Pattern Play

Interior designer Betsy Wentz layered lots of lively prints into this New York City apartment.

- LAURA FENTON

The light blue wallpaper behind the bookshelves is one of the more subtle patterns Betsy Wentz chose for this apartment. It highlights the built-ins without competing with the dining room wallpaper, right. The faux goats add a touch of whimsy.

Floating a generous sectional sofa in the middle of the main living space functionally makes it like two rooms. For an investment piece like a sectional, Wentz recommends going with a solid neutral upholstery fabric for maximum versatility and longevity. In a decor scheme of blues, pinks, and grays, where one color has to lead here, navy blue counts as a neutral.

The dining room is a balance of sweetness and restraint. The wallpaper is floral but grounded with deep navy; the chandelier has a strong geometric shape but a light and airy blush color, and the mirror's modern silhouette is softened by antique-finish glass within.

Mirrors cleverly set into the window wells boost daylight and make the windows look larger.

Ten different wallpapers in a three-bedroom apartment might sound like a recipe for visual overload, but walking into this New York City home that interior designer Betsy Wentz decorated feels like a refuge. It’s polished and put together—with just the right amount of pattern for the room and vintage pieces for texture.

Hung as a group, two dozen vintage arrows become modern art.