Inside Amanda Seyfried’s Peaceful New York Home | Open Door | Architectural Digest

Summary

Amanda Seyfried takes us on a tour of her New York City apartment, designed by Sarah Zames from General Assembly. The space is designed to feel natural and peaceful, with a mix of modern and antique furniture, and a focus on natural elements. Seyfried highlights the open and airy kitchen, the practical laundry facilities, and the cozy dining area with a sentimental table. The living room features a custom bookshelf and a unique piece of art by Mark Ryden. The home also includes a powder room with a pocket door, a hallway with arched windows, and a master bedroom with a walk-in closet and a secret exit. The children's room is playful with bunk beds and custom wallpaper, while the bathrooms are bright and beautifully tiled. Seyfried's love for her family, art, and design is evident throughout the apartment, making it a true home away from her upstate farm.

Takeaways

• 🏡 Amanda Seyfried's New York City apartment is designed by Sarah Zames, who also worked on her upstate farm's stone house.
• 🌿 The apartment's design aims to feel natural and peaceful, offering a sense of home amidst the city's hustle.
• 🪵 An oak wall and mirror are featured in the foyer, with the mirror being essential for last-minute appearance checks.
• 🍳 The kitchen is open, airy, and light, with a focus on aesthetics over current use, as the husband hasn't cooked there yet.
• 🧺 A unique feature of the apartment is the ability to do laundry within the unit, considered a luxury in New York City.
• 🚻 The powder room is small but practical, with a pocket door designed by Sarah for space efficiency.
• 🍽 Amanda cherishes a table from her previous apartment, symbolizing the creation of new memories over a meal.
• 📚 The apartment includes a custom bookshelf and a collection of cookbooks, organized to be closer to the kitchen.
• 🖼 Personal touches are evident through family artwork, including pieces by Amanda's daughter and sister.
• 🛋 The living space is multi-functional, serving as a TV room and a gathering spot for the family, with a focus on comfort and togetherness.
• 🛏️ Amanda's bedroom features a 12-foot ceiling, providing a unique sense of space and a reverberant environment for singing.
• 🧘‍♀️ The bathroom is described as the best Amanda has experienced, with bright, beautiful tiles, and a zen-like atmosphere.

Q & A

Who is the designer architect that Amanda Seyfried worked with for her New York City apartment?

Sarah Zames from General Assembly.

What feature of her apartment does Amanda Seyfried describe as a luxury for New Yorkers?

The ability to do her own laundry within her apartment.

What does Amanda Seyfried value about the oak wall in her apartment?

It sets the kitchen apart and elongates the foyer, providing a sense of separation and flow.

What does Amanda Seyfried mention about her kitchen that she finds particularly appealing?

It is open, airy, and light, contributing to a peaceful feeling in the city.

What is the significance of the mirror in the foyer of Amanda's apartment?

It is essential for checking one's appearance before leaving the apartment.

What does Amanda Seyfried say about the artwork by Mark Ryden in her apartment?

It is her favorite piece of art, which was inspired by a conversation she had with the artist about painting her with a dead cat.

What is unique about the living space in Amanda's New York City apartment?

The kitchen, dining room, and living room are all in the same open space, which makes it feel cozy and connected.

What kind of rug does Amanda Seyfried have in her living space, and where is it from?

She has a rug from her old apartment that she bought at ABC Carpet & Home.

What is special about the plugs in Amanda's apartment?

They are numerous, allowing for easy access to electricity, and are designed to be visually appealing and chic.

How does Amanda Seyfried describe the atmosphere of her bathroom?

It is very bright, beautiful, and has a zen-like quality with classic traditional fittings.

What is the significance of the hands in Amanda's bedroom?

They are a special and unique piece that she has had since her old apartment, adding a distinctive vibe to the room.

What is the purpose of the playhouse in the children's bedroom?

It is designed to be a space for the kids to play, explore, and make their own, with an aesthetic outside that is pleasing and calming to the parents.

Outlines

00:00

🏡 Amanda's NYC Apartment Tour

Amanda Seyfried introduces her New York City apartment, designed by Sarah Zames. She emphasizes the natural feel of the space, which contrasts with her upstate farm. The apartment features an oak wall that separates the foyer from the kitchen, a full-sized mirror for last-minute appearance checks, and an open kitchen with a unique appliance that, despite its aesthetic appeal, remains unused. The apartment includes a laundry facility, a compact powder room with a practical pocket door, and a dining area with a cherished old table that holds sentimental value. Amanda appreciates the soft curves in the design, such as the custom bookshelf and arch windows, which add a unique touch. She also showcases her daughter's early artwork and her sister's high school project, both of which are proudly displayed. The space is multifunctional, serving as a TV room with a low circular table that accommodates her children, and a L-shaped couch that fits perfectly despite initial doubts. The room is completed with a rug from her previous apartment, tying her past and present life as a mother.

05:02

🌿 Cozy City Living with a Touch of Nature

Amanda describes how her NYC apartment retains a connection to nature, despite being in the city, and how it mirrors her lifestyle at her upstate house. She highlights the abundance of elegant electrical outlets and the chic design of the apartment. The chairs in her living space are antiques reupholstered by Sarah, reflecting Amanda's love for blending antique and modern pieces. She also mentions the closets and their practicality in a small space, including a clever drawer system for hiding toys. The apartment has a long hallway with custom-made rugs and stunning arched doors, providing a view of the roof deck where her children play. Amanda's bedroom features a 12-foot ceiling, an old carpet, and a walk-in closet. She treasures a pair of 'hands' artwork from her previous apartment, which adds character to the room. The room's acoustics, due to the high ceiling, make it an ideal space for singing. She also enjoys the novelty of having two exits in her bedroom, adding a fun secret element. Lastly, she shares a funny story about her dog's appearance on the David Letterman show.

10:02

🛁 Luxurious Bathrooms and Kids' Creative Space

Amanda's bathroom is described as the best she has ever experienced, with its bright and beautiful design, perfect tile color, and classic fittings. She admires the marble used throughout and the medicine cabinets that provide excellent lighting. The bathroom has a very zen and light atmosphere. She then presents her walk-in closet with a large mirror before moving on to her children's bedroom, which she considers the most fun room in the apartment. It includes art that will likely be replaced one day, bunk beds that are ideal for city living, and wallpaper with watercolor prints that Amanda loves for their color. The room also features a light fixture that her daughter adored from her previous closet and a playhouse designed by Amanda and her friends, which will soon be available for purchase. The playhouse is designed for children to play and explore with an aesthetically pleasing exterior for parents. Amanda's second bathroom serves as the kids' bathroom or her mother's, as her mother also resides in the apartment. She concludes the tour by inviting viewers to return for another visit.

Keywords

💡Apartment

An apartment refers to a self-contained housing unit that occupies a portion of a building. In the video, Amanda Seyfried's New York City apartment is the central theme, showcasing its design and personal touches that make it a home away from her upstate farm.

💡Designer Architect

A designer architect is a professional who specializes in the design and planning of buildings and spaces. Sarah Zames from General Assembly is mentioned as the designer architect who has worked with Amanda Seyfried, highlighting her role in creating a natural and peaceful urban living space.

💡Oak Wall

An oak wall is a wall made from or featuring oak, a type of hardwood known for its strength and aesthetic appeal. In the video, the oak wall serves as a design element that separates the kitchen and elongates the foyer, contributing to the apartment's unique character.

💡Gourmet Kitchen

A gourmet kitchen is a high-quality, well-equipped kitchen designed for cooking and preparing fine food. The term is used humorously in the video to describe the kitchen, which appears visually stunning but has not yet been used for cooking by Amanda's husband.

💡In-Unit Laundry

In-unit laundry refers to a laundry facility located within an individual's living space. It is highlighted as a luxury feature in Amanda's New York City apartment, emphasizing the convenience and practicality it offers to urban dwellers.

💡Powder Room

A powder room is a small bathroom, typically containing a toilet and a sink, often found in residential homes. In the video, the powder room's inclusion and design are credited to Sarah Zames, showcasing attention to detail and practicality in the apartment's layout.

💡Custom Bookshelf

A custom bookshelf is a bookshelf designed and built specifically for a particular space, often to fit the dimensions and style of the room. The custom bookshelf in the video is noted for its height and the way it softens the room's hard edges, reflecting a thoughtful design approach.

💡Arch Windows

Arch windows are windows with a curved top, an architectural feature that adds a classic and aesthetically pleasing element to a space. The video mentions paying homage to these arch windows, indicating a respect for traditional design and a desire to preserve the building's character.

💡Walk-in Closet

A walk-in closet is a large closet that one can walk into, providing ample space for hanging and storing clothes. The video describes the walk-in closet as a feature of Amanda's bedroom, emphasizing the apartment's spaciousness and the convenience it offers.

💡Reupholster

Reupholstering is the process of replacing the fabric or leather on a piece of furniture. In the video, Sarah reupholsters chairs from Amanda's old apartment, blending antique charm with modern aesthetics and demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and personalization.

💡Roof Deck

A roof deck is an outdoor deck or patio area located on the roof of a building. The video mentions the roof deck as a shared space where Amanda's children enjoy riding their tricycle, indicating the apartment's access to outdoor amenities and the importance of play and leisure in the family's lifestyle.

💡Bunk Beds

Bunk beds are a type of bed designed for two people, with one bed stacked above the other. They are mentioned in the context of the children's bedroom, symbolizing the efficient use of space, which is a common consideration in urban living.

Highlights

Amanda Seyfried's New York City apartment is designed by Sarah Zames from General Assembly, who has also worked on her upstate farm.

The apartment's design aims to feel natural and peaceful, despite being in a bustling city.

An oak wall and mirror are used to create a sense of space and elongate the foyer.

The kitchen is open, airy, and features a unique, rarely used appliance that adds to its gourmet aesthetic.

Amanda's apartment includes a luxury feature: the ability to do laundry within the apartment itself.

The powder room is small but practical, with a pocket door designed by Sarah.

Amanda cherishes her old table from her previous apartment, symbolizing the creation of new memories.

The apartment incorporates curves in the wood and windows to soften the space.

A custom bookshelf is designed to fit the space and provide a sense of openness.

Amanda's daughter's early artwork is displayed, showcasing her talent as an artist.

The apartment includes 'toilet art' and a custom wool vagina piece, reminding residents of their humanity.

Cookbooks and additional books are strategically organized closer to the kitchen.

Arch windows are a key architectural feature that has been restored and highlighted.

A piece of art by Mark Ryden, featuring Amanda with a dead cat, is a standout item in the apartment.

The TV room is a central space in the apartment where the family spends a lot of time.

A low circular table is essential for family interaction and is complemented by a comfortable L-shaped couch.

The apartment's design successfully merges modern elements with antiques, such as reupholstered chairs.

A coat closet and clever storage solutions keep toys and clutter out of sight.

A long hallway with custom rug and stunning doors leads to the bedrooms.

The master bedroom features a unique 12-foot ceiling and special touches like 'hands' artwork.

The bathroom is described as the best Amanda has experienced, with beautiful tiling and bright, traditional fittings.

The children's bedroom is playful and well-designed, with bunk beds and custom wallpaper.

The second bathroom serves as both the kids' and Amanda's mother's bathroom, who also lives in the apartment.

Transcripts

- Hi, AD, I'm Amanda Seyfried

and this is my New York City apartment.

And I'd love to show it to you 'cause it's very cool.

[light jazz music]

My designer architect is Sarah Zames from General Assembly.

It is not the first time I've worked with her.

I live upstate on a farm, so I have all that,

and she's done a great job with my old stone house.

And what I wanted here was something that felt natural.

And I just feel so at peace here in the big city

feeling like we're slightly home even though we're not home.

[light music]

This oak wall kind of sets us away a little bit

from the kitchen and it elongates the foyer

and the mirror is essential because you gotta

check your look before you leave, you know?

[light upbeat music]

So this kitchen is open, very airy, very light.

Honestly, I don't know what this is,

but my husband wanted it.

Never used it but looks stunning in a kitchen.

Makes it seem like it's a gourmet kitchen.

Is it a gourmet kitchen?

One day, but it isn't right now

because I'll tell you who hasn't cooked here yet,

my husband.

Like most New York City apartments,

we have this amazing feature

which we couldn't get rid of even if we wanted to.

And I don't know if you're interested

but I can do my own wash in my apartment,

which is a luxury for you New Yorkers, you know that.

That's the powder room.

It's tiny, it's got a pocket door because that's practical.

It was Sarah's idea.

I was like, "Do we need a powder room?"

And she said, "Yeah, we do."

So I'm gonna, no, I don't have to go.

[upbeat music]

This is my old table from my old apartment.

I will never part with it.

Dinnertime is just oil and food on the floor and messiness,

and a new stain is made and a new memory is made

and that's just how we have to look at things.

[light upbeat music]

I love the curve of the wood here

because it just softens everything.

I mean there's just hard edges everywhere all the time

so I love the fact that Sarah wanted

to kind of soften it up.

Everything's a little softer in certain ways

because of the curve of the windows that softens things.

Even to the curve of like this custom bookshelf.

It's so open and each shelf is very tall

and it was made for this space.

Oh, this is actually, my daughter's like, old work.

It was right when she started drawing people.

This was years ago.

My daughter's actually actually an incredible artist.

It blows my mind.

I was never that good.

And this is my sister, she made this in high school.

I've had it in my apartment since I moved downtown.

There is in every room I guess there's toilet art.

Yeah, it's funny.

I actually, in my house upstate,

I have like a wool vagina hanging, custom vagina.

Not kidding.

I don't know why, I like to remember that we're all human.

And then I have all the cookbooks that I organized

specifically to be closer to the kitchen.

And then all the books that didn't fit upstate

or that I had in my old apartment, I just put it all here.

And you know, I try to keep the kids off of here.

There's a little bit of a marker mark.

[light jazz music]

We really paid homage to these arch windows.

I also think that old is beautiful

and if you can restore anything that's that beautiful

and that iconic, you should, it's our responsibility.

And then I have my favorite piece of art ever

by Mark Ryden.

He was inspired by something I said about me wanting him

to paint me with a dead cat,

and he literally painted me with a dead cat.

But it says Amanda.

Really that is me.

[light music]

We use this space wisely.

We use the space more than any other space

because it's the TV room.

And I'll show you where the TV is in a minute.

But first, another very essential piece is the table.

I had to have it because it's, again, it's like a circle,

so it's soft and my kids can actually sit around it

because it's really low.

This couch actually, I bought a little before I moved in

and it was like the first L-shaped couch I've ever bought.

I was like, "Is this really gonna fit in this apartment?"

And it's perfect.

Everybody can fit.

And so we spent a lot of time here.

This rug is from my old apartment.

I got this at ABC Carpet.

It was the first rug I ever bought from them.

I was very young

and ties in, like, my past with my present as a mom.

This whole space, my kitchen, dining room, living room,

the fact that they're all sharing pretty much the same space

makes it feel really cozy

'cause it's totally different from my house upstate.

But there are also so many similarities

and and tie-ins to, like, the way we live up there

and the way we live here.

We're still in nature.

I will say like one of my favorite things is these plugs.

There's so many places to plug plugin electricity

and they're so gorgeous.

It's so chic.

[light jazz music]

These chairs are actually from my old apartment

that Sarah reupholstered.

I love antiques.

I love mixing antiques with modern furniture.

I love it.

I think it's such a puzzle.

I love the fact that you can just reupholster them

and make them look totally different.

And the bones are the same.

The wood is stunning and they're so old.

We just renew and recycle and repurpose.

So these are closets, coat closet.

This is really cool because, again, small spaces.

And I'll be honest, we never close these.

I only closed these for you.

This guy.

Essential for watching "Dateline" with your husband

after your kids go to bed.

And then these little drawers, they are the toys.

We don't have to see them all the time, right?

Are you with me, parents?

Another gorgeous.

You don't wanna see that

'cause I actually threw everything in there for your visit.

Oh, I'm gonna need that later.

Okay, I'm gonna close these back up

and I'm gonna show you how easy they are.

We're not gonna use this part, right?

[light music]

And that's it.

That's my big living space.

And then things get pretty narrow after this.

So hold on.

[light music]

I have a hallway, which is not something I've had before.

It's really long and finding a rug long enough was so hard

but then we were able to find a a place

that custom made it for just a great price.

I mean there's four doors in this hallway

and they're all incredibly stunning.

Like, just the archway, like I never had that.

And then all these windows.

I mean, I can see what anybody's doing,

if anybody's out on the roof deck, which I share.

So the kids actually have this tricycle, this two seater,

and they're obsessed with it.

And I'm actually not sure that we're allowed bicycles

on the roof, but no one has caught us yet.

And they get so much energy out and it's great.

And this is my bedroom.

[light jazz music]

This is the only room that has 12 foot ceiling

and I don't know why.

I have my old carpet.

I have my dresser, I have a walk-in closet,

I have my desk, and my bed from my old apartment.

I have my hands from my old apartment.

See?

Yeah.

Had to do it.

Sarah's like, "You really want this hands?"

And I was like, "I do."

These hands are just special.

I don't know where they came from.

I don't know if they exist anywhere else.

They feel like one-offs or two offs,

and it adds like a little bit of a vibe to the room.

It's actually a really perfect place to sing in.

Only when I'm alone, of course.

I don't know why I still am afraid to sing

in front of people.

But there's just a lot of reverb in this room

because of these tall ceilings.

You sound better with reverb, you just do.

But I will also show you, I've never had two doors.

I've never had two doors.

So this is a secret.

It's a secret.

That's another exit.

Just in case.

I thought that was really fun.

I love secrets.

[light upbeat music]

I brought my dog onto David Letterman.

I dunno why.

I guess because I was, you know, he's cool.

He's a special guy.

And I was showing him my dog trick

'cause David Letterman used to do like, pet tricks.

And I showed him that he could have a hamburger

on his head without eating it.

And yeah, it worked because he's a badass.

[light music]

I have to show you my bathroom

because it's the best bathroom I've ever experienced

as my own.

It's so crazy bright.

It's so beautiful.

The tile is the perfect color by NYC standards it's huge.

Like, really beautiful, classic traditional fittings.

And the fact is like, yes, of course,

we don't keep this open, but it's just so bright.

It's so bright.

So much control of these.

It's so pretty.

I love this marble.

We're using the same marble.

It's like everywhere.

I've got two big medicine cabinets

and these are, they give the most beautiful light.

I love them so much.

But it's very zen, very zen and very light.

And then I have a walk-in closet

and then a giant mirror so I can make sure that I look cool.

[light upbeat music]

Now I'm gonna show you my kids' bedroom,

which is actually, probably the most fun room.

Of course it is, it's for the kids.

First I'll show you this art that one day will be, I dunno,

taken down.

Bunk beds, ideal New York City living.

This wallpaper, I don't even know what to say.

It couldn't be more perfect.

Little watercolor prints.

I'm obsessed with it and it really gives pops of color.

This light was in my closet in my last apartment

and my daughter was so obsessed with it.

It's just birds so we had to do it.

We have my playhouse that I designed with my friends

that's gonna be on the market soon

because I of course have another, I have a business venture.

My girlfriends and I are very into architecture

and house designs.

And we wanted to create a space for our kids to play

and explore and make their own inside

but with an aesthetic outside that was pleasing,

calming to the parent.

It's a small room but we made the most of it.

And my daughter loves sleeping in it.

And someday soon, my son is gonna love sleeping it too.

Fingers crossed.

[light music]

So this is the second bathroom,

the kids' bathroom or my mom's bathroom,

because she also has a room in this place

because she lives with us and she's everything.

[upbeat music]

So that's my home away from home.

Thank you for visiting.

I hope you come back.

I'll see you later, AD. [upbeat music]