The Chic Guide: What would you say is your design style?
Emily Auffrey, Emily in NYC: I have a mix of different styles! If I had to pick one, though, it would be Boho. Boho is a design style I did not know about until the last few years. And when I saw it I immediately knew it was for me! Totally my vibe. Boho to me is care free, relaxing and cozy.
The Chic Guide: What’s your inspiration?
Auffrey: Moving into our home, my mindset surrounding the design was knowing we would be living here for a long time. With that in mind, I wanted to create an inviting, safe space. A place where if you’re a guest you can plop onto the sofa and put your feet up. No stuffiness, but acceptance energy. Also I’m a big lounger around the apartment so I looked to comfort and convenience design ideas a lot. I was also inspired to design from my heritage. As Black women, we are constantly made to feel like we need to shrink ourselves. So in my home I wanted to celebrate Black women and culture. I have lots of African decor and a few Black art prints.
The Chic Guide: What’s a top tip you would share about interior design?
Auffrey: I just learned about this one recently! SCALE! How big and small items are in relation to each other and the size of the space can really make all the difference.
The Chic Guide: Plants, you have a lot of them! How many exactly? Do you have any tips?
Auffrey: We have about 60 plants in our home. I became a plant parent during the pandemic. I needed a hobby that I could really enjoy during lockdown. Before lockdown, I killed all of my plants. Now that I’m more experienced I realize I was overwatering them. From experience, the No. 1 killer of plants is overwatering. I was watering mine everyday. For comparison, I don’t have any plants now that I water everyday. I pick plants that can survive a little neglect or are low maintenance. Knowing the type of light your apartment has is also key when deciding which plants to bring home.
The Chic Guide: Did you make any design mistakes along the way?
Auffrey: Ahaha, yes! The living/dining room and hallway were supposed to be an off white paint color. I had the apartment painted before we moved into it. To my absolute shock the paint came out YELLOW. I was mortified. BUT it actually was a “happy mistake” as Bob Ross said. It inspired me to embrace it and go with more color in my apartment. I was intimidated by color before. Our last apartment was all grey – the sofa, chairs, and rug. So I’m so happy that happened!
The Chic Guide: How long have you been decorating?
Auffrey: I remember when I was around 10 years old sitting in the backyard writing down all the home decor and essentials I would need when I moved out and where I would buy them. I distinctly remember writing down in my little notebook: 50 hangers from Family Dollar! Haha! I’ve always liked interior design but I didn’t become good at it until I really embraced who I am and what makes me and my family happy over trying to design the way Ikea catalogs look.
The Chic Guide: What’s your favorite part of your home?
Auffrey: My favorite part is the patio and my bedroom. The patio is an outdoor oasis in the concrete city. It’s a great place to unwind and relax and to hang out with friends. My bedroom is the smallest room, but it’s where I spend the most time. I made it ultra cozy in there with the canopy and the bright yellow walls bring me all the warmth.
The Chic Guide: What were some design challenges you faced in your home?
Auffrey: The dining/living room area is one medium sized room. I used every nook and cranny in there to maximize the space. I’m in the midst of a dining nook makeover with Havenly, a design service where you work 1-on-1 with a designer. I really needed help with this nook so I called in for assistance, which is totally fine to do; we can’t be great at everything and there’s always more to learn from others. With Havenly’s help I switched out my common dining chairs for a blue banquette and it’s really maximized the space because it fits in the odd spaced nook perfectly. I didn’t even know what a banquette was until recently. If you’re wondering like I was before, it’s pretty much like a sofa for your dining table.
The Chic Guide: Where can we follow along your design journey?
Auffrey: I share my home and designs and funny reels on Instagram.