How To Steal David Harbour's Warm And Vintage-Inspired Home Style
Want to nab some interior design ideas that are both classic and inviting? Best known as Jim Hopper from Netflix's cult hit "Stranger Things," actor David Harbour's chic Manhattan bachelor pad is the farthest thing from strange. Per Architectural Digest, Harbour worked with designer Kyle O'Donnell to recreate his quaint, one room New York City loft with a sense of vintage charm. Where bohemian and mid-century meet, the laidback apartment is filled with natural light by several elongated windows, and includes numerous green plants, wood furnishings, soft accents, and personalized pieces.
Throughout Harbour's home, the presence of plant life is prominent alongside a natural palette that features white walls. Green and gold accents radiate and coincide with the vitality of the city that never sleeps. According to Memoky, incorporating lively greenery is a fundamental aspect when combining boho and vintage styles, as it balances free flowing concepts with the more formed. Mixed with mid-century styled accessories like cabinets, furniture, shelves, and tiles, there's even a modern farmhouse vibe that exudes from the actor's open concept kitchen. From vintage oriental rugs to a European-inspired range, there's plenty of elements to entice the senses within David Harbour's cozy and classic NYC haven. Keep reading for more design ideas from the custom-renovated loft!
Accentuate a personalized open concept
Especially noticeable in Harbour's tight foyer is the typical lack of room to move around in a standard NYC apartment. Yet, there's still opportunity to establish a personalized design above and beyond certain limitations. Upon entering the actor's loft, a captivating seven-layer bookcase consumes the hallway. Angelic in appearance, the shelves are washed in white with lights that emanate from the sides, enhancing an overall divine glow, per Architectural Digest. Amongst the many books and keepsakes displayed on Harbour's shelves, green plants cascade down from several shelves to mingle with the soft ambiance.
To achieve a warm, boho vibe you can personalize your home's elements by incorporating plant life, memorabilia, and pieces from your travels. Harbour displays an exclusive art gallery wall opposite of the bookcase, which provides the perfect opportunity to showcase his accomplishments, celebrations, or other mementos. Moving into the main room, plants are generously arranged to separate the kitchen and living room area within an open concept.
Minimalist and functional, you might incorporate similar wood cabinetry and a sleek, shallow-armed sofa or sectional couch stocked with plush pillows, blankets, and rugs to keep things cozy. Like Harbour's color palette, keep the feeling relaxed with white, brown, tan, and blue throughout your furniture, décor, and rugs; and don't be afraid to add more plants and greenery. Tall windows and white walls also emphasize the natural light and the overall appeal of the apartment.
Apply a captivating wallpaper that defines you
As a way to express yourself through design, wallpaper can be better than painting. In keeping a vintage vibe with a personal touch, you might try various hand-painted designs with unique geometric or animal patterns that exemplify your style. Harbour features a classic animalistic pattern on his gallery wall called Tendresse Feline by Hermès, which was created by wildlife artist Robert Dallet. The delicate scene features leopards, tigers, and birds in soft yellows and greens, which nicely complement the other gold and green tints throughout the actor's apartment.
To keep it cool with your own boho aura, explore flora, fauna, and other worldly designs with various earthy or muted tones. Whether it's an accent wall or larger space, choose patterns and colors that blend well with your elements. For instance, according to The Wallpaper Lady, you can totally transform a breakfast nook area by introducing a mid-century modern wallpaper design that enhances the walls, corners, and wainscoting.
Design a space around a must-have piece
Choose a statement piece to set the tone of your kitchen or another living space, and then build around it. David Harbour is no stranger to knowing what inspires him. Although he has admitted he's not much of a chef, the must-have piece in his kitchen is a vintage style Lacanche French range. Elegant yet masculine, the customized gas stove features a muted green color with magnificent brass burners and handles. Even though the otherwise neutral palette of the kitchen allows the range to stand out on its own, you can also mix and match significant pieces. Hadley Court suggests grouping some smaller pieces into one main attraction.
Whether it's a piece of furniture, artwork, or a chandelier, you can merge different pieces together to create your own style, or even represent more than one design. While some areas of Harbour's kitchen appear somewhat vintage, others feature a modern homestead flare with the inviting solid wood table centered in his kitchen (instead of an island), the white farmhouse sink, and the wood block floating shelves.
Install a multi-functional rolling library ladder
Sometimes using a chair or regular ladder can be unsteady and potentially cause you to lose your balance and fall. If you have several high spaces that you need to get access to, you might install a rolling ladder. David Harbour and his designer did just that with a multi-functional rolling ladder. Mainly for use along his elevated bookshelf, it can also be transported into the kitchen to hook onto a rail that runs along his upper kitchen cabinets. This old-fashioned movable tool is often associated with larger libraries or for commercial use. In your home it can function in a multitude of places with hard-to-reach storage like a bedroom, closet, pantry, office, laundry room, playroom, wine cellar, or art studio.
If you're looking for a handy DIY project, many rolling ladders come as a kit with the required parts, ranging from around $100 to a few thousand. If you do choose to build one yourself, be aware that it may be a lengthy and complicated process. Mother Daughter Projects DIY says to consider how durable you want your ladder to be. Whether it is light or heavy might depend on how often you plan to use it and the weight you expect to place on it.
Re-invent original bathroom concepts
The bathroom in David Harbour's apartment is the darkest and most alluring part of the space. While renovating much of the previous structure, which originally consisted of two bathrooms next to each other, Kyle O'Donnell crafted it into a tranquil lair with deep ocean blue subway tiles and a gothic arched ceiling. He included a steam shower, a large tub with four faucets, and more brass fixtures. The bathroom maintains its dark and moody vibe thanks in part to the lack of a window. Although bathrooms are not required to have a window, they must have some type of ventilation system, such as a mechanical exhaust fan, per Fontana Architecture.
The toilet space is even more secluded with a privacy door. Behind the door the mood turns more jovial with an ivory-colored wallpaper. You might personalize this type of space by incorporating some localized designs that represent the area you live in. Harbour's private chamber features a wall that is papered with unique vintage-like sketches of New York City life. To gently illuminate the room, there are a few dim light fixtures, including space for plants and tapered candles.