Kalyn Chandler: Live-Work Luxe in New York City
Photographs by Patrick Cline
New York is a busy place. For those who don’t plan ahead, the hustle and bustle can run them right over. Fortunately, for Kalyn Chandler, the founder and creative director of the lifestyle brand, Effie’s Paper, the solution to the constant run between work and life was to put the two together in one amazing space. Living and working in the same place might seem confining at first thought, but for this creative, the answer laid in making sure that there was enough room to fit both sides of a full life.
Occupying the entire far wall of the living room, Kalyn’s office is a harmony of clever storage solutions and space-saving furniture. Done all in white to limit the visual impact on the overall space, it serves as a cool backdrop for a number of meaningful splashes of color.
With just her laptop and the help of the soothing color palette her office provides, Kalyn keeps everything running smoothly. Much like the unobtrusive coloring of the office itself, extending the desk from the shelving unit reduces the degree to which the office encroaches into the living room. Stylish turns like the whimsical legs of the desk add some interest to the nearly all-white space while acting as a contrast to the more industrial look of the living room.
The shelves that make up most of the office space are a brilliant way to keep everything that a business requires neatly compartmented and within arms reach. But there’s more to this design than convenient storage. Kalyn’s office is not just a masterpiece of efficiency, it’s a study in color theory as well. Colorful bursts dot the landscape of this office, with Kalyn keeping the brightest, most energizing tones of orange and pink closest to her.
Away from the home office, the living room is a rugged industrial space charmingly decorated with modern pieces. A cool counterpoint to the warm wood and brick interior, an oversized rug clearly defines the living area. Meanwhile, ultra-modern accessories such as the abstract vases on the credenza and the beautifully patterned shades give even more personality to the space.
Away from the office, the home continues to expand stretching into a beautiful dining room. As in the living room, the modern tastes of Kalyn and her husband Todd, belie the industrial bones of the space for an enticing combination. Black is a strong accent color here, included through a striped settee and one very statuesque planter. The glass table top and patterned, silver-metallic pendants solidify the modern aesthetic.
The warm-colored kitchen, dominated by wood-on-wood textures follows the same rules of space management that work so well in Kalyn’s office: smooth surfaces, simple colors and a very effective use of storage. Throw in a cool, white countertop and a marble backsplash for good measure, and it’s the perfect kitchen.
In a city famous for its creative use of small spaces, the main bedroom is surprisingly cavernous. Sculptural lighting, warm, textured rugs and a commitment to interesting art place this room firmly within the stylish context of the rest of the home. Offering nearly as much space as their living room, the couple’s bedroom is likewise divided into two spaces - the bedroom itself, and a beautiful lounge area complete with sofa, pouf and entertainment center.
The final note in this space is the art. This is a home of small statement pieces, such as the ones found on this shelf. Resisting the urge to fill a large space with as many things as possible, Kalyn and Todd have focused on choosing the right pieces to create a home, an office and a feeling that they would love.
Small, artistically rendered messages are the cornerstone of Effie’s Paper. Kalyn finds ways to offer words of encouragement on everything from notebooks to oversized travel mugs, so it only makes sense that she would reserve a few words for her own space as well.
The overall relaxing feel of this home comes from its straightforward use of color. Neutral tones dominate the furniture in the space but there are plenty of small pops of color that come through in the accessories. Festive beads, colorful African dolls and pops of color create an interesting and bright mix in a perfectly luxe live-work environment.
