Candy-Colored Collections Wow in Manhattan
Jeanie Engelbach describes her candy-inspired home as “Pee Wee Herman opened a pop culture museum in Candy Land.” For 20 years the photo archivist, interior decorator and color lover has amassed an impressive collection of sentimental treasures — from lunch boxes to Pez dispensers and bobbleheads — in her one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan’s East Village. “My personal design influence is based on my 9-year-old self: candy, cartoons and late-’70s pop culture,” Engelbach says. “I love bright colors and anything that sparkles and shines.”
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as for all the dust comments - the collections do get mildly dusty and truthfully they could be cleaned more frequently, however for me it is a small and insignificant factor to be surrounded by what i love and cherish.
thank you again for all the amazingly sweet and positive comments!
i was finishing the last minute preparations for a prohibition era dinner & a murder party and the the ball literary dropped 20mins before guests were to arrive. so now i have a new rotating motor and it should be up soon.
home. Thank you for letting us in!
What a great job Rikki Snyder did. She's an amazing talent. She shot my house which is also here on Houzz.
And my sister's house:
Congrats Jeanie.
But she must be single.
I had a friend who collected antique toys and did much the same to the home he built around a tree...His daughter had the tree growing through her bedroom.
But he ended up divorced as his wife just couldn't take every space in the house being a display for antique toys.
I must play vocabulary police re: the last sentence, and point out that the elements are disparate not disparaging. Sorry, but I can't let that stuff go. I'm an annoying nerd, I know.
please take it out as it is disrespecting the goddess
that collection is so beautiful but please...
@loqa:
i do not live in a gallery, although i love art and have large collections which integrate into the design plan. i happen to live on the 2nd floor of a super busy, high pedestrian street so everyone who looks up might think it is a studio space or gallery. it is little like living in a fishbowl, but it has served me well. the first time my apartment was featured in a publication was b/c the photographer saw my chandelier & lunch box collection.
Very unique home! I love it, but would never like having that much stuff around me. Very cute & colourful!
SOooo much fun and personality! Love it!!
I love love love Pop arts! So many collections ! Put together so neatly in a fantabulous way! I have never been so inspired about home- may be I never saw one that represents its dweller so vividly! It's like living in a candy land!
That is so incredibly awesome! I am totally going to collect pezs! I already have a Bratz doll collection numbering over 100, a feather collection, a Schleich toy collection and a tiny china animal collection.
Always feel like I'm getting a big treat and seeing something new when you feature this lady!
THat is SO creative !!! I would love to do something like that .. =) thank you !!
It was especially fun for me to see someone else with creative uses for coca cola boxes! They are so cool and handy. Individuality gets harder and harder to express in these modern times, but this woman is an inspiration and a joy to "meet".
That was just plain Saturday morning fun to see all your colors and creative, personalized collections. Thanks for sharing. It made me happy, too!
Love all the color, such a wonderful change from all the neutral walls and white kitchens. How amazing to find the one landlord that let's you paint. And, if perchance you ever tire of your carnival light piece, I would, out of the kindness of my heart, re-home it. Favorite part of your home however, Tater-Tot!! Please, pass along a kiss and a cookie.
I love the display of colours. Obviously not everybody's cup of tea but it's your place and you've done a beautiful job. Lucky dog to live in such fairy-tail surroundings.
I dream of a home like Jeanie's. What a happy place you have created for yourself, friends and family to enjoy. I'm inspired. I also use toy collections in my home. They make me and guests to our home happy to look at them and are conversation starters. Thanks for letting us come by for a visit to your Living Scrapbook.
Wow U R so cool.... With a dash of Groovy. Your place is so great. What do you do for work? I'm a furniture-cabinetmaker-designer-artist... Once again I couldn't stop smilin listening to you. (X)
To each their own.
I love your home! It's bright and cheerful, and seems to match your personality perfectly.
Super fun lady, lovely apartment. Thanks Houzz for this happy video.
Sending you love and light from Cairo, Egypt.
Your confidence and happiness is in every thing I see. What a wonderful personal space you have created to share.
Such a happy place to live! I love all the colors and collections!
Michaels or Target.
I sooo want to hang out with you!!!! Beautiful apartment and I love your hair!!!! Glad to see a fellow New Yorker not taking herself so seriously and simply doing what she loves with her space. Good job!
I bet kids love to visit this house!
Such a fun home! Though I'm more of a minimalist, I definitely see your organization skills at work to create your style in a sensible way. Kudos to you!
Love your space!! I collect toys as well. I only have one lunchbox though..."The Archie's". Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Houzz for finally showcasing something that unique with loads of personality and character. I'm so bored with the contemporary, gray, clean-lines look.
Thank you for sharing, I am now grinning all over my face!
Absolutely beautiful, fanciful home! I especially love the artwork, the wall art and window treatments, and the tiara in the bathroom.
I know this apartment! I go to the bar (Nowhere) across the street and have always noticed this apartment because it's just one floor up, has a disco ball in the window, has interesting things on the wall, and is bright pink. I always wondered who lived here - and now I do. :-)
Awesome, awesome, awesome!
By the way, that apartment is not small, it's considered large by East Village (or Manhattan for that matter) standard.
REALLY wonderful to me. I guess because I'm the same? I can't stand plain. Color makes me so happy. The one thing I wonder is where is the non-see through curtains on the windows? Surely when one lives there you NEED to close the windows peep-tight at night!!
I love this expression of personal style and acknowledgment that passers by can also enjoy the collections. Super fun!
The dining room table with the leopard print.... Was that a find or did you put the print on yourself? I'm in awe of your creativity and and execution of your ideas (the mounted chairs!!!) I'm in love with the table. (I'm in love with the whole apartment, who am I kidding?) The table though.... ugh. I covet the table!
Nice... But I guessed that Cleaning Day it's a Challenge!
I want to meet her. She's fun!
Colorful and inviting apartment, but I hope there is never a tremor or earthquake in Manhattan...her beautiful collections will come tumbling to the floor.
Beautiful place.! Congrats!! great personality!.. I really loved it.
Nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to dust there.
thank you all so much for positive and supportive comments! so appreciative that you took the time to let me know how my home made you feel! i'm going to attempt to answer or respond to all those who had inquiries:
tooky58: i'll keep your *generous* offer to re-home my carousel light fixture in mind should i decide to let it go. tater tot sends you big bulldog kissess
winter43: i've had the lamp (literally) since 1990 when i had moved to nyc. there were reports of them catching on fire which is why mine is never left on unattended, but there has yet to be an incident. it provides such strong light it is hard to give up.
birdie miller designs: i've a lifestyle curation company that helps people who are overwhelmed, disorganized and constantly stressed by clutter - mental and physical. we implement creative design & storage solutions and systems to help people live better organized lifestyles.
anniebird: yes, i am a badger. i went to uw for undergrad.
olen holm: nice to meet you.
gramma907: i have blinds in my bedroom, but i've since removed all the blinds in the living room. when i had first moved in, it seemed like a waste of time opening and closing 6 sets of shades everyday, so i just eliminated them.
brandi myles: my friend, kerry painted my table over 25yrs ago based on a design we created together. she had painted leopard spots on a nightstand and i had to have them on my table.
Beautiful, colorful and eclectic apartment! Love it!!!!!!!
Luckily you live alone - my husband would have put me out! lol
I love this place! I couldn't live in a place like this for various reasons, but I think that she would still be a great design person to help bring a bit of whimsy into anyone's home. If I ever move back to Manhattan or Brooklyn, I'll probably contact her
Such a HAPPY space ☺️ Thank you.
That kitchen chandelier is to die for - wish it showed where to get one like it - when you click the current tag it only takes you to floral bakeware!
@Sara Moseley - Thanks!! Here's a link to get one like it! https://www.houzz.com/product/30729219-krystal-chandelier-pink-contemporary-chandeliers
What brand and color is the bright orange and yellow paint? Love it!
@terri walter. the brand is benjamin moore. i need to do a little research for the color name or it's current name. it's been on the wall for 14yrs.
This woman needs a museum! Seriously, a lot of people would enjoy it. She could also decorate commercial spaces like restaurants with great success (if she doesn't already). Personally I try to keep any tendencies to start "collecting" under control because unless it is properly displayed it's just more stuff in the way of living. I also enjoy a more serene environment and prefer decorating with paintings (as opposed to Pez dispensers) and carpets. Different strokes...
Despite the white glove method of cleaning I don't see how you could keep the place reasonably clean (not immaculate) unless you devoted a whole day every week to dusting. Grime also forms, but if she doesn't cook (?) then I suppose that would be less of an issue. Should anyone want to recreate this look keep in mind Jeanie's extreme orderliness is what makes her place work....otherwise it would be chaos.
I checked my comment to see what I previously said......it was way back in 2013. I still stand by my comment of saying, I'd love to visit, but could never live with that much stuff, as fun as the stuff is. I prepared for a neighborhood garage sale these past few weeks that is being held for the next 3 days. I'm really paring down and made my husband go through his books and golf equipment. I couldn't believe how much of an excess we accumulate. I'm a sucker for kitchen/dining items......, dishes, dessert plates, soup bowls, etc. as we entertain a lot.......but I found so many things I've had for 5+ years and have never used. Those things are sitting on tables in the garage waiting for someone else to buy them and love them at the sale tomorrow.
Fun and creative and someone’s personal style, but It’s way to quirky for my taste
So much happiness in one wonderful space! Love it!
OH MY GOSH!!! Your apartment, your ideas, your love of color and whimsy!!! Fantastic. It all comes together with such spirit. 'Actually made me cry. What talent you have. Simply amazing and more. My home is a watered down version of yours. Thank you for sharing!
WOW, just WOW! In a stupendously good way!
I have to be the asshat who asks...how do you dust all of that? I love love,love it.Misty Lindsey painting would look great in there too!
I'm just absolutely in love with this home. My husband would neeeeeever let me be so bold in our home, but since we now agreed that we should each have our own personal space. He'll get his man cave and I'll have my lady den. **Inspired!!!***
When I first looked at the picture used to entice me to watch the video, I said "I love ALL the collections- their unique methods of display and their creative personal expressions, but it's a claustrophobic amount of collections!" The more I gazed through the apartment though, the more I realized that the tight organization, eye catching, unique displays and funky objects with practical applications (wall mounted chairs for book shelves) kept the intense clutter easy on the eyes. I also realized that, if I were more motivated, much less sick and gobs more energetic, this would be my actual house. And yes, I can admit I probably have close to her amount of collections, with the same level of quirkiness, but I try to put mine to everyday use, not just on look-but-don't-touch visual display, to justify their place in my home.
I'm used to people commenting positively on my upcycling and thoughtful, alternative uses for things ("Oh, I've never seen an antique, crystal, heavily engraved aperitif glass used to hold bread twist ties", "Those Royal Albert Months of The Year floral serving plates make excellent mounts for each month's calendar page!", "I never would've thought to use a hand blown, colorful vase for a toilet brush holder."), but I like to think that I put previously ignored, very beautiful, sometimes discarded, mundane things to practical but imaginative everyday use.
A pair of sparkly, silver Christmas sleigh stocking holders make wonderful kitchen towel holders and keep meat thermometers and cake testers conveniently close in a food prep area with no towel hanging capability and little storage. My M&M colored bathroom (orange, yellow, M&M blue and white) was designed around shower/window curtains, fabric band trimmed towels and accessories I hand made out of a beloved (but permanently stained, headed for the trash), summery, happy plaid tablecloth. Guests say it's really wonderful to wake up to- cheery, bright and mind awakening. Every guest loves that room! The brass and glass wheeled side table turned portable coffee/juice/breakfast bar in the guest bedroom, laden with a chunky but shapely carved crystal collection of breakfast serving pieces (OJ pitcher, dome covered biscuit display stand, jelly jar, honey pot, tea bag/filter holder) sidles up to the roadside find storage bench, now colorfully upholstered in ikat, accented with chrome nailheads and full of guest comfort (lap blanket, fuzzy wuzzy bathrobe, mags, microwaveable lavender filled slippers) to make a welcoming, well appreciated, continental breakfast/evening relaxation area.
Putting beautiful, unused pieces and collections, some previously put out to pasture, into imaginative, everyday (and sometimes luxuriously pampering) use is the epitome of upcycling, vision, practicality and thrift. All the pieces collectively showcase unique personality, funky taste, quirky thinking and willingness to put some imagination into upcycling. Love that style!
Wow
What a creative soul--very inspiring! Thank you for sharing! Question: how do you keep the Pez dispensers from tipping over??
Crazy in love with this. Industrial minimalism - BEGONE!
This is so amazing. So fun, I love it! Also, I love that someone asked how she keeps it so clean.
Camille Cunningham: I myself use a dab of sticky wax candle adhesive from Mole Hollow Candles ($3 for 1 oz tin) or little, hand rolled balls of the grey rope putty used for window weatherproofing (much cheaper and a multi use product) to adhere my Pez collection to display shelving. Both products work well and come off cleanly when removed. Both materials can be used to secure many displayed items- from tea cups and saucers, to collectible plates, to figurines, to candles (both on bases and for tapers in oversized holders), to holiday decorations. Not only do they hold things securely in place, they can be used to join things also. I assemble my holiday bowls rim to rim with the putty, and then stack the paired bowls on top of each other (again, securing them with putty), in figure eight shapes for displays, which are unique and very pretty. Love both products and they clean off with just a few wipes, and no stains.
This place makes me smile. It would be like living in a cartoon. I would never tire of looking at all her "stuff." I also wondered about dusting, but she solved that easily. My mom used to put oilcloth on our kitchen table, so that's what I did in our first three residences. This lady has eyes exactly like my late mom's eyes. I feel a kinship with her since I, too, like color and collections.
A WOW place indeed. And quite fabulous, particularly because it makes you happy.
I was also impressed at how neat the place looks. It is small, so cleaning is easier. But with a dog and so many displayed collections, I was wondering how you kept the place clean. I think it takes more work than using a glove. Anyway, you obviously manage it well. So, congratulations on your happy, organized and neat place.
I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS SPACE. I love everyone else's creative spaces also!! I've had quite a few of my own "funky" spaces but never took pictures, drats. Keep up that creativity.
love the red couch and Tator Tot's sleeping area!!
The chandelier in the kitchen is beautiful! I love seeing a home that reflects someone’s personality successfully, as does this one.
It would take me months to take everything off & wash the dust & dirt ! Glad she has to do it & not me! But good for her