Finding the perfect apartment in New York City is like trying to solve a puzzle while blindfolded—it’s a rare and grueling experience that would probably feel impossible in the moment. But for Romilly Newman, a born-and-raised New Yorker with a knack for making the impossible look effortless, the prize was worth the chase.
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After four months of searching, she landed on a 19th-century Italianate brownstone in Park Slope, a neighborhood adored for its historic architecture, tree-lined streets, and proximity to Prospect Park. And just like that, the tastemaker who’s been designing trend-setting tablescapes and throwing dinner parties since her teen years had a new canvas to work her magic on.
But Newman’s Park Slope apartment isn’t your typical Instagram-ready New York space. It’s moody, eclectic, and unapologetically personal—words that could just as easily describe the 27-year-old herself. “I wanted to do something a little different than my usual style, playing with fabrics like mohair and leather,” she shares. “It’s darker and a little less overtly feminine than my typical spaces, but that’s part of why I love it.” This willingness to step outside the box, both in her home and her work, is why Newman has been quietly redefining what it means to be a tastemaker, eschewing trends for something far more authentic and timeless.
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Newman’s unique flair for hosting, design, and food styling has been years in the making, for she got her start early—really early. By age 10, inspired by Ina Garten and the Food Network, she had taught herself to cook. At 11, she launched her food blog and YouTube channel, Little Girl in the Kitchen, which featured her whipping up sophisticated dishes like elderflower cordials, often while dressed in her mother’s finery. Two years later, she became the youngest-ever contestant on Chopped. Now, over a decade later, she’s a go-to name for designing unforgettable tablescapes, hosting chic events, and styling food that’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
It’s no surprise that entertaining runs in her blood. Her mother, Antonia Dauphin, a British-Parisian casting director and screenwriter, raised Newman with a deep appreciation for elegance and fine dining. And her maternal grandmother, Ruda Michelle, was the kind of hostess whose dinner parties were the stuff of legend, and her paternal grandmother’s style inspires her till this day.
“My [paternal] grandmother had a sense of style that was uniquely hers; it was completely instinctual and natural,” Newman says. “Everything felt elegant and dramatic, but nothing ever felt precious. It was clear that designing welcoming spaces dictated by beauty was something that was entirely innate, and that’s what struck such a chord. She passed away when I was six, but I still remember the bounce of her sofas, the cold stone of the fireplace, the smell of the bathrooms, and the way the carpet felt beneath my feet. To me, that’s a marker of enduring style and timeless design.”
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Her innate ability to create welcoming, beautiful spaces is on full display in her Park Slope home, where history and personality are at the heart of every design choice. “I took complete inspiration from the bones of the apartment,” she says. “It’s the garden level of an 1800s Italianate brownstone, so all the inspiration was already present. I wanted to enhance the natural beauty and character already within the space—highlighting the wide plank floors, black marble fireplace, farmhouse sink, and moldings.”
Newman leaned into to the home's natural charm—low ceilings, moody light, and all. “The ceilings are low, and it has a moodier light, so I wanted to bring in rich earth tones and pops of dark red,” she explains. “The goal was not to create an environment that pretended to be light and airy, but rather to find warmth and light within the darkness.”
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The result is a space that feels intimate and layered, where every corner tells a story. Red became a unifying thread throughout the home, inspired by a brown mohair sofa she placed in her living room. “There’s a through line of red in the apartment that feels very me,” she says. “It’s present in art, furniture, accents, and fabrics.” During a trip to Paris, Newman purchased an oversized suitcase full of red toile de jouy fabric, which she transformed into curtains, pillows, and even a dog crate cover. “The toile feels like a signature element; I love mixing classical French designs with [more] modern elements.”
Of course, designing a home in New York City comes with its challenges. Space was a significant constraint, and Newman had to make compromises to create a home that worked for her. “I had to forfeit a designated dining space to make way for a formal living room, which is something I felt this home needed,” she admits. However, the apartment came with a rare and precious luxury for city living: an outdoor garden. “I was delighted to have an outside space, which is so rare and special,” she says. “I decided to devote the garden to dining and entertaining, which I use as many months out of the year as I can!”
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Her favorite room in the house is the kitchen, which she calls her “safe space.” Cooking has been a constant in her life since she was a child, and her Sunday tradition of “Solo Sunday Suppers” is a way to indulge her creativity. “The idea is to cook entirely to my own cravings, with no time limit, and to create something just for me to enjoy. Out of it has come a lot of thoughtful and leisurely recipes that are designed for one… It’s often some of my best work.”
When hosting others, Newman’s approach remains as thoughtful and elegant as her design. “I love doing something a bit over the top and indulgent; I like for people to eat something different from what they’d make for themselves. A favorite is a slow-roasted leg of lamb.” And with the holidays approaching, she’s already planning a cozy, festive gathering with friends. “I plan to have friends over for roasted chestnuts, mulled wine, chocolate cake, and lots of cheeky fun,” she says.
Her mother’s love of tradition finds its way into Newman’s own holiday hosting, including the Christmas puddings her mother serves every year. “My mom has served a warm Christmas pudding every Christmas for as long as I can remember,” Newman reflects. “She gets them from Fortnum’s and lights them on fire with flaming brandy. It’s delicious, festive, and reminds me of the magic she’d bring to every celebration.”
As 2026 begins, Newman looks ahead to her next project—a book focusing on food, home, and nostalgia—her philosophy remains clear: “Intention and thoughtfulness are what make a great host and tastemaker, but it can never feel forced,” she says. “There’s so much existing beauty and inspiration in the world; you just have to look for it. I try not to focus on trends or what others are doing and instead hone in on what feels natural and special to me.”
For now, though, her brownstone apartment remains the ultimate expression of her style and her story, a place where her love of beauty, tradition, and connection comes to life. “When I’m inside, I feel like I could just as easily be in the country as in the city. I hope others find it as quaint and inviting as I do.”
Romilly Newman’s Park Slope apartment was originally published in Vogue Hong Kong.
