Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture

Apartment Envy: City Modern Home Tours

By

If you live in a big city, you know how difficult it can be to make the most of a small space. How can you think about decorating when quarters are so close, your oven doubles as a nightstand? But if you’re a fan of Dwell, you know a tiny apartment is no excuse for poor design.

Recommended Videos

So to inspire you, Dwell Media and New York magazine have teamed for the 2nd Annual City Modern, a series of events to elevate the level of discussion and awareness about how design effects all areas of urban lifestyles. The roster of happenings is stellar, but we are most excited for the home tours this weekend.

What are the City Modern home tours exactly? They’re a chance to see behind the closed doors of 10 private modern residences in Manhattan and Brooklyn. But these aren’t just any well-decorated pads. Designed and furnished by New York’s top architects and interior decorators, expect to see pools, chutes, glass ceilings and other details sure to put your jaw on the floor. To get an insider look at what to expect, we caught up with Alex Polier from Dwell who handpicked all of the homes on the tour. Check out our Q&A with her below.

You handpicked each of the stunning New York homes for the tour this coming weekend. What are some of the elements you looked for when adding a residence to the final list?
I looked for variety and wanted to showcase everything from family-oriented, to the bachelor pad, to something for the power couple. The goal, as always, is for tour attendees (Dwell readers) to be able to pull ideas from any home on the tours.

Is there one tour pad in particular you would choose to live in if you could?
Skyhouse

At Dwell, you believe good design is an integral part of real life, and we agree. But utilizing a tiny city space can be tricky. Any tips for the first time decorator looking to make the most of his or her small apartment?
In the November issue, which is all about small spaces, the average size of the homes featured is about 540 square feet. Interesting fact: the average square footage of homes in the United States (according to the 2013 US census) is 2,600. Check out the issue for tips and tricks. Our archives are also full of tons of great small space examples.

To purchase tickets for the Manhattan and Brooklyn City Modern home tours, visit citymodernnyc.com. A portion of proceeds from ticket sales benefits Architecture for Humanity, a nonprofit design services firm building a more sustainable future through the power of professional design.

Amanda Gabriele
Amanda Gabriele
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Amanda Gabriele is a food and travel writer at The Manual and the former senior editor at Supercall. She can’t live without…
Top picks for February: The best movies on Hulu
Hulu is the place to watch movies across a wide array of genres
Movie on a person's phone

There's a lot of competition out there in the streaming world, and it can be hard to shuffle through the services to find the best movies to stream right now. Though there are plenty of great movies on Netflix and Amazon still has the platform beat in terms of overall quality, many of the movies on Hulu can't be streamed anywhere else.
Hulu may, especially from today's vantage point, seem like a vestigial arm of Disney that doesn't have its own identity anymore. That's why I was surprised to discover just how many great movies the service has, including the kind of adult fare that Disney doesn't allow anywhere else. If you want something grisly or scary, like I often do, then Hulu is a great place to find it.
The best movies on Hulu can be gritty, family-friendly, and even sci-fi-oriented films. So, if you're looking to expand your binge-watching horizons, we've found the best movies to watch on Hulu right now.

White Men Can't Jump (2023)

Read more
The best shows to binge on Peacock in February
Lots of NBC hits are on Peacock now — here are the best shows to watch
Gabriel Macht wearing a light gray suit

There are definitely too many streaming services. Thanks to Netflix's revolution, every broadcast network and parent company decided that they had to get in on the streaming wars. Peacock TV is NBC Universal's streaming service, and although it may not seem like the most attractive option, there are actually a number of great Peacock movies and shows available on the service that are hard to find anywhere else.
Some of those popular shows are Peacock streaming originals, although there are plenty that initially aired on NBC or elsewhere and have found their way to Peacock thanks in part to the complicated nature of TV rights. Regardless, though, Peacock speaks to the impressive legacy of NBC Television. Growing up, I watched many of these shows as part of my regular nighttime routine. Now, thankfully, they're available at our fingertips anytime. Looking for more streaming options? We also have your guide to the best shows on Netflix, the best shows on Hulu, and the best shows on Paramount+.

Suits (2011)

Read more
What channel is the Super Bowl on?
Wondering how to watch Super Bowl? There are quite a few ways, it turns out
The Super Bowl trophy being held up

It's Super Bowl season, people. The stage is set, with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Philadelphia Eagles at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday, February 9, 2025. The world will be watching to see if the Chiefs or the Eagles hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy at the end of the game (well, some will be more concerned with how many times Travis Kelce superfan Taylor Swift will be shown, but we digress). You may have the big screen and all the requisite Super Bowl appetizers, but what channel is the Super Bowl on?

Although it's the biggest sporting event in America, I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to try to find the game itself. It changes channels every year, and is likely to be that way forever!

Read more