Rooms on Film: In America

thrifty chic in hell's kitchen, nyc

In keeping with my recent post about the insanity of New York City apartments and the lengths people will take to live here, I'm profiling a marvelous 2002 movie that got a fair amount of recognition for an indie. In America follows an Irish family as they relocate to the U.S. (via Niagara Falls) and set up house in a huge old building in Hell's Kitchen, following the death of the one of the children. 

Rooms on Film: Covert Affairs

all the comforts of home: a studio apartment with eclectic global decor, and a motherly big sister who remembers your birthday

For some time now I've wanted to do some posts about the home sets of spy chicks. They just do it better.  From the made-over La Femme Nikita to Covert Affairs's earnest Annie, there has been quite a range of cool homes. The various versions of Nikita have had slick pads that correspond to their respective eras (early '90s, late '90s, recent years) and to the amount of actual control each had over life.

The other spy girls, however, have had homes that were more clearly camouflages for their dangerous lives. Alias' Sydney Bristow had a middle-American apartment that she shared with a fiancee and later her best friend. And my current favorite, Annie's on Covert Affairs, is actually a guest house in her sister's family home. But Annie's global style is by far the nearest to my heart. So that's where we'll start. 

The Nate Berkus Show Cancelled

Thanks to Julia at Hooked on Houses, I heard about the looming end of Nate Berkus' show on ABC network. As I'm not the sort to record daytime shows, I haven't been able to watch more than a couple of episodes over the past year. Unlike The Oprah Winfrey Show, Nate's show was not carried by a local cable show in the evenings allowing me to tune in daily and get a real feel for it. 

However, I did recently catch an episode over the holidays and discover the gem of his 'House Proud' segment. There are videos from these segments on the show's website which provide a look inside some great homes. And one thing New Yorkers love is a look inside apartments. 
 
Here's hoping The Nate Berkus Show gets to retool and winds up on OWN next fall. And here are a couple of those great home tours he featured:

First, a West Village alcove studio that any work-a-day New Yorker would be thrilled to land. But would also pay dearly for. (I have always wanted to live in the WV, but never lucked into an affordable place for one. :sigh:):

tenant claudia faces the front door from an alcove kitchenette