Cecily Strong of Saturday Night Live fame has served as our comic relief through everything from elections and Supreme Court decisions to dating life and women’s issues. Her music video performances are the best and her range of characters never disappoint. So it was pretty sweet when we had the chance to peek inside her digs in New York City, which she now shares with her boyfriend Jack, and her retreat in upstate New York, both redesigned with the help of interior design service Havenly.
“Both of her spaces were empty and in need of a full and complete design from rugs to lamps, shelving to artwork,” said Melissa Wagner, Havenly lead designer who worked with Cecily on a start-to-finish decorating assignment. (Can you say dream job?)
For her country home, Cecily wanted a space that would be comfortable for hosting everything from brunch to cocktails, and one that could accommodate plenty of people to enjoy an amazing meal, and of course hilarious conversation.
“We had a tricky time settling on dining chairs for this project, so we cycled through lots of options there. Some of it had to do with lead times, and some of it had to do with comfort…” said Melissa. They landed on the Warren Green Chair from CB2, which adds the color Cecily craves plus the comfort.
Her design aesthetic? Eclectic with a mix of mid-century and cheeky accents like animal busts, unique lamps, color and texture. Naturally, for a comedian, Cecily doesn't take herself too seriously at home too. “Nothing is too precious in her spaces – she values comfort, ease and color above all else,” said Melissa.
Melissa took cues from Cecily’s collection of colorful, vintage Sevilla posters (in her NYC apartment) and quirky art (in her upstate home). Cecily’s favorite pieces? While the lounge chairs in both places made the biggest impact, she adored the Justina Blakeney x Loloi Feroz Faux Tiger Rug in teal in her upstate home and the gold chairs in her city space.
There were some challenges along the way. For example, In her upstate home, she had sloped ceilings with skylights so chandeliers were a no-no.
For her apartment in the city (above), Cecily wanted a space that both she and Jack would enjoy together. Melissa said she played with a mix of styles and one-off pieces they’ve each collected mixed with preferences that would be both playful and inviting.
The NYC space was (no surprise) limited by square footage. Melissa worked around a dining table and chairs Cecily had inherited. Combining tastes between a couple isn’t usually easy but Melissa noted that Cecily and Jack were so accommodating of each other’s preferences, she was able to land on a look that complemented them both pretty effortlessly.
“Cecily is one of the most agreeable client’s I’ve worked with,” said Melissa. “Nothing surprised me about her personal needs and preferences for these designs – she is so open and honest on pieces that she liked and didn’t like, so it was easy to understand what she wanted and put it all together in a design she really loved.”
Overall, the spaces are bright and carefree yet full of color and personalized. “They are full of texture and warmth along with an effortless level of sophistication that really makes it feel like HOME,” added Melissa.
Photos by Kylie Fitts for Havenly.
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