ment. She approaches décor with the same expertise, utilizing layers and understanding the importance of appropriate balance. Always eager to experiment with the potential avenues of a space, she tries to push people just out of their comfort zones to help them discover an aesthetic they may have otherwise never attempted. “Design is all about an open mind, and recognizing the beauty in opportunities beyond what you’d normally think to incorporate,” says Bailey.
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mall spaces, like Bailey’s apartment, also require an open mind. Bailey never allows the architecture of a room to be oppressive; instead, she fights back and creates useful space by being inventive with a floor plan, even if it feels coun-
terintuitive. Initially, placing a bookcase in the middle of a studio seemed like it could cramp the space even further; Bailey tried it anyway, and successfully produced two separate rooms that still feel spacious. Lost as to where to place her bed, she finally pushed it beneath the windows; it seemed a strange placement, but it instantly opened up the area. The one thing that continued to irk the designer was a large square cutout in the wall between her kitchen and living space, literally allowing a direct view of her microwave from her bed. She’d wanted to incorporate a Lindsay McCrum photograph from the shop into her space; when she finally brought it home, she realized the cutout wall was the best place to hang it. A solution in-
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ailey refers to the fabric over her desk as a great studio apartment trick. “It’s a secret weapon for storage,” she says. “I have so many extra things under that desk, but the fabric hides it, making the area look clean and tidy.”