WATCH: See Inside Younger Star Molly Bernard's 'Calming' and Cool Brooklyn Apartment
With New York City currently on lockdown, Molly Bernard is feeling especially grateful for her newly made over one-bedroom oasis.
The Younger star, 31, is happily holed up with her fiancée, public defender Hannah Lieberman, and their two dogs in their “800 square foot box,” which they’ve recently made feel even more like home with some help from West Elm.
“I feel so lucky that I did this collaboration when I did,” Bernard tells PEOPLE.
Even before a “stay at home” order was put in place in the city, the actress already spent much of her time in the apartment doing prep work for roles, “which is why I wanted to cultivate a really healthy, productive, bright and positive working-from-home environment.”
Landon Vonderschmidt for West Elm
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While she couldn’t have anticipated being confined to the apartment when she was decorating, Bernard ultimately created a space that’s at once tranquil and energizing — the perfect haven to hide away in for the time being.
“The way that we spend time here has been actually really peaceful and easy,” she says of sharing the space with Lieberman. “There has been no tension, in large part because we have a very healthy relationship, which I’m very blessed and grateful for, but also because our space is really healthy.”
Landon Vonderschmidt for West Elm
“We don’t have excess,” she explains. “We don’t have a lot of stuff out. It’s calming, it helps to clear the already cluttered mind of fear and panic.”
Landon Vonderschmidt for West Elm
The apartment is grounded in neutral hues, with playful accent pieces like Dusen Dusen throw pillows and a velvet armchair providing pops of color. “I’m a real sucker for a neutral basic,” says Bernard, who prefers the color to come from plants, books and a curated selection of art she has on her walls.
Landon Vonderschmidt for West Elm
Landon Vonderschmidt for West Elm
One work in particular is “the star of our living room,” says the actress: the one above the couch, which was made for her by her friend, artist Ethan Cooke. “That’s the most important piece.”
“One of the things I like to say is my apartment was basically designed by my friends,” she adds, explaining that Ellen Van Dusen, another pal and the designer behind Dusen Dusen, created the whimsical black-and-blue tile mosaic floor of her kitchen.
Landon Vonderschmidt for West Elm
Landon Vonderschmidt for West Elm
“I wanted to buy my apartment a nice pair of shoes,” Bernard jokes of the the unique flooring.
“It’s my favorite room in the house. It feels very now and very 60s, and I’m sad that this is a one-bedroom apartment because when my partner and I have children, we’ll have to leave it. I wish we could take that floor with us, because it’s so special.”
Bernard feels a similar attachment to all of the furniture in her apartment. “I’m really passionate about interior design — particularly small space interior design, because I live in New York City,” she says. “What you bring in and how you choose it impacts how you live. For some people, furniture’s more functional, but for me it’s more emotional.”
Landon Vonderschmidt for West Elm
One recent addition that’s a bit of both? A ring tray that sits beside the kitchen sink, home to the couple’s newly acquired engagement rings.
Landon Vonderschmidt for West Elm
It’s small changes like that — “a moment, rather than a project,” Bernard explains — that can make a space feel more like home. Moving small objects around to see how they look in different rooms is another trick the actress is using to keep her home fresh while she’s responsibly social distancing.
“Really love your home,” she urges. “We’re stuck here, and the way to combat this thing [COVID-19] is to stay home. So make sure you carve out spaces that feel so good. That feel safe to be in. Because we’re kind of in a new world order,” she says. “Home is where, not just the heart is, but where everything is right now.”
