At Home with Barefoot Blonde

If, like us, you’ve ever tried to recreate one of the year’s must-have, effortless-looking braids, you know—they’re never as easy as they look. Lucky for us, there’s Amber Fillerup Clark. From French to fishtail, her lifestyle blog, Barefoot Blonde, is beloved for its wealth of hair tutorials, breaking down the most popular plaits in step-by-step style. But while braids may be her beat, the fashionable blogger also knows a thing or two about decor. The proof? Her recently redesigned apartment in New York City’s Upper West Side. With the help of our style director, Clark—also a mother of two—transformed her home’s limited square footage into a wildly chic, open and airy, kid-friendly space. And true to form, she walked us through the entire process. Take the tour and hear what she had to say.

Your blog is broadly hair- and beauty-focused, but it’s clear you have a knack for fashion. How does your personal style translate into the design of your home? Are the two similar?
Definitely. My fashion choices depend on what I’m feeling that particular day, and it’s the same way with my home. Sometimes I want to decorate with only clean, bright whites, and other days I want a pink couch and mint walls!

Would you say it’s easier or more challenging to pull together a room or an outfit?
It’s much harder to design a room from start to finish. There are so many more components, and it’s harder to “try on” pieces.

Speaking of design challenges—you’re now a mother to two children under the age of three—how did you create a space that’s kid-friendly yet still stylish?
Well, I tried to stay away from too much white—that’s just asking for orange fingerprints! But mostly, I’ve accepted that pieces might get a little worn in because of the kiddos. I’m okay with things getting a little messy. I don’t ever want our home to feel “off-limits” to the kids.

Walk us through your daughter Rosie’s nursery. What do you love most about the space?
I just love how girly and feminine it feels. Rosie has such a sweet personality and I feel like her room really suits her. And I love the faux fur rug—Rosie loves to sit on it and play with her toys.

And your master bedroom? Was there anything the room had to have?
A dresser with lots of drawers. We previously had a wooden one that’s now in another room, but this white one is like a breath of fresh air. It makes the whole room feel much airier.

New York apartments are notoriously tiny. What are your tips for making the most of limited square footage?
Two words: Throw away. You can’t have too much junk in a New York City apartment. We also try to use every nook and cranny for storage. We have a shower we don’t use, so we put bookshelves in there to store odds and ends.  

You post hair tutorials and beauty tips almost daily. Do you have a dedicated space for getting ready?
I get ready wherever the kids are playing. I go into my bathroom and put all the makeup I want to use that day in a bag and head to the nursery or main room—wherever they are. I’m usually sitting on the couch doing my makeup and my son Atticus will try to help. I let him put on my powder and blush!

Before we go, we have to ask—what’s your go-to braided hairstyle for fall?
I’m still loving boxer braids! But I also really like a simple side braid with lots of volume on top.