6 Design Tricks to Steal From Mindy Kaling's Gorgeous Apartment

Updated on May 19, 2017 at 1:42 PM

Mindy Kaling is a busy woman. She is the star and creator of The Mindy Project, has upcoming movie roles in A Wrinkle in Time and Ocean's Eight, and in most recent news, she will soon write and play a recurring character on her new show for NBC, Champions.

This leaves her little time to do ordinary things like say, decorating. So when Mindy needed to design her new apartment in New York's NoLita neighborhood, the design experts from The Studio at One Kings Lane stepped in to help. The resulting space is both minimal and sophisticated but still full of color and cheerfulness to fit Mindy's vibrant personality.

"The first time I walked into the space after One Kings Lane designed it, I thought, who is this chic person who lives here?" jokes Mindy, "It's not me, it looks amazing!" Ready to design your own stunning space? Even if you're not a show creator, brilliant writer, and hilarious comedian, you can have a home like one. Here are our favorite ideas from Mindy's bright and beautiful apartment.

Add bold color with artwork and accessories

The living room and the majority of Mindy's apartment are mostly white – creating a serene space for working or relaxing. Mindy says, “This corner of my living room is where I’ve done the most writing in the past year because everything is just so pleasing to the eye.” The large furniture pieces are neutral, but color is brought in with the accessories and bold abstract artwork.

Choose a clear coffee table for a light and airy look

When you're working with a small space, or just want a more open feeling to a room, choose a clear coffee table. A solid table or ottoman will add bulk and cut off the line of vision to the rest of the space. The vintage glass coffee table in Mindy's living room is the perfect piece for her minimalist style and keeps the room feeling fresh.

Make a bedroom more inviting with layers

To increase the cozy factor in a bedroom, use layers of texture and color. Mindy’s bedroom starts with a large Persian rug and an upholstered bed. For bedding, both Euro-size pillows and standard pillows are layered and topped with a Moroccan-style decorative cushion. The look is finished with two colorful poufs at the foot of the bed. Each of the elements work together to create a warm and inviting space that still feels chic and clean.

Think about how you want to use the space as you design it

According to Mindy, something as simple as bedside sconces can be a game changer. “I always used to get a really bulky lamp and put it on my nightstand so I could never keep anything else on my nightstand, except for a pair of glasses, which would fall on the ground or a bottle of water,” says Mindy. But now, her stylish new sconces free up space for books so she can read in bed. It proves that as your designing a room, it pays to think ahead about how you want to use that space on a day-to-day basis.

Use the same color scheme throughout for a cohesive look

The overall style of Mindy’s apartment is minimalist, but it’s far from boring. Each space has personality and pops of color. To keep the overall look cohesive, the same colors are used throughout each room, but not in the exact same ratios. Red stripes in the living room rug, for example, tie in perfectly with a thin red frame in the bedroom.

You can make a big statement, even in a small space

Mindy's small dining area is located off of the kitchen. Although it's only big enough to fit a small table and two chairs, it proves that even a simple area can still have its moment. "I find it incredibly cheerful because there's this great colorful print on the wall," says Mindy, "and also because my awesome light fixture, which is probably the biggest statement of the entire apartment."