The star of Twin Peaks, Letters to Juliet, and Mamma Mia! prefers country-style interiors, and she decided to bring that same simple, rustic aesthetic to her New York apartment. Here’s what she came up with.
“When I bought this pied-à-terre in New York, there were only windows,” Amanda Seyfried says with a laugh.
The apartment was created from three former service rooms on the top floor of a 1907 building. At the time, it had little in the way of finished walls, proper flooring, or anything else needed for comfortable everyday living.
What it did have were spectacular arched windows that flooded the rooms with light. That abundance of light and air won Amanda over immediately and convinced her to buy the place. She had wanted for some time to replace the downtown apartment on the third floor where she had lived since she was 24.
Back then, she was young and wanted to be in the middle of everything. She loved the energy and noise of the city right outside her windows and was also afraid of heights. These days, however, she and her husband, actor Thomas Sadoski, spend most of their time at their farm in the Catskills. They come to New York for work and other commitments, so what they needed was a comfortable place to stay for a few days at a time—and somewhere their young children would feel at home, too.
The interior was designed by General Assembly, which became involved while the apartment was still being purchased. This was already Amanda’s third project with the studio’s founder, Sarah Zames, so she gave Zames and her partner, Colin Stief, complete creative freedom from the start.
There was plenty of work to do.
“We had to do a tremendous amount of work to make the apartment truly livable,” Sarah says. It was probably the studio’s most ambitious project to date.
The kitchen was custom-designed by the studio, with oak cabinetry and marble countertops. Stem Shade Rig pendant lights by Pelle Designs hang above the island.
An oak divider made from wooden boards separates the entryway from the kitchen.
“When you walk into the apartment, there’s a small, somewhat enclosed entryway, even though it’s directly next to the kitchen,” Sarah explains. The coat rack is by Fort Standard.
Because the apartment is located in a historic landmarked building, there were strict restrictions, particularly when it came to changing the layout. The designers solved many of those challenges with extensive built-in storage and custom cabinetry.
“Sarah is a magician when it comes to making the most of a small space. She always has so many original ideas,” Amanda says with a laugh.
For this project, the kitchen was placed directly beneath a skylight, with custom cabinets fitted into the room’s unusual geometry. An oak partition with a built-in mirror separates it from the entryway, floor-to-ceiling oak cabinetry provides storage in the primary bedroom, and the children’s room features a bunk bed.
The Dining Room. The dining table is by Hudson Furniture, while the chairs are antique. The Soren pendant light is by Pinch, and the Strata shelving unit is by Fort Standard.
The ceramic sculpture on the shelf was made by Amanda’s sister when she was in high school, during a ceramics class. Beside it is a sculpture by artist Ian Collings. The black vase on the table is by Danny Kaplan.
Amanda loves the atmosphere of the family’s farmhouse in the Catskills, which was also designed by General Assembly. “I grew up in the city, in a stone house, but I’ve always loved history and the smell of old wood. To me, that’s what history smells like,” she says.
For the New York apartment, the designers wanted to capture that same country-house feeling so Amanda would feel at ease whenever she was there.
“We wanted to create the same atmosphere as her country home upstate, because she is constantly going back and forth between the two. We didn’t want the apartment to feel like a complete departure from what she was used to,” the designers explain.
The apartment’s floors were therefore finished with natural wood boards, and shutters were installed on the windows.
“The arched windows are one of the apartment’s defining features, and we wanted to emphasize them,” the designers say. “Instead of hiding them behind curtains, we designed shutters that block the harsh sunlight, allow you to control the amount of light in the room, and provide privacy without completely blocking the view. They also bring a little bit of that country-house character into the apartment.”
The Living Room
The rug is from ABC Carpet. The sofa is by Home. The vintage armchairs were reupholstered in fabrics by Élitis and Dedar. The coffee table is by Fort Standard, and the vase on top is by Floris Wubben. The walls are painted in Wimborne White by Farrow & Ball.
A portrait of Amanda with a cat by artist Mark Ryden hangs on the wall. The dollhouse is by Make It Cute.
Amanda and her family enjoy spending time here. She is also appearing in a Broadway production, which means she has to be in New York more often.
“For the next six or seven or eight months, this will become my main home. And I know that I’ll feel cozy, comfortable, and safe here.”
The Bedroom
Amanda sits on a custom oak storage unit designed by General Assembly. The shutters were also made to order and painted in Slipper Satin by Farrow & Ball.
The walls are covered in Atacama wallpaper by Farrow & Ball. Textiles are from Roman and Williams Guild.
The Hallway
Ceiling lights by Allied Maker. Wall sconces by Studio Dunn. Rug by Salam Hello.
Photography by Cassie Floto Warner