纽约 Stuyvesant Town 艺术公寓 | 色彩与极简的完美平衡

Laura Chautin and Masami Hosono were not expecting a move to Stuyvesant Town last April. The newlywed couple had a charming old railroad apartment situated right above Masami’s hair salon in the East Village that became their second home, especially over the course of the pandemic. The feeling was mutual for Laura, who returned to New York from Chicago to work for an interior designer. “I felt like I was missing my practice,” she says about returning to screen printing and painting, and using her home as a studio. During lockdown, her focus shifted toward illustrations and ceramics; she even illustrated a book for her childhood friend Rio Viera-Newton.

“All of a sudden we get this call that the landlords were selling the building and we had to move out immediately; we were so sad,” Laura says, remembering the frantic chase of having to find a space at the tail end of COVID, when prices were exorbitant and apartments were scarce. The home they eventually came across was located in Stuyvesant Town, a neighborhood they didn’t feel quite as in harmony with, but it was affordable and actually provided an increase in square footage. So the couple ventured over to their new abode swiftly, bringing a lot of furniture from the previous space, slowly making it feel like home again. 

“A good amount of pieces we had bought during lockdown, and boredom,” Laura shares, putting her brief stint in interior design to use, noting how much the extra space came in handy. “Since our old apartment was so narrow, it’s been fun to have room for a proper dining table, color, and lots of things.” Plus, plenty of space for her new ceramic-focused artistic endeavors.

The suggestion of “things,” however, is somewhat of a double-edged sword for the couple. While Laura is a self-proclaimed color-loving eclectic, Masami favors a cool Japanese minimalist style and “likes everything to be very clean and simple.” Laura recalls how one time she put a few fun stacks of books on the floor for decor and watched as Masami was particularly taken aback. “At the end of the day, it’s good; we balance each other out,” she adds.

Above Laura and Masami, a family artwork, handed down to them from Laura’s parents. It is one of many items of heritage in the apartment. Photo: Donna Dotan

Plus, they’ve created a rich collection of heritage-inspired Japanese ceramics, venturing to Japan to visit Masami’s family, and returning with a “ridiculous” amount—an homage to Masami in style and Laura in excess.

But at the end of the day, it’s all of the personal touches that set the tone throughout the space, which is full of character and brimming with artistry. Laura points out numerous pieces that are either passed down from family, crafted by friends who are artists, or one-of-a-kind salvaged vintage pieces. An aged patterned quilt that hangs in their bedroom is a personal favorite, originally purchased from the antique textile store Shark Tooth in Williamsburg. “It was very tattered when we found it, which is usually not their thing, but it was on sale and we didn’t want it repaired,” she shares, appreciating the personal touch that it added.

In the corner, a close-up of a hand-drawn ceramic water jug crafted by Laura. Photo: Donna Dotan

This wooden bench by Lilbarnabis.co along with Bento’s crate create a zen entryway. Photo: Donna Dotan

Even the smaller details possess a nostalgic significance: A series of ceramic dogs on a floating shelf in the living room depict their dog, Bento, in an array of cartoonish poses. It was a wedding gift from Laura’s best friend, Katie Kimmel. Another artist friend, Yuri Shimojo, gifted them a painting that is currently mounted above the bed.

Laura insists that “it’s still a work in progress,” calling out the bedroom, in particular, which is simple and a nice visual break from all of the other colorful rooms, as she’s come to realize. It’s also one of the spaces that made her finally come around to the neighborhood: “The best part of the apartment is our bedroom window is facing a pickleball court, so I wake up at 7 a.m. every morning to this elderly community playing on the courts. It immediately puts a smile on my face.”

A flower-shaped table by E&Ko adds a playful touch to the sophisticated bedroom. Photo: Donna Dotan