Inside a ‘Cozy Chic’ Home Office That Cost $17,000 to Furnish
Photo: Courtesy of Bobby Trendz
Welcome to Room Receipts, where we get real about the costs behind one well-designed room. From big budget spenders to thrifty thinkers, we’re talking to people from different worlds about their worth-it splurges, budget hacks, and purchase regrets. We’re always on the hunt for cool homes with a unique story, so if you’re interested in being featured tell us more about your space here.
When Robert F. Samuels, Jr. (a.k.a. Bobby Trendz), a New Jersey– and New York–based creative director and founder of BT Collective Agency, first moved into his Bloomfield apartment in 2021, he set up the downstairs space in his duplex as a living room. After a few years passed by, he had an epiphany: “I realized that I do a lot more work than I do lounging, so I thought, Why not turn it into a home office?” But the room would require some special attention. “It’s very unique,” Samuels explains. “The ceilings are 22 feet high and there are 12-foot windows, so I had to really consider the dimensions.”
Samuels describes his interior tastes as “cozy chic,” so he knew his home office would channel that same energy too. He was eager to ensure that the vibe of the room felt lived-in and usable but not sloppy. “It needed a chic edge, which now feels like a gallery,” he says. When approaching the decor, he started with a few pieces from the original living room—specifically the rug, credenza, and a Tom Dixon x IKEA lamp. “Those were the founding pieces, and I built around that,” he explains. “I was thinking about how I could dress that up.”
Here, Samuels shares about investing in art, scoring designer furniture for a steal, and the lamps he can’t get enough of.
Architectural Digest: Did you have a budget?
Bobby Trendz: The short answer: No, I never considered a budget. As a creative, I always think of aesthetics first.
What was your biggest splurge?
My biggest splurge was the artwork above my desk, which I paid $8,000 for. I take art investment very seriously, because it’s something that increases in value as years go on, but it’s also a keepsake. You’ll always remember the owner, you'll always remember the purpose that it served and the place that it was in. I imagine it as something I can pass down to my children one day or my even children’s children.
Before I decided to covert this space into an office, there was a different piece that hung in the same place. But it didn’t fit with the new direction, so I knew I needed something new. I decided to reach out to Jay West, an artist from Harlem, New York, because he’d created a piece for my first home, featuring Popeye, and I loved the theme of that one.
Most importantly, I didn’t want it to blend in with the space. I wanted it to stand on its own, so I asked for a bold color. Most of my home is black, white, and gray, with some woods tones thrown in there. But when it comes to art, I allow it to take precedence. I love that art is the color in my home. I asked for green with a pop of the harsh white and gray tones and a little bit of yellow. I didn’t give any other instructions, and he came up with that beautiful piece.
Overall, art has always been where I’ve splurged my dollars, because it’s just so sentimental. And like I said, it’s something that we can keep in our heritage and our family forever. In fact, I call my home Trendz Gallery because there is so much beautiful art in it.
What was your best deal?
I was on Facebook Marketplace looking for art when this stool popped up out of nowhere. It’s a vintage walnut stool by Pierre Jeanneret and usually retails for around $12,000 to $15,000, but the sellers were asking $2,000. I wouldn’t usually drop this much on a stool, but it’s the architecture, the craftsmanship, and the quality of material that goes into the piece. Even though it was still a lot of money, I felt like I got it at a great price. And I’ve always seen furniture as something that can last forever. This just felt like a staple piece that I’ll always want to have in my collection. I’m in love with it.
Even if it wasn’t the best monetary deal, what are some things that, to you, were well worth the price?
There are a couple of things. The first that comes to mind is my Avalon throw blanket ($1,850) from Hermes. I didn’t get a deal on it, and it was definitely expensive, but it made me feel good. It’s one of my favorite pieces, and I just love how it works as a piece of decor. My Lyme lounge chair from Honormill ($1,500) also falls into this category. It was a bit expensive, but the way it felt definitely sold me. I think it was worth the price.
What’s your favorite piece in the room?
Tom Dixon is my favorite lighting designer, and I have several of his pieces around my home. The lamp on my desk is one of my newest from him, and it’s my favorite in the room. It’s the Bell Portable Black LED Lamp, and I absolutely love it. All you have to do is tap, and it brings the perfect amount of light to the space.
Do you still have anything left on your shopping list?
I’m looking for a really big fiddle leaf fig. You’d think it would be something that’s easy to find, but because my ceilings are so high, I’m looking for something that is at least 15 to 16 feet. I have a little one now, but I want something taller. With that, the room will be complete.
Shop Bobby Trendz’s home office
Avalon Throw Blanket
$1875.00, Hermès
Basquiat by Leonhard Emmerling
$20.00, Taschen
Blox 63" Rectangular Brown Wood Dining Table
$549.00, CB2
Lyme Lounge Chair
$1500.00, HONORMILL
Erria Black Rug
$799.00, Crate & Barrel
1960s Vintage Lane Perception Walnut Dining Side Chair
$120.00, Chairish
Pierre Jeanneret PJ-SI-34-A A-Legs Cane Stool
$8000.00, 1st Dibs
Mariedamm Table
$470.00, IKEA
Tom Dixon Black Bell Portable Table Lamp
$260.00, SSENSE
Black Silk Tulips
$20.00, Amazon
Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
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