Couture

I'm Not Moving, But These Small Beauty and Home Upgrades Made My Old NYC Apartment Feel Entirely New

From Zara Home to Quince, these are the products I've bought—or am eyeing—to refresh my NYC apartment. Shop my home fragrances, bedsheets, candles, and more.

Красота1 октября 2026 г.

Красота
Collage of WWW associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia's NYC home decor and products she used to decorate.
(Image credit: @alyssabrascia; Tov, Urban Outfitters; Zara Home; Ruggable; Quince)@alyssabrascia; Tov, Urban Outfitters; Zara Home; Ruggable; Quince

If you live in, have ever spent time in, or know someone who currently resides in New York City, you know the treacherous journey that is finding an apartment. For someone on the fated "summer schedule"—the purgatory between June and September when the latest crop of college graduates trade their family homes for the West Village, new students pile into flex-walled apartments, and the rest of us struggle to rent the residuals (once you move within this lease cycle, it's hard to get out)—finding a stable home with less than two weeks' notice is an uphill battle. TL;DR: I tried to move this summer and failed miserably. The only solution was to stay put and make my space feel entirely new.

Now, don't get me wrong—I love my current apartment. Between its past life as a roaring twenties hotel and its homey community that feels more or less like a vertical cul-de-sac, I have adored every second living inside of it. It's just that new neighborhoods with tree-lined walking paths, roomy bedrooms, and updated kitchens call to me, and I intend to follow until I'm led to a quieter street with a little more counter space (if you're listening, moving gods). I've been in my apartment long enough for my doormen to know my daily routine and my elderly neighbors to know about my dating life, yet I've never, not once, updated my space since moving in years ago. It was time to give my apartment a good ol' rom-com-style makeover.

WWW associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia's room before and after making it over.
My bedroom before and after redecorating

"Refreshing your home can feel like a daunting investment, but it doesn't have to be," says Danielle Hurhula, vice president of home merchandising at Quince. In fact, you can look at a home makeover like a closet clean-out—clearing out what no longer fits (whether your style or space) and replacing it with a mix of timeless capsule pieces and Marie Kondo–esque joy-sparking additions. "Fashion and interiors are both forms of self-expression, so the colors, materials, patterns, and ways we layer them naturally overlap, but the biggest difference is timing," she adds. "Your wardrobe changes seasonally, but interiors have to live with us for much longer. While the influences may be shared, they tend to have more staying power in the home." Especially in a New York home, where space is sparse and multifunctional items are everything, pieces that can grow with you are a priority.

With a luxury wish list and an editor's budget, I transformed my space in a matter of weeks. Keep reading to see the home and beauty upgrades that turned my apartment into a hotel-like oasis.

21 Home and Beauty Buys That Upgraded My Space, From $13

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WWW associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia's NYC family room.
Amazon pillow cover, a Ruggable rug, and a Tov lamp

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WWW associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia's NYC bedroom.
Quince linen bedding

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The Drift Home Scent Diffuser in Rest & Relax on a bed.
Drift diffuser

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WWW associate beauty editor Alyssa Brascia's NYC bedroom.
Amazon drapes, Quince linen bedding, and a Ruggable rug

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