When this Manhattan apartment entered our Happy Chic Home contest, it made our inbox sing. To pack a decorative punch into this 325-square-foot apartment—without overwhelming the space–our contestant, Michelle, had to do some serious editing. Her strategy? She lives by the oh-so-Adler mantra: only surround yourself with the things you love.
Here, Jonathan Adler’s room-by-room analysis on composition, flair, the all-important tchotchke and what it takes to become the Happiest Chicest Home in America.
(Above) Hallway to Bedroom
Walking down the hallway to the bedroom, I see layers, layers, and layers of unexpected touches. Most prominent is the salon-style hung art that includes an eclectic mix of fave fashion photos, watercolor sketches, and personal pics. There is an inherent chicness about framing photos of your friends, because it tells a narrative that is all your own. J’adore the Zebra print rug. Going wild with animal print is advice I give everyday.
Bookshelf
I love how the styled bookshelves have created vignettes in unexpected spaces. I often give the advice to layer your lair with love, to love what you love and have your apartment show just that. Pictured here is a Romanesque bust modeling a beaded necklace balanced with the binding of a David Hicks design book. This bookshelf is a creative moment that gives the room an eccentric personality with pops of red, pink, orange. I see another design trick: hanging framed pictures, especially tiny frames with tinier pictures, between shelves. It gives the bookshelf depth.
Living Room/Office Area
Draping a linen slip over a table to hide desktop uglies like a printer and office supplies is a simple and easy antidote to the troubles and traumas of everyday office supplies. The bookcase from Design Within Reach stacked with a fave collection of books is a masterful way of dividing this roomscape. That porcelain bird on top of the case creates a sculptural moment and adds a bit of whimsy to the room. J’adore the pinboard hung behind the desk as a clever way to display her creativity. If you are someone who holds onto postcards or fabric swatches, art sketches and ribbon, pin them up on a board. Voila! You have art!
Living Room
The living room offers an example of how to keep the color story consistent throughout the space: black and white with pops of red, and then accessorize aplenty! I would recommend covering the walls in grasscloth. Even add grasscloth on the ceiling for an unexpected dash of luxury. The chunky wallcovering made from jute and other natural fibers is back in style and I couldn’t be happier. Again, again, and again, the personal narratives throughout this apartment are what make it a happy chic home!
Style Note
I believe in bold gestures, especially if you have a small apartment. This clever entrant has managed to make her 325-square-foot apartment a gesture of Maximalist merriment. I consider myself a Maximalist designer and, as a Maximalist, I combine styles with abandon and a sense of fun. Maximalism is life-affirming and Minimalism is gloomy. This apartments decor is all about mixing and matching with panache, transforming the small space into a happy home. — Jonathan Adler
Check back next Thursday for other Happy Chic Homes in the running and more of Jonathan Adler’s secrets of style.
Anne E. Collins (Editor) and Jonathan Adler (Product and Interior Designer)
For the past month, PointClickHome and Jonathan Adler have been hunting for the happiest and chicest home in America. We’ve received so many fabulous submissions but the pads with true panache, pizazz, and personality are the ones we are dying to share with you. Starting tomorrow and every Thursday until August 28th, Jonathan will be guest blogging on the chicest submissions to hit the irresistible@jonathanadler.com inbox. Each week on Design Daily he’ll praise, critique, and give hints to winning the grand prize ($2,500 in 
I just got back from a five-day vacation in Color Country–the affectionate name for the red rock mountains, arches, and hoodoos of Southern Utah. It’s a mind-bogglingly beautiful place. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend days hiking through Zion, Bryce, and Arches National Parks but if nothing else, just spend time driving the roads. The rock formations and barren landscapes in every shade of the sunset will have you pulling into every turn-off. You can see for miles and never spot a single sign of civilization–that’s what makes the few people and businesses you do see that much more interesting and Ernest Shirley’s Rock Shop of Hanksville a must-see.
Aside from two gas stations, Ernest Shirley Rocks is one of the few stores in Hanksville (population 197). The shop has been around for over 40 years–originally as a grocery store but after a too many unpaid tabs, Shirley quickly switched his business from produce to pebbles. Collecting rocks was always his passion and in this part of the Utah, you can’t get a lower overhead and a larger stock to work with. From the stucco of the facade to the acre backyard, every inch of the property is covered in petrified wood, agate, jasper, coral, bone, and fossils of all varieties. Ernest Shirley’s is the beauty of Utah’s landscape dissected into pieces…that you can take home with you.
You can find petrified wood side tables and agate coasters in high-end stores around the U..but Ernest Shirley’s is the real deal and amazingly cheap. There was this million-year-old-plus stump of petrified wood that I really wanted–for about $2,000 cheaper than I’d ever seen it listed but I resisted. I would have paid the $500 for it but I didn’t think I could finagle a 250 pound carry-on. ,I purchased four slices of agate for $20 (usually $60 and with a much better story than a mail-order catalog).
Sadly, Ernest Shirley died this past May and the future of the shop is a bit uncertain. So if you love rocks, pay a visit; all sales are negotiable, even the shop itself. It’s a rockhound’s dream.
Pillows are the best way to give your room a quick makeover, but if you’re going to take that shortcut, you’d better get quality pillows. Enter the Sandor Collection. Their appliqué is just impeccable, their felt-work redefines the medium, and their patterns have fresh start written all over them! Bright colors, crisp design, and a good hand—it’s the shot of caffeine your sitting room needs.