LaTonya Yvette’s Brooklyn Home Feels Like a Soft Place to Land

Our long-time friend LaTonya Yvette just published a book of essays — Stand In My Window — all about home and homemaking. “We’re always recreating home, within ourselves, within different seasons,” she told us. “It’s a regenerative practice that Black and Brown women have perfected over the years, and it’s an act of resistance.” Today, she shares a tour of her Brooklyn apartment, plus a tip for hosting large parties and the surprising thing about parenting teens. Here’s a look inside…

KITCHEN/LIVING AREA

Wooden dining table: West Elm. Chairs: West Elm. Rug: vintage from the Brooklyn Flea Market.

On changing apartments: Back in 2021, during the New York City eviction moratoriums, I received a letter from our apartment landlord saying that they were selling the building, and found myself looking for a new home. It was such a wakeup moment and showed me how fine the line is between housed and unhoused. I ended up getting this apartment after applying for another apartment in the building and am so grateful because it’s truly everything we were looking for: a space where we feel safe in our neighborhood, close to the kids’ schools and the restaurants and parks that we know and love. It’s a privilege and a blessing.

Kitchen island: made by a friend. Fruit bowl: West Elm. Dutch oven: Le Creuset. Kettle: Fellow Stagg EKG.

On storage solutions: Finding a place for everything in the kitchen was tough because there are no cabinets. But my friend Grace found this used island, and her partner, Jack, made a concrete top for it. It was a quick way to create storage and utilize the space — I love it.

Paint: Middleton Pink by Farrow & Ball. Sofa: Article. Pillows: West Elm. Coat rack: West Elm. Wooden side table: “from my grandmother.” Ceramic lamp: West Elm. Tapestry: Block Shop. Coffee table: West Elm. Pink vase: thrifted from Dobbin St. Vintage Co-op.

On hosting in small rooms: This apartment has a smaller living area, so the key to hosting big parties is moving the furniture. Before people arrive, I move everything into the back room. My goal is to make the living/kitchen area feel like a giant dance floor.

Dining table: West Elm. Chairs: West Elm. Pendant: Nogy.

On an ice-breaker: I hate small talk with a passion. Whenever I have a get together, I tell my friends beforehand, ‘We’re going to dance. If you’re not here to dance, then you gotta go.’ The trick to creating the mood is to play ’90s music. Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill, Wu-Tang, Luther Vandross — anything from the ’90s will get people going, for real.

KIDS’ BEDROOM

Dresser: vintage. Mirror: Target. Pennant: Rayo and Honey.

On stoop finds: My grandmother knew how to make her life feel extravagant even though she lived below her means. She taught me how to see thrift stores as department stores, and how to find the beauty in others’ old furniture. My former neighbor left this dresser on the street. It reminded me of a dresser I had as a girl, and as soon as I saw it I knew it would add joy to our home.

Bed: West Elm. Blanket: Map Tote.

On parenting teens: At 10 and 13, my kids now see more of my humanness, and I see more of theirs. They still view me as their parent, because I provide for them and guide them, but now I’m also ‘LaTonya.’ LaTonya’s flawed, but she’s also great.

Coat rack: Ikea. Backpacks: Fjällräven. Frames: Framebridge.

On new chapters: My now-older kids also have new desires for me. River told me, ‘I want you to remarry,’ and I think a small reason behind that wish is that she wants to see me exist in another way. The place that our relationship is in right now is so beautiful and unexpected.

Lamp: West Elm.

On embracing a slower season: In New York, and within my industry, you’re continually hustling, hustling, hustling. Three years ago, I was doing so much labor — I was buying a house, I was renovating that house, and I was doing work within myself. But I’ve recently reached a stage of parenting, where it’s very clear that my daughter is going to leave the house soon; and before she goes, I want to be present and 100% emotional available with her. So, I’m fine saying no to big projects right now.

PRIMARY BEDROOM

Bedding: Dazed but Amazed. Pillows: West Elm.

On the color yellow: I’ve always been drawn to yellow and see it as a sign of joy. In the past I wore yellow clothes, but lately I’ve been into seeing how different shades of yellow translate to a room. It can be subtle and really strong.

Mirror: Stoop find. Nesting tables: Dobbin St. Vintage Co-Op, similar.

On morning routines: I wake up around six and drink hot water with lemon. Then I try to rally the kids to get out of bed by putting on music. During the pandemic, we were really into Otis Redding, and lately we’ve been loving Sounds of Blackness.

Lamp: Nogy.

On grounding rituals: Making a home doesn’t just mean filling it with furniture, but also developing routines that make you feel grounded. For me, that looks like folding our laundry late at night with a glass of wine and watching Girlfriends. Adding small touches of ease brings pleasure to the everyday moments of homemaking.

Rug: vintage. Leather chair: West Elm. Lamp: World Market.

On rewearing favorite finds: Lately, I haven’t been wearing anything new. Instead, I’ve been re-styling pieces I’ve had for years, just in different ways. There’s been so much change going on in my life, so when it comes to my clothes, I’ve realized, why fix something that’s not broken?

On full-circle gifts: I’m a huge fan of photographer Carrie Mae Weems. I think of her as my art godmother, since much of her work is rooted in home. When writing my book, I drew inspiration from her Kitchen Table Series, which is all about how Black women gather at the table. For my birthday, a friend gave me this poster [above], and Carrie signed it, writing ‘Happy birthday, LaTonya, remember to dream.’

Thank you so much, LaTonya. We adore you. See her Big Salad issue, as well, if you’d like.

P.S. More house tours, including a Brooklyn apartment with the prettiest paint colors and LaTonya’s upstate house, where she welcomes relatives, friends, and strangers.

(Photos by Julia Robbs.)

11 COMMENTS