really get a feel for the building’s heritage.
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
The Design Museum is housed in one of the most gorgeous buildings along Central Park. (For all you Gossip Girl lovers, they used the buildings grounds and exterior for Lily and Bart’s Wedding). The exhibitions inside the museum showcase the history and culture of design and decorative arts. You will find collections of furniture, wall hangings, fabrics, antiques and so much more. There are interactive stations, which provide you with the history on every object in the museum. One of the highlights of mine was being able to draw your own wallpaper and project it onto the walls of the room! The museum isn’t New York’s largest so you will probably only need a morning to make your way around the exhibits. There is also a great coffee shop and plenty of seating areas for you to relax in once you’re done.
Jonathan Adler is the pioneer of modern American Glamour in furniture and homewares. If you are looking for a stand out piece for your home then look no further than his boutique on Madison Ave. There are a few other locations dotted around the city but this is by far my favourite. The showroom is bright and cheery and has a variety of large furniture pieces and small homewares. It is a great spot to pick up a souvenir for a design-loving friend back home! The staff are always friendly and happy to help. I find myself so inspired after leaving one of Jonathan Adler’s stores that I feel like I need to inject some colour and humor into every room of my home.
Source: My Luscious Life
Anthropologie is one of my favourite stores for homewares, clothes, gifts and stationary. There are many Anthropologie stores all over the world and in NYC but the best ones to hit up in Manhattan are the Upper East Side, Chelsea Market and Financial District locations. Anthropologie prides itself on their visual merchandising and window displays and if you visit during the week you will often find workers drilling, sewing, hanging and working their magic on new displays. Take your time to really look through all the items in Anthropologie, as they are so unique and beautiful in their own way. The throw rugs, cushions and bed linen have a ‘handmade’ feel without the price tag. Make sure to check out the amazing selection of doorknobs and hooks; I could honestly spend hours searching through their collection!
The Museum of Modern Art is located just off Fifth Ave in Midtown and has an amazing design store in Soho. Head downstairs once you enter the store, as the furniture, homewares, books and stationary are located in the basement. The MoMa Design Store stocks designers such as Charles and Ray Eames, Philippe Starck, George Nelson and my ultimate favourite HAY. HAY is a Danish brand that has limited stockists outside of Denmark, so be sure to grab a few unique homewares or stationary from the adorable brand while you are here. While in the design store you should browse every row of stock, flick through the curated design books and don’t forget to look at the Museum’s souvenirs upstairs. The MoMa Store is the perfect place to get lost in design heaven while in NYC.
CB2 is the go-to store for a great selection of furniture and home decor pieces in New York City. It has gorgeous items that are on trend and classic furniture pieces that will stand the test of time. You could quite easily decorate your entire home with CB2 from the sofa, floor lamps and coffee tables to the cushions, cutlery and plates. CB2 has a style to suit everyone and their prices are great too! There are always plenty of staff around to help you with your design queries and the store has such a great vibe that you leave feeling so inspired.
If you are after a truly unique and interesting piece for your home then look no further than Michele Varian. The multi-level store is housed in an old cast iron building in Soho and is filled to the brim with perfectly curated home and lifestyle goods. Whether you are searching for bespoke wallpaper, a special gift for a friend or some natural linens, you will find it here. Michele Varian stocks a range of designers but also has their own collections of wallpaper, furniture, lighting and more. The store has been featured in a range of magazines and even won Interior Design Awards! Michele Varian is not to be missed when exploring Soho.
The Strand Bookstore is by far the best bookstore I have ever visited and I could spend hours wandering through the many rows and rows. Founded in 1927 it was one of 48 bookstores on Broadway making up ‘Book Row’. Now The Strand is one of the last remaining and is a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. It has every genre you can imagine and a great assortment of unique books you don’t see at the local Barnes and Noble. Browse the abundance of gifts, homewares and stationary on the ground floor. You will also find The Strand’s own assortment of souvenirs including tote bags, badges and mugs with witty slogans like ‘Make America Read Again’. Head upstairs where you will be greeted with an array of Interior Design, Home, Architecture and Design books. Make sure to allow yourself plenty of time to explore the Strand Bookstore as you may get lost within the many pages of its glorious books.
