Designer Becky Shea's Long Island City Apartment Channels Modern Cali

For Becky and Jake Shea, founder and cofounder of Becky Shea Design, decorating their Long Island City apartment was all about functionality and minimalism. "Living in New York City means we have minimal space to work with, so we approached this home with the objective that everything had to be multi-purpose," says Becky. "We're minimalists at heart and hate clutter, so we rarely bring new things into the space unless they've been procured from travels or occasions that have sentimental value." They pared back everything from the furnishings to the palette, opting for soft hues with pops of black and gray for contrast, and used a curated selection of natural materials throughout the apartment, including linen, wool, and cashmere.

Since the apartment is a rental, they couldn't make any major changes, but the couple managed to make the most of the space's existing design elements and open layout. "At first, we were nervous about having one less wall because of the large-format windows, and when you toss in the angled entryway and part of the kitchen, we really felt we needed to get creative without compromising any views," says Jake. The end result is a calm retreat that feels worlds away from the busy city just outside their windows.