Milly + Michelle Smith

There are few things I like to take out of my closet and wear more than one of my Milly dresses. I have several and I love the fun prints and great fit. I guess it comes as no surprise then, that Milly founder (and fellow Southerner) Michelle Smith is just as chic and fun as the clothing she designs. Her 1920's apartment in New York was featured in Elle Decor in 2007 and I loved the place so much I thought the pictures worth revisiting.

I love the easy elegance of this hallway - the dark hard wood is a fabulous contrast against the paint and David Hicks Hexagon wall paper, don't you think? Smith said in the write-up that she wanted the apartment to have a "young, sexy feeling."

This isn't a bedroom, my friends. This is a boudoir.
The mohair headboard and creamy coverlet give the room a bit of texture. Smith said she wanted it to feel "like moving into Grandma's apartment and making it modern and whimsical, but still classic."

Who needs to visit a spa when your bathroom looks like this? Her designer, Shaun Jackson, did an incredible job keeping a timeless look that still manages to look current.

The unexpected details make it extra special - this room is like a game of eye spy: what is your favorite element?

Smith said she knew her apartment was 'the one' when she saw the Christian Louboutin boutique across the street - her closet shelves were constructed to perfectly fit 4" Manolos, many of which she has collaborated on with the designer himself for her runways.

The 1950s American brass-and-crystal chandelier is definitley the focal point of the room - doesnt it look like a dandelion?

The apartment required a "thorough gutting", overseen by architect Anik Pearson, who also added elements like the beautiful coffered ceiling in this room. "I always like to mix patterns, prints, and textures, and I tried to do the same with our apartment," the designer says. "For me, it’s like a big collage."

Always the art fanatic, I had to find out about the nun portrait on her wall. It’s artist Tony Scherman’s depiction of Catherine Millet, the author of memoir The Sexual Life of Catherine M. Has anyone read it? I heard it's rather racy!


The dining room is my favorite. The venetian chandelier, Art Deco table, and 1940s chairs by designer Gilbert Rohde are breathtaking against the vintage wallpaper, which looks an awful like one of Michelle's dresses this season, don't you think?


Perhaps her inspiration? Milly Dress, 363.00, at Saks

Ronda over at All The Best has done a fabulous profile of Michelle Smith that is worth reading if you're interested in learning more about her personal style and possible foray into interiors.


All images styled by Carlos Mota and photographed by Roger Davies for Elle Decor