Emily&Sarah 518 E 5th St.

Adress: 518 E 5th St. New York, NY 10009

Duplex Apartment

1 bedroom / 2 bedroom flex

1.5 bath

* = see product list

Upper Level

Kitchen

Bedroom

Curtains* are obviously very important here for privacy. I would purchase a two-beam curtain rod* for the sliding door. Two sheer panels on the inner beam gives privacy without blocking out the light; two thicker curtains on the outer beam. When mounting - mount the rod at least a foot above the door, it will make the room feel bigger. On the small window I would opt for something different to create visual interest. Retro wooden blinds, or something beaded will give the wall some character.

There are many options for the small window, having a large window sill is always a plus. One option would be a really pretty pot or vase and a plant. This may be niche - but I love the look of old cigar boxes* - they make great storage for photos, jewelry, sunglasses, etc. and you can stack them under the plant or flowers to add color. Hanging sun-catchers or crystals can reflect light throughout the room.

The indented space is fun to play around with. If the wood drawers fit you could place those here. If not, consider a mirror with built in shelves below, or a full length mirror. Would also be a cute spot for a small chair or laundry basket. (Something cool or sporty like a vintage dining chair?)

You can put the head of the bed on either of the blank walls. A pendant light can be placed overhead for reading, paired with artwork or a large print. If you place the head of the bed against the wall adjacent to the bedroom door - a beaded curtain could make the space cozier, and feel less exposing when the door is open. The small wood table or other nightstand* can be put on the right side of the bed in either setup.

Lower Level

Living Room

Lighting is going to be very important here since the flex wall will block most of the natural light in the space. These globe lamps are a great option - they offer natural, diffused light to the space. I would put one of these under the awkward space beneath the stairs. You can style it with some stacked books - having the bindings facing the wall will help it look less cluttered.

In the corner, you can tuck an armchair partially beneath the stairs. The small wood table would fit nicely as a side table. A plug-in pendant light will fill the blank space on the wall. Make sure the pendant allows dispersed light, not just downward. Angling the chair will create some hidden space in the corner that can be used for storage.

You can likely fit a decent sized sofa along the wall parallel to the stairs. A light color would ideal to prevent the space from feeling too dark. Space will be very tight so only a small coffee table would work. I would opt for either an elongated oval or irregular shape. An area rug helps the space feel less cold and modern (you can get large rugs for deals on FaceBook Marketplace). On the wall above the couch you can put artwork.

Along the flex wall, you can put a narrow console table, with a T.V. on top. Putting a cabinet against the wall will provide some extra stability, just note that you wont be able to mount the T.V. Placing the flex wall along the far edge of the air duct allows for some more space here.