Is there any real estate in our homes more valuable than that little slice next to our beds? Our new column gets our voyeur in on the most interesting way to style your nightstand.
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Let’s get real, a nightstand is a modern-day pedestal – our keepers of the most important secrets and essentials in our lives. So in our quest to get into what makes creatives tick, we went straight to that most interesting and best-guarded spot in the house. For our first edition, we sought out Ashley Darryl, an in-demand Manhattan-based interior designer on the rise (maybe you saw her annointed to House Beautiful’s “Next Wave,” or on Harper’s Bazaar’s site, translating runway trends into must-use interiors advice). While we showed up to the shoot prepared for a bedroom true to Ashley’s sleek yet fun aesthetic, we were not yet ready for the dynamic duo that is Ashley and her dog, Madison. However you look at it, this is one bedroom, and one designer, set up to steal the show.
While Ashley’s interiors thrive on well-executed modern touches – minimalist color palettes and contemporary lines – her inspiration is rooted firmly in the past. Growing up, she rearranged her bedroom constantly (we imagine that her interior designer mother saw this career coming from miles away), before studying art history and then antiques at Sotheby’s. Here, she fills us in on the nitty-gritty of what every bedroom needs, her morning routine, and her life hack for luxurious sheets.
The first thing I reach for in the morning is….
My phone (ugh, I know), to look at emails and Instagram. I’m not a liker or commenter that early though – that comes later in the day.
My favorite part of my bedroom is….
My table of orchid plants because they remind me of my grandmother who grew and loved them.
A nightstand is no place for…
A tissue box. Put it in a drawer!
Meanwhile, my nightstand isn’t complete without…
A glass of water and coconut chapstick from The Grapeseed Company.
Every bedroom needs the right balance of…
Calming colors + comfortable furniture.
My best tip for the bedroom is…
High-end bedding that is comfortable and classic is always my #1.
A stylish home can never have too many…
Pieces of art and plants. (Emerging artists and ferns, preferably!)
LIGHTNING ROUND!
Family photographs v. Art: BOTH!
Coffee table book v. Novel v. Notebook: Coffee table book
Alarm clock v. Cell phone v. Sunshine: Let’s be real – phone.
Plants v. Flowers: If I have to choose, flowers.
Ironed bedding v. Natural look: Ironed, for sure.*
Stay up late & sleep in v. Early to bed & early to rise: Stay up late & sleep in!
*”Oh yeah, all the time!” she told us when we asked if she ever skips the ironing. Her genius hack: Dry your sheets half-way, then hang over the shower rod and pull edges down firmly so sheets dry straight.
Thanks, Ashley!
