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Turn Your NYC Rental into a Home and a Place of Inspiration
As a creative who specializes in rent-friendly interior design, I believe you can make your apartment feel like home without losing your deposit. Featured in Apartment Therapy, Coveteur, Spoak Design, Real Simple, Southern Living Magazine, Men’s Health Magazine and elsewhere, my goal is to design and style your space to showcase your vibrant personality. Let’s work together to create something precious to live within that goes beyond style. (Yes, I say stuff like that.)
Photo: Courtesy of Shana Jade Trajanoska for Coveteur
I Don’t Usually Play Favorites But…
My ideal clients are not afraid of color, love the thrill of a thrifted find, and ultimately want to celebrate their unique self. I chose the name Queer by Design because my identity as a queer person is integral to my creativity. It’s not a coincidence that as an interior designer I am drawn to the queer, the unusual, the curious. It’s on purpose. In fact, it’s by design. (Sorry, I had to do it.) For me, there’s nothing more exciting than a before/after reveal (whether it’s coming out, transitioning or a kitchen reno). Do you believe you and your home deserve love, safety and joy? Me too.
Hire me for Interior Design (Instead of relying on Pinterest)
✅ Experience in DIY, budget-friendly home projects
✅ Source vintage and thrifted furniture & decor pieces
✅ Close contact at every step of the design process (I’m a great hand-holder)
✅ Always available via text or in-person visits as needed
✅ Free 30-minute consultation to answer any of your questions
The Interior Design Process in Five Steps
- Detailed proposal of changes we’ll make to each room
- A mood board for every room we’re transforming (including color palette, textures and patterns)
- A floor plan (to-scale) of each room with furniture mapped out
- A list of approved products and scheduled handymen
- Style the new pieces and pop some bubbly!
Schedule Your Free 30-Minute Consultation
FEATURED IN…
Spoak: Need Inspiration for a Design Project? Look In Your Closet
The outfits you curate daily are unique to you because they meet your needs and reflect who you are. You deserve to have a home that does the same thing. Keep reading to learn how to use your closet as a mood board for your next interior design project.
Apartment Therapy: Here’s How I Express Queer Joy in My Home
I reached an epiphany as I scrolled on social media: Quarantine could allow me to face my queerness and apartment like a blank canvas. Without external expectations, I could shape my home to represent an honest version of myself. Looking around my studio — about the shape and size of a freight shipping container — it felt like I could only move up from here. So I did.
I wanted a budget-friendly alternative to custom closet organizers and shoe cabinets. As I googled organization tips, I realized I could kill two birds with one bookcase and some extra shelves. It was simple: Instead of books, I would display my shoes in my trusted IKEA BILLY Bookcase — the bookcase you know you’ve heard of and maybe even used before.
Spoak: Designer’s Guide on How to Build a Gallery Wall From Scratch
Consider the purpose of your gallery wall. Is it to harness a focal point in your room while still achieving an eclectic style? Are you trying to elicit a certain feeling with neutral tones or calming pastels? Or perhaps, this is simply a chance to curate what makes up your interests and personality. When you’ve determined your goal, keep reading to learn how to build your collection and incorporate pieces you already own.
Spoak: 6 Designer-Approved Ways to Create an ADHD-Friendly Home
Diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, I’ve learned that what I need to thrive in my environment might look different to a neurotypical person. As an interior designer, it became evident that the latest design trends don’t consider neurodivergent symptoms. To my relief and surprise, there are easy ways to optimize your home for ADHD while avoiding the dreaded “organization tools” that tend to fall short for us.
Men’s Health: The 9 Best Closet Systems to Keep Your Clothes Organized
To give you the best closet systems to suit any and all needs, we turned to Melanie Whyte, a New York-based interior designer for her expertise.”When used effectively, it can provide a specific home for each of your items without sacrificing space or style,” she explains to Men’s Health. “I recommend a closet system for anyone who is working with a small space or simply looking to build a more organized lifestyle.”
Coveteur: Inside Our Beauty Editor’s NYC Apartment Transformation
She enlisted interior designer Melanie Whyte to speed up the process. “I have a very strong aesthetic but when it comes to interior design; I really wanted someone who could help me envision the space and see all the different uses for it in ways that I couldn’t,” she adds…Working with [Whyte] allowed Kwarteng to realize how much her rental small space could actually hold. “She really saw that I could have a dining area and a living area and a kitchen all in the same space,” says Kwarteng.
Breaking Down the Natural Borders in My Home Gave Me a Welcoming Layout
When my partner and I moved into this two floor, railroad-style apartment in the UES, I went to work establishing cozy vignettes with specific purposes. Instead of one long room, I utilized a bookshelf to create a natural border between the living room and the kitchen. While I still adore a good nook, I’m now an open layout convert since we pivoted our couch a simple 90 degrees.
Follow @queer.bydesign to keep up with the latest home inspo & DIY ideas