Interior designer Margaret Costello had been living in Palm Beach, Florida for twenty-five years when she decided that it was time to pack up and head back to New York City. Her firm specializes in turnkey projects in West Palm Beach, so she was familiar with not just working with the interior architecture of a space but also furnishing it to the last detail. When deciding where she wanted to live in New York, the location was crucial.

“It was important to me that I pick a neighborhood where I could be close to the things I spend time doing on a daily basis,” she explained, “including work, dining, visiting friends, and so on, especially because NYC is such a large city. I saw this apartment on the second day of my search and the building had just been renovated. It was tiny but mighty.” As is the case with most places in the city, her new pied-à-terre had a small foot-print. With not even 450 square-feet to work with, she had to be very strategic about her furniture selection.

“The bedroom, for example, is small, and I only wanted a bed and a nightstand to keep the space open,” she said. “I had The Container Store build out the one closet in the space so I would not need a dresser.” She splurged on the Nest Bed designed by Niels Bendtsen for Design Within Reach with a Leesa mattress. In the corner of the room, she put a rope chair that she found in Brimfield Flea Market.

Another way that Margaret maximized functionality without taking up space was by using two benches from Edelman Leather, that she had covered with grey sheepskin from Jay Teske Leather, as tables in front of her sofa. “They are so versatile, I have used them at the foot of my bed, they have been used in my living room as extra seating and now as a coffee table,” she said.

The gray tonalities of the living room furniture pair well with her off-black kitchen. Two black metal industrial stools serve as the perfect seating to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee in the morning. “I love all the windows and the light. From wherever you sit, you have a city view,” she added. “I love this apartment, every space has multiple purposes and it functions so well.”